Anyone who levels a character to level 60 on the hardcore servers of WoW Classic to regularly visit raid instances lives with the danger that the adventure can end at any time. In the Molten Core, it even caught nearly an entire raid this time, and in the most frustrating way.
What happened to the raid from WoW Classic Hardcore? A 40-player team from the US hardcore server Skull Rock was once again in the Molten Core. Anyone who has visited “MC” back in the day knows: To reach the two bosses Lucifron and Magmadar, you have to fight your way through a narrow cave area.
In the side pockets of the entrance, groups of fiery imps have made themselves comfortable. Additionally, several lava elementals patrol the corridors. These are stone elementals that can knock players back.
The motto is clear: pull patrols and groups of imps one by one, always stay close together to avoid mishaps, and by no means let anyone get knocked into lava or other enemies. With a bit of practice and gear, this is not a problem. After all, the Molten Core is an almost 20-year-old raid instance with correspondingly simple mechanics and requirements.
The hardcore servers of WoW Classic in the trailer:
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WoW Classic: The Hardcore Servers Are Here!
Seconds that Decide Life and Death
So where was the raid’s mistake? In a video on YouTube, you can watch the fateful pull. Although the characters were cuddled up against the wall, the second lava elemental was too close to the imps during the pull, so it brought them along.
The imps already cause some area damage the moment they encounter the raid. On top of that, there was a knockback from the elemental that likely threw the players off balance. By the time the first heals went out, the first characters were already dead.
More losses followed in seconds. Those who could react quickly threw in a Potion of Stoneform, which protects against all physical attacks and spells for one minute, only to leave the raid right after and teleport out of the instance before the protection expired.
Ultimately, about 30 Azeroth adventurers at max level 60 were caught. And that was during a trash pull that every Classic enthusiast has surely played dozens of times over the years. Bitter!
What does this mean on hardcore servers? If you die on a hardcore server of WoW, you cannot run back to your corpse and be resurrected there. Also, abilities like Reincarnation from shamans or Soulstones from warlocks do not work.
From now on, you exist in Azeroth as a ghost and can communicate with other players – for example, to hand over the guild leadership to another character. If you want to play your dead hardcore character in the future, you must transfer them to a regular server of WoW Classic. More about WoW Classic Hardcore: From now on, you can prove in WoW Classic that you are the best
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Road-to-the-Final-Tracker (RTTF) for EA FC 24 shows you the progress of the dynamic RTTF cards on their way to the final. We have compiled all players and upgrades into a table for you.
What is it about? The RTTF event brought new dynamic cards for Ultimate Team. The promo focuses on the individual path of players to the final. Successful performances and reaching the next round are rewarded by EA with upgrades. RTTF players are available for the following competitions:
UEFA Champions League (UCL)
UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL)
UEFA Europa League (UEL)
UEFA Conference League (UECL)
Update from June 3, 2024: The 23/24 season is officially over with the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. All upgrades are now confirmed. You can find them below in the table. The original article continues here.
Requirements for Upgrades in the Corresponding Competitions
How do RTTF cards earn their upgrades? The requirements for the upgrades have been visualized by EA based on various charts (see above). Additionally, you can see the exact criteria for receiving improvements in the menu of the respective cards (accessible by clicking on the right analog stick) under More Information. The requirements differ minimally from each other:
UEFA Champions League:
an Inform upgrade (IF) after winning or drawing the first knockout game
an IF upgrade after reaching the quarter-finals
an IF upgrade after reaching the semi-finals
a Playstyle+ after reaching the final
an IF upgrade, a star on Weak Foot and special moves after winning the final
UEFA Women’s Champions League:
an IF upgrade after winning or drawing the first quarter-finals knockout match
an IF upgrade after reaching the semi-finals
an IF upgrade after winning or drawing the first semi-finals knockout match
a Playstyle+ after reaching the final
an IF upgrade, a star on Weak Foot and special moves after winning the final
UEFA Europa League/ Conference League:
an IF upgrade after reaching the round of 16 – including automatic qualification
an IF upgrade after reaching the quarter-finals
an IF upgrade after reaching the semi-finals
a Playstyle+ after reaching the final
an IF upgrade, a star on Weak Foot and special moves after winning the final
EA Sports FC 24: Update teaser for the UEFA Euro 2024
RTTF Tracker: All players and upgrades at a glance
What is the RTTF Tracker? With our live tracker, you can see all upgrades at a glance. The table lists each individual RTTF card. Already received IF upgrades are highlighted with a bold rating. Other improvements in the form of additional playstyles or upgrades in the area of Weak Foot and special moves can be found at the back of the table.
Players who are still actively participating in the competition are marked with a star (*).
Player (Rating) – Club
Competition
received upgrades
next upgrade possible on/versus
other improvements (Playstyle, Weak Foot/ skill moves)
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a guarantee for successful movies in his prime. He also cared a lot about films. One of his most popular science fiction films might not have existed after 20 years without him.
In Total Recall, Douglas Quaid, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, has memories implanted. However, this process goes wrong, and Quaid must question what real memories are and which parts of his life are lies.
You can find a trailer for the film here:
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German trailer for „Total Recall“ with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sci-Fi is expensive and often a risk
Many projects in Hollywood take longer to develop than one might think. It can take years to decades before the first trailer comes out, or projects get shelved. The first thought of making Total Recall began in the 1970s. The screenplay was done, and they were looking for production companies to bring the project to life.
However, they were relatively hesitant, as sci-fi films have always been expensive. To create such worlds, you need a vision and then the appropriate budget. Six years before Total Recall’s release, Dune was released in 1984, which, with a budget of 40 million dollars, only made about 31 million dollars. That is a total flop. (via. Box Office Mojo)
Studios naturally want to avoid risks because of such flops. This is where Arnold Schwarzenegger comes into play, who was the mega star of the 80s and 90s. He teamed up with director Paul Verhoeven, who also created two more classics of the sci-fi genre with RoboCop and Starship Troopers.
According to Box Office Mojo, the film cost 65 million dollars, which was a relatively high budget for the 90s. Fortunately, Total Recall was a success, grossing 261 million dollars worldwide. The budget was likely higher due to the production time. At that time, Schwarzenegger was simply a hit guarantee, who even starred in an even more expensive film four years later: The first film to reportedly cost over 100 million dollars is turning 30 and is an iconic action comedy
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Bleach is considered one of the Big 3, alongside Naruto and One Piece. These are the most successful mangas from the 2000s. However, while Naruto received its well-deserved ending, Bleach fans were left disappointed. Many readers felt that the ending of the manga was rushed. The mangaka Tite Kubo revealed the reasons for the quick conclusion.
Why did the manga have to end so quickly? In a 2017 interview, Tite Kubo explained that the publisher set a deadline of one year for him to finish Bleach (via millenium.org). This was a major problem for the mangaka:
The mangaka always only thinks of important key scenes, but never how to get there. Accordingly, he only knew what important scenes would happen in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. He probably had to rush to finish the transitions.
In 2008, he didn’t even have an idea of how Bleach should end. The idea must have come to him in the following years. It’s possible that this lack of an idea at the beginning of the manga also contributed to the quick finale.
The ideas did not come to Kubo in the correct order. So it could be that he already had the very last scenes in mind but still had to write several arcs beforehand. This confusion could also have led to the controversial ending.
In the end, the manga was completed in 2016.
Presumably, Tite Kubo would have liked to take more time to finish the manga. However, the deadline from Shueisha probably made it difficult for him to express his creativity and find the right ending for Bleach.
Here you can watch a trailer for the end of Bleach in the anime:
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Bleach: The Trailer for Thousand-Year Blood War
Kubo struggled with health issues
What was the ending like for the mangaka? The rushed ending could also be related to the health condition of the mangaka. In an interview, Kubo revealed that his condition worsened more than expected towards the end of the manga (via missstormcaller.tumblr.com).
Especially during that time, I always thought that my shoulder hurt. And it didn’t get any better at all after several months.
During an MRI appointment, it was revealed that his shoulder tendons were torn.
Kubo had the habit of leaning his body weight on his left shoulder while drawing. This likely led to a partial fracture. He suffered excruciating pain while finishing the manuscript for the last chapter.
Accordingly, he must have tried to finish the last chapter quickly. With his shoulder problems and the deadline looming over him, it must not have been easy for Kubo to complete Bleach.
Was there a correction of the manga? After the rushed finale, Kubo published a one-shot in 2021 that addresses the events after the ending of Bleach. This was meant to expand the story.
Additionally, in the anime, there is the opportunity to portray the final arc as Kubo desired. Since 2022, the last story arc has been released as a series titled Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. The anime arc is not yet completed and offers hope that the finale will not feel quite as rushed as in the manga.
With Season 4, Diablo 4 has received numerous new contents, including The Pit. The new dungeon has 200 levels. While they were already defeated early in the PTR, they are now a tough nut to crack on the live servers.
What kind of content is this?
The Pit is the new endgame content of Season 4. You have to kill enemies and, at the end, a boss within a limited time, like in the Greater Rifts from Diablo 3.
The dungeon becomes increasingly difficult over the 200 levels of The Pit. Enemies have more health and deal more damage. Currently, a limit seems to have been reached.
Experts can get this far: 200 levels may not seem like much for seasoned Diablo players, but even the best players are still far from completing The Pit. There are no official leaderboards, but the experts at Maxroll offer their own ranking (via maxroll).
Sorceress: Mekuna with level 140, followed by a Korean player with level 136
Barbarian: DoNotHitMe with level 137
Hunter: Morana with level 134
Necromancer: 너즐, a Korean player with level 127
Druid: 蓝萌, a Chinese player with level 121
From 140 to 200 may not sound like much, but the enemies get so much stronger with each level that a comparison is hardly possible. Amazing, because on the PTR, the expert Rob seemed to master level 200 easily (via YouTube).
However, between the levels, you need to deal significantly more damage – so much that even the best builds can’t even scratch the enemies, players say.
Start video
Diablo 4 Season 4 “Loot Reborn” in the gameplay trailer
“Not even immortal builds can do it”
For mastering level 200 in The Pit, there is an achievement in Diablo 4 titled “Crazy Tormentor” as a reward. This achievement has sparked a discussion about whether it can even be achieved honestly.
The community agrees: It is currently not possible. Even the “Immortal Builds” do not deal enough damage to kill the enemies. These are Sorceress builds that can trigger Flame Shield so often through interlocking effects that they literally cannot die.
In theory, such builds could grind everything down, but The Pit is limited to 15 minutes. So you do not have endless time. One user explains:
“No, that is currently not possible. Even the best builds in the game could not defeat a Pit boss at level 200 before time runs out, even if they are invulnerable 100% of the time. The bosses are supposed to have trillions of HP.”
Another points out that they already have so many health points at the current levels. It seems that later it will be more in the quadrillions. Every ten levels, the health points increase by a factor of 10.
Already now, it is only possible for some builds to get this far if the right boss spawns at the end. With enough adds, they could build up the damage; otherwise, not.
Players now suspect that there will need to be several more seasons in which they become stronger before The Pit at level 200 is attainable. They compare the power increase with Diablo 3, where it eventually became absurd. At least Rob seems to have something against that: Expert demands that the heroes in Diablo 4 become weaker
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In 2024, The Elder Scrolls Online will continue to be supported with new content. The focus will be on the “Gold Road” expansion, which brings the “Scripture” feature into the MMORPG. This allows the character to adapt even better to the individual play style.
What will TESO bring in 2024?
The year started with Update 41 and the dungeon DLC Scions of Ithelia. This includes two new dungeons: the Pit of the Oathsworn and the Veil of Uprising. The DLC is already live.
On June 3, 2024, the Gold Road expansion will be released for PC. There, you can expect new story content, three new areas, and the Scripture feature. The DLC will be released for PlayStation and Xbox on June 18, 2024.
A new housing feature is expected in the third quarter, which fans will likely be particularly excited about. Unfortunately, the development team has not revealed any further details on this. Already, TESO is counted among the MMORPGs with the best housing.
In line with the expansion, there will be a cinematic trailer that gives a first look at the story of the expansion. The DLC mainly features the color scheme of autumn, which is why the development team has worked a lot with golden, red, and brown tones:
Start video
The Elder Scrolls Online – Gold Road in the announcement trailer
Gold Road seamlessly continues the story from Necrom
Warning, Spoilers: In the section “What is the expansion about?” we will address the story from Necrom and Gold Road.
When does Gold Road start? To install the patch with the DLC, the servers will be down on June 3, 2024, from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. From 2:00 PM, it should be possible to log back into the TESO servers. This applies only to the PC version, as the console version will be released on June 18.
What is the expansion about? Gold Road picks up directly where the cliffhanger from the Necrom expansion left off. We learn in the prologue that a long-forgotten Daedric princess named Ithelia has escaped from her captivity.
A group calling themselves Recollection wants to restore Ithelia’s powers to their former state. The Daedric princess is currently wandering in the new area and has lost her memory. It is up to the player to find out who Ithelia is and what has been done to her by the other Daedric princes.
The gameplay takes place in three different zones:
The Gold Road is a deciduous forest with autumn colors.
Duskwood, on the other hand, resembles a jungle or rainforest.
Additionally, there is Colovian Highlands with its rocky and hilly landscape.
In Gold Road, we find ourselves in West Run. The area is located west of Cyrodiil and has Skingrad as its capital. The area visually resembles The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
In the fight against the Recollection organization.
New items, world bosses, and dungeons – What’s in Gold Road
What does the expansion contain aside from story and areas?
10 item sets
Furniture items
140 achievements and 8 titles
3 mythic items
Collectibles (mounts, pets, emotes, …)
2 houses
Dungeons
World bosses
Public dungeons
Trial for 12 players (Lucent Citadel)
World events
Actually, since Blackwood, there are usually two new companions in each expansion. Unfortunately, they are not included in Gold Road but will be added in Q4.
However, the main highlight in Gold Road is the new Scripture feature.
What kind of system is this? Through the Scripture, players can collect unique skills and customize them with a primary, secondary, and tertiary effect. At launch, the Scripture system focuses on the skill lines “Weapon” and “World.” This allows all classes to benefit from it.
Each of these skill lines will have at least one unique, unlockable skill that we can configure. We have three different resources to choose from:
Grimoire: With these, we can determine the core of the skill (for example, shoot an arrow to the ground)
Scriptural slots: Each grimoire has three slots. These slots can be filled to change special effects (for example, healing, specific types of damage, …)
Inks: This material can be consumed to overwrite a skill
The feature aims to give players more freedom with their skills. The Scripture is only available to those who own the Gold Road DLC.
With the system, the visual properties of a skill can also be adjusted. At launch, there are expected to be 22 different color variants. All styles should be unlockable or obtainable in-game. What do you think of TESO’s content in 2024? Are you excited about it? Are you looking forward to the new feature?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
A female employee called herself for months to get more breaks in her daily life. At least she claims that. In the end, she stands before the court with her “trick.” Her employer terminated her without notice, and the court ultimately sided with him.
A telemarketer was caught in the act after calling herself 100 times to get more rest. The woman spent seven months answering her own calls and ended up in court with her “trick.”
This is reported by the Spanish colleagues of Xataka, who refer to the Galician daily newspaper “La Voz de Galicia.” Galicia is located in the northwest of Spain.
A woman calls herself 100 times instead of taking care of customers
What exactly did the woman do? The employee worked as a telephonist for a company. Her task was to take care of the calling customers.
But the employee came up with a “trick”: Since she worked from home, she offered her supervisor to call back customers. This is called “callback.” But instead of calling customers, she called her own number about 100 times.
Afterwards, she indicated to her employer in the time tracking that she had been taking care of customers, even though in reality she had taken time to rest.
Start video
Chef ruined his company in 59 seconds on Twitch – What happened to him?
Telephonist becomes “best employee” and even received bonuses
The woman repeated the trick for 7 months throughout 2022 and called herself about 100 times. But eventually, another employee had the idea to check the call lists and realized: The colleague always calls the same phone number. When he finally checked the phone number, he recognized the trick of the colleague with the self-calls and reported her.
However, the surprise was that the employee was “at the top of the leaderboard for best employees” and had additionally received bonuses since her entry into the company in 2021.
How did the matter end? The company dismissed the employee. However, she appealed to the Social Chamber of Galicia because she disagreed with it.
In court, she claimed the calls lasted only seconds and that she made them to take a break and alleviate a panic attack. In her appeal, she also claimed that the calls occurred during breaks and that there were “only five or seven calls per month, which only lasted a few minutes.”
In the end, however, her dismissal was confirmed. The Galician Supreme Court confirmed the immediate dismissal, as it sees the employee’s actions as an intention to “evade service time when she does not enjoy break times, to violate good faith, break trust, be disloyal, and reduce performance.”
It is once again time for our MeinMMO format “MMORPG News in two Minutes.” We summarize the most important news about the best genre in the world. Look forward tothe soon-to-start beta of WoW: The War Within, the release of a new MMORPG and much more.
In a long post, the developers of Guild Wars 2 looked back at the expansion Secrets of the Obscure and the subsequent updates (via ArenaNet).
In New World, the “Rabbit’s Revenge” event runs from June 4 to June 18 – here is the preview on the official website of New World.
The developers of Lord of the Rings Online have given a first look at Update 41 (via YouTube). The patch introduces “Monster Play Bounties” with new rewards, and the Birdwatching hobby. Additionally, the Treebeard server has reached level 100 after three years (via Massivelyop).
For Mortal Online 2, Patch 2.0.5 has been released. The update improves the onboarding experience for new players and introduces a guild search feature (via YouTube).
A new update has also been released for Star Trek Online. In “Unparalleled,” you embark on a journey with your allies among the Aetherians, where you meet a new version of Sela, who is now the captain of the Enterprise-F. Additionally, you can expect the new operation “Borg Battle Royale” (via Arc Games).
On May 29, Update 67.3 was released for Dungeons & Dragons Online. The patch includes a new anniversary gift that you can secure: a dragon mount (via ddo.com).
Also on May 29, Patch 7.5 of SWTOR was released. You can expect a new story chapter and the chance to obtain a basilisk prototype as a new companion (via swtor.com).
On June 5, Phantasy Star Online 2 will receive a new update featuring Chapter 7 of the main story, a new area, and more (via MMORPG.com).
Developer veteran Andrew Gower (Runescape) confirmed that his new MMORPG Brighter Shores is still set to release in the third quarter of 2024 (via Twitter).
For the pixel MMORPG Drakantos, a new devlog with gameplay impressions was released in May 2024 (via Steam).
With this, we have summarized the most important events that have recently occurred in the world of MMORPGs.
What were you happy about this week? What annoyed you? Let us know in the comments at MeinMMO. If you are looking for affordable MMORPGs in 2024, this list might help you: The 12 best free-to-play MMORPGs 2024 in comparison
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Recently, the second alpha test for Corepunk took place. However, due to severe technical issues, proper testing was hardly possible. The developers pulled the emergency brake and ended the alpha earlier than planned.
How did Alpha 2 go specifically? The recent test phase of Corepunk started off with a false start. There were resets of the alpha due to technical problems, several delays, and emergency maintenance. Initially, it was stated that access to the servers would be extended until June 4, 2024.
However, yesterday, on June 1, 2024, the developers announced that they had decided to end the alpha early. It seems they were unable to control the stability issues and connection dropouts. There were also a multitude of critical bugs. About 15,000 interested parties were said to have participated in the test.
Start video
Corepunk – 15 Minutes Gameplay
What do the developers take away from the alpha? A comprehensive analysis by the developers has been published on the official website of the MMORPG. It states that they were able to gather a large amount of important feedback and identify critical errors through the test.
In the post, the responsible parties also commented on the criticism from some testers regarding the use of AI voiceover. They stated that they are a medium-sized indie studio and cannot currently afford to invest limited resources in actual voice actors.
The use of AI was therefore an option, the devs continued, to present voiced dialogues and ultimately finalize a version of Corepunk in a timely manner that would allow the studio to survive in the current market situation. This, in turn, is the basis for eventually having the money to pay for professional voice actors.
The style of Corepunk resembles League of Legends.
Soon in Early Access despite problems?
What do the developers say about the Early Access launch? There is no specific date yet, but Early Access should start as soon as possible. On one hand, the developers have been working on the MMORPG for ten years and need to pay bills.
On the other hand, the recent test, despite all the problems, showed how efficient it is to receive feedback from numerous players that can be immediately converted into bug fixes and updates. The speed of iterations increases by a significant factor. Also, the revenue from selling the Early Access version is expected to noticeably accelerate the development pace.
But first, another alpha test is planned. Details are expected next week.
In the game, you can expect six classes with a total of 18 different specializations. Dungeons and raids are said to be comparable to Mythic (the highest difficulty in WoW). In addition, there will be PvE content in the open world, which is, however, shrouded in a fog of war that hides content outside of the field of view.
You can learn various crafting professions, with each character only able to master one perfectly. Moreover, the best recipes are hidden, so you should know the players on your server who master the respective profession best.
At first glance, Made in Abyss may seem like an anime for a young audience. The characters look like children, have big eyes and large heads. The protagonist even has blonde pigtails and overall, the characters just look super cute. However, anime fans with a sensitive stomach should avoid the anime or at least know what to expect from Made in Abyss.
Why does the anime mislead with its appearance? In the anime, there are some scenes that are particularly brutal and disgusting. The most well-known scene from the anime is the transformation of Mitty into a pitiful amoeba. During the transformation, Mitty suffers deathly agony and even begs to die.
If you are hard-boiled, you can watch the scene in the following video:
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Furthermore, the anime has some themes that might disturb sensitive viewers. In addition, there are many other examples of why the anime is more brutal than its appearance suggests:
With each layer, there is a curse that worsens with increasing depth. At first, it is just nausea, but later the characters bleed from all bodily openings. How bad it will be later can only be guessed.
In one episode, the protagonist is poisoned by a monster. Her teammate tries to amputate her arm, which is now blue and swollen. During the amputation, which he can’t even do cleanly, we have to endure the protagonist’s cries of pain.
The protagonist suffers a punishment. She is subsequently bound and hung up – and that naked. Some viewers criticize that the children in the anime are being sexualized (via anilist.co).
And these are just examples that appear in the first season. So if you want to watch Made in Abyss because of its appearance or lore, you should keep these points in mind. The anime series is definitely not for the faint of heart and contains themes that might be offensive to sensitive viewers.
What is Made in Abyss about? This anime is about the namesake Abyss. It is a gigantic chasm that is divided into several levels. On each layer, there is a curse that makes descending more difficult with every level.
However, protagonist Riko wants to venture into this abyss. She suspects that her mother Lyza is waiting for her at the lowest level of the abyss. Therefore, she sets out with her robot friend Reg to explore the secrets of the Abyss and fight her way to her mother.
On MyAnimeList , Made in Abyss is rated 8.65/10. This places it 73rd among the best anime, which is a really good placement. Because with this ranking, Made in Abyss is ahead of celebrated anime like Death Note (8.62) or Jujutsu Kaisen (8.60).
In the following trailer, you can see what Made in Abyss looks like:
Start video
Made in Abyss: Trailer for the Adventure Anime
Where can I watch the anime? If the mentioned points do not deter you, you can currently stream the anime on Freevee. While you can watch the anime for free if you have a subscription to Amazon Prime, the episodes of the first season are interrupted by ads.
Alternatively, you can purchase individual episodes on Amazon Prime or Apple TV. If you enjoy the anime, the DVD or Blu-ray might also be for you.
MyMMO demoness Cortyn has listed five more anime that become “more problematic” upon closer inspection. For example, Redo of Healer looks like an adventure anime in pictures. However, behind it lies a revenge campaign of sexual violence. So, be warned about the following anime: 5 anime that prove to your parents that they can expect nothing more from you
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Everything always has to be perfect. Or not? A streamer explains why guides annoy him and why viewers should just let him play.
The YouTuber and streamer Josh Strife continually analyzes MMORPGs, as well as other games, and he breaks down in detail what good game design, an engaging story, or fair monetization looks like. Mostly, he plays MMORPGs, but recently he has also streamed Mass Effect.
In doing so, he often receives instructions from the audience about what he should or shouldn’t do in the game. He took the time to explain to the chat why this ruins every RPG experience.
Now he is dedicated to the Mass Effect trilogy and plays the game in the stream.
What did he say? While he is currently playing the classic “Mass Effect 1,” Hayes has to deal repeatedly with comments from the chat. The chat constantly warns him when an important decision in the game is about to come up, such as when there is a point of no return. Even when he still needs to talk to characters, because otherwise he would “miss something,” the chat makes him aware of it.
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However, Josh Strife Hayes seems to be more annoyed by this and refuses to give in to the demands. For him, this would ruin a true RPG experience:
I can’t play the game the way you want me to play it. And I can’t play the game to have the “optimal story.” I can only play the game the way I play it, and I can accept the consequences.
There will be decisions that I make, and those will exclude me from certain things. That’s the nature of an RPG game.
He further explains that there will be things that he will find or not find. And some characters will die in his playthrough while others will survive. He is fully aware of that.
If I just follow a guide and have the perfect experience ever, then that’s not my experience of Mass Effect. My experience consists of the best decisions I can make as Commander Shepard and with the knowledge that I have. (…)
And if I mess that up, then that’s my fault. But that’s the adventure I’m going to have.
Especially the things that don’t go perfectly in the game create a personalized experience and make for an interesting roleplay where everyone experiences a slightly different story:
Everyone tells me: You have to do this and you have to do that. If I did all that, I wouldn’t be playing as Commander Shepard. I would only be doing what the guide tells me. This is why I resist your suggestions:
Decisions are only relevant when there are consequences. If you tell me beforehand which decisions lead to which consequences, you are simply ensuring that I actively choose which story I’m going to play. I want the story to unfold by itself, and for bad things to happen as well.
Imperfections create interesting stories. We don’t like perfect characters. We don’t like perfect stories. We like it when there is a flaw. We like it when we have to solve a problem. And if I play the game in a flawless way, then there would be no reason for me to play it at all.
Especially complex role-playing games like the “Mass Effect” series offer a variety of possibilities and decisions. While there is almost always a “perfect” way or at least an optimal path where there are the least losses – that can ruin the gaming experience. Because the losses and little mistakes really capture the essence of choices and consequences. This will surely also be the case in Mass Effect 5 if it happens.
Because if one wants a role-playing game with freedom of choice, but completely ignores that due to forced perfection – why should one even play it?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Who is the most powerful being in Azeroth? We reveal to you what the strongest beings in the universe of World of Warcraft are.
It is a bit of a running gag that in World of Warcraft, every few years a threat appears that is even bigger and more powerful than anything known before. Every enemy is always overshadowed by an even more powerful adversary. But how are the power dynamics actually in Azeroth? What are the most powerful beings that exist in World of Warcraft? We will show you the strongest creatures.
How one of Warcraft’s greatest adversaries ends, you can see here:
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“Kein König herrscht für immer” – Das End-Cinematic der Eiskronenzitadelle in WoW WotLK
How is this list composed? The list is based on the power a character or being has within the story of World of Warcraft. It is not about what level a creature has in the game world or how difficult the actual boss fight in a raid was. This article aims to place characters in direct comparison to each other, based on all the information we have about the being so far.
Place 5: The Lich King Arthas
Arthas Menethil is not only one of the best-known and most popular characters in the entire Warcraft franchise, but in his role as Lich King, he was also extremely powerful. He commands the army of the undead, called “The Scourge,” and has the power to resurrect almost all beings into unlife and under his control.
The Lich King Arthas Menethil – one of the most popular and strongest enemies that ever existed in Warcraft.
The Lich King is technically a mixture of several individuals. For not only Arthas Menethil is the Lich King, but also the Orc Ner’zhul, whose spirit still existed within the Lich King’s armor. At the end of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, Arthas “merged” with Ner’zhul to become the Lich King.
His final plan was to lure the heroes of Azeroth to him, kill them, and then resurrect them as servants of the Scourge, so that Azeroth could defend itself against invaders from the cosmos.
Although Arthas managed to kill all heroes with ease (one literally dies in the fight against him), the Light intervenes to revive the heroes. When Arthas’ sword Frostmourne shatters, the tortured souls escape and hold him captive, allowing the heroes at the side of the Paladin Tirion Fordring to defeat the Lich King.
Even though Arthas is now dead and the last bit of his soul has been extinguished, he remains one of the most popular and powerful characters that have ever existed in Warcraft.
Place 4: Queen Azshara, the Light of Lights
Queen Azshara was originally a night elf and the queen of the Kaldorei empire. She lived at the Well of Eternity and is still considered the most powerful sorceress that has ever existed in the known cosmos of World of Warcraft.
Queen Azshara is waiting for her return – which should be coming soon.
Her glory, beauty, and power were so great that every being fell silent in her presence – even high-ranking demons feared her. She was so full of herself that she saw herself as the perfect wife for Sargeras, with whom she wanted to reign. She allowed the demons to invade Azeroth and eradicate all “imperfect beings” from the face of the world – leaving only her, her most loyal highborn, and the demons. Her plan failed.
In the meantime, she is the queen of the Naga. These are night elves who have been given a new form by the old god N’Zoth, allowing them to exist underwater. But Azshara not only retained her own will and control over her people, but gained even more power.
We last saw Azshara in “Battle for Azeroth,” but current in-game books indicate that the queen will soon reappear to secure the “true throne of power” – whatever that may be.
Place 3: Sargeras, the Dark Titan
Sargeras is a Titan and thus essentially a being from the Pantheon of Order. His task was to find world souls and banish demons. When he destroys a world corrupted by the Void, however, a conflict arises with the other Titans. He then deviates from his plans, unleashes the imprisoned demons, and becomes corrupted himself by demonic magic (Fel).
Since then he has wandered through the cosmos, searching for world souls – such as Azeroth – to destroy them and thus prevent the Void from corrupting a world soul. Because that would likely bring about the end of all existence and the reign of the Void.
Sargeras had the “Burning Legion” as his army, a vast conglomerate of all demonic species that followed his will – even if they are more bent on destruction than genuinely trying to help the cosmos.
That Sargeras is the strongest of all Titans is evident from the fact that all the other Titans and Illidan are needed to keep Sargeras contained in his prison. It is only a matter of time before the Lord of Demons can eventually escape or be freed to once again seize dominion over the creatures of the Nether.
Place 2: The Void Lords
The Void Lords are a species about which very little is still known. They belong to the cosmic power of the Void and generally cannot manifest in reality, as they would have to consume unimaginable amounts of energy and matter in doing so.
Dimensius was the only Void Lord that has been seen and defeated so far. He was weakened – and is now waiting in the Void.
So far, there has only been one known Void Lord that has manifested in the physical world – Dimensius, the All-Devouring. Although he had only a fraction of his power, he destroyed the world of K’aresh and transformed its inhabitants into the Astral. Since Dimensius was in an extremely weakened state, he was ultimately able to be defeated.
The Void Lords aim to corrupt a world soul and use it as an anchor point to exist in the physical world. For a world soul would provide so much energy that Void Lords could maintain their true form and then consume the entire cosmos.
To achieve this goal, the Void Lords have scattered their seeds throughout the cosmos to corrupt worlds – these seeds are the Old Gods. They are servants of the Void Lords and even Xal’atath, the antagonist in “The War Within” serves the Void Lords and is presumably working to finally grant them access to the coveted world soul of Azeroth.
Place 1: The First Ones
The so-called “First Ones” are still a relatively new invention in the cosmos of World of Warcraft and were only vaguely mentioned with “Shadowlands.” They are basically the creators of the universe and responsible for sorting the entire cosmos into the various cosmic powers (such as Order, Chaos, Death, or Life). They created a Zereth facility for each cosmic power (like “Zereth Mortis” in Shadowlands) and there they created the basic versions of most creatures that exist within each cosmic power.
Whether the First Ones (also known as “Progenitors”) still exist is unknown. It is conceivable that they still exist and observe the cosmos and their creation – or that they have long since disappeared.
What is clear, however, is that the First Ones not only created the Pantheon of Order and the Pantheon of Death, but also the great realms into which the cosmos is divided. Unlike the Titans, they are the true creators and thus the most powerful creatures that have ever existed in World of Warcraft.
Okay, this is not meant to be taken entirely seriously, but there is a kernel of truth in it. “The Hero” or “the Heroes” of Azeroth have so far been able to defeat most threats to the cosmos one way or another. Although they are usually alongside other powerful creatures, they are in most cases the tipping point that repeatedly manages to avert impending doom.
This is of course somewhat due to the gameplay mechanics of World of Warcraft, which are designed for epic raids and tough battles against notable enemies.
Who would have thought that the one guy, who back then beat wolves in front of the Abbey of Northshire with his non-magical sword and his ugly starter gear, would end up holding the fate of the entire cosmos in his hands? If you want to know more about the story and the powers in Warcraft, we have here the entire lore of Warcraft summarized for you.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
We show you games that are similar to Pokémon GO. Here you will find 5 titles that could excite you if you enjoy the AR aspects or monster collecting.
What kind of games are those? The title selection refers primarily to games that implement the AR aspect similar to Pokémon GO. These are mainly games that send you into the real world with your phone to collect progress.
However, there is also an exception that might interest you mostly if you are more of a Pokémon fan than a “GO” fan.
Heavenly teamwork in Pokémon GO – a new season begins
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Monster Hunter Now
Monster Hunter Now is currently the best example of “games like Pokémon GO”. It is developed by the same developers as many games on this list, and you can tell.
You move around your neighborhood on a map that is divided into various biomes. There you can encounter different monsters from the Monster Hunter series. A Palico always stands by your side and helps you mark monsters for the hunt.
The special thing about the game is the combat system. It is significantly more action-packed than Pokémon GO. You go into direct duels with the monsters and need the right equipment to defeat them. You constantly improve your gear to take on more powerful monsters.
It is significantly more relaxed in Pikmin Bloom. It is also based on you moving through your neighborhood and collecting many steps.
During this, you will find Pikmin seeds that you can collect. Once they have grown, you will meet Pikmin that will accompany you. If you feed the little Pikmin, flowers will grow that you can spread while walking. The more you walk, the more Pikmin you will get.
There is also a photo feature that allows you to capture your Pikmin adventures and the opportunity to complete goals together with friends.
This game is mainly for you if you are looking for a calm, companionable game.
This is what the reviews say:
4.4 stars with 108,000 reviews in the Play Store
4.5 stars with 1,525 reviews in the App Store
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The week from May 27 to June 2, 2024, is all about MMORPGs on MeinMMO. You can look forward to a multi-part report that sheds light on the genre of online role-playing games from its beginnings to the present day, as well as analyses, columns, anecdotes, and your chosen top list of the best MMORPGs of all time.
The MMORPG genre has been a core part of MeinMMO’s DNA since its founding in 2013, and that will continue in the future. Since the next exciting releases for the genre of online role-playing games are not scheduled until June, we have something special planned for May.
From May 27 to June 2, 2024, we will implement a major theme week focused on the MMORPG genre. Look forward to a multi-part report that illuminates the genre of online role-playing games from its beginnings to the present day, as well as analyses, columns, anecdotes, and the top list of the best MMORPGs of all time chosen by you.
Our MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz has spared no cost and effort to bring you an hopefully exciting theme week about the best genre in the world.
The Program of the MMORPG Theme Week at MeinMMO
The following program reveals what we are planning in detail for the MMORPG theme week.
The best MMORPGs of all time – Evaluation of the community survey with personal assessments or anecdotes from editors, authors, and guests (plus: what would the top list look like if the editors, authors, and guests had voted?)
It is worth checking back regularly at MeinMMO in the coming week, even more than usual. And not just for MMORPG fans! Our six-part report is also aimed at game enthusiasts who simply want to learn more about the nearly 45 years of history of one of the most exciting game genres that exists.
By the way, there have also been numerous entertaining anecdotes, personal assessments, or informative news from the MMORPG genre on MeinMMO in recent days and weeks. Here is a small selection:
Now the MeinMMO community is asked: How important is the MMORPG genre to you? Are you actively playing an online role-playing game right now? Which one have you invested the most playtime in? Which upcoming MMORPG are you most looking forward to?
WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria is being praised. Especially solo players believe that World of Warcraft has never been better.
For almost two weeks, the “Remix” event has been running in World of Warcraft, allowing players to dive back into the expansion “Mists of Pandaria” and experience old content in a new way. It’s all about nearly endless character power, unlocking cosmetics, and reliving the Pandaren expansion.
Even though there has been a lot of criticism in recent days, such as regarding the frog farmers or other exploits, the mode is well received by a large part of the community and is praised in the WoW subreddit as well.
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WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria – All Features at a Glance
Solo players long for what Remix offers
The post from the Reddit user with the easily understandable name “kSqsnDysTsKAGDMu” describes how much he enjoys the mode as a solo player. He plays video games to “escape and have fun.” As soon as he has to engage with anyone, like team mates or guild members, it stops being fun for him. It then feels more like work.
WoW Remix offers exactly that freedom to achieve almost anything in the game without being really reliant on social interaction.
The important point for me is: If WoW tells me that all I have to do to experience the best gear and all the content is invest time – I don’t have to become a skilled player, join a guild, or have a high Raider.io score – but simply play more, that sounds like a good deal to me. It sounds like a game I actually want to finish.
While groups and guilds can certainly make things easier in Remix, they are not necessary. With enough invested time, one can go extremely far thanks to bronze and threads for the cloak. No wonder he ends his post with:
“I hope Blizzard brings more content like this in the future.”
Those who upgrade their gear have more fun
Interestingly, some praise exactly what many players are still hesitant about. For WoW Remix: Mists of Pandaria gets increasingly better the more bronze you invest in upgrading your gear.
YouShallNotStaff writes in the same thread:
“After I pulled the plug and started putting bronze into my gear, everything became much more fun!”
This may seem counterproductive at first glance. After all, you primarily want to buy the cool rewards with bronze and not waste it on temporary character power that disappears at the end of the event. Many have that thought. They first buy mounts and cosmetics and only then think about character power.
In reality, bronze invested in gear helps to farm even more bronze. Because the better your gear is, the greater challenges you can tackle alone. Almost all raid bosses on “normal” can be handled solo – and even some bosses on heroic.
As Fwuffykins explains:
“A word of warning here. I thought the same at first [and wanted to buy cosmetics first], but once you hit 70, you are very weak without upgrades. Earning your next bronze is so much faster and easier if you first buy upgrades and then cosmetics.”
What has been your experience with WoW: Remix? Are you satisfied with the mode? Have you used bronze for upgrades? Or do you prefer to farm conservatively and not spend them on upgrades?
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Those who want to use the Steam Community or the Workshop are currently seeing an error message. MeinMMO explains what is behind it.How many players are affected is not known. However, reports of disruptions are currently increasing significantly.
Update, 02.06.24, 13:32: The Steam servers seem to be back online and the community pages are accessible again.
What is the problem with Steam?
The Steam Community with its linked pages is not accessible.
All Workshop pages are unavailable.
Steam Guides and help are not accessible.
The comment function under reviews is also offline.
The community market and Steam profiles are also affected.
Your wish list
What is working? The official Steam store, the purchase of games, and the download of games are still functioning. Allegedly, multiplayer features are not affected either. However, there may be a delay in the registration of purchases made in the store.
What kind of error is this? When you visit one of the mentioned pages, you will see the error code: -105. None of the pages are currently accessible.
You get error 105 on Steam when the internet connection to Steam’s servers is disrupted.
There is currently no official announcement or statement
How many people are affected? It is currently difficult to determine. At Allestoerungen.de, significantly more errors are currently being recorded than in normal daily life.
Are there already solutions to the problem? In some cases, restarting the router or the program may help. The problem seems to be originating from Steam and does not appear to affect only one region in Germany.
So far, there is no official solution to the problem, nor any statement from the manufacturer.
We will keep you updated on MeinMMO if there is more information on this.
In an interview with MeinMMO, content creator and professional player Thoralf “Toffel” Severin talks about his experiences and successes with the popular card game Magic.
Who is Thoralf “Toffel” Severin?Thoralf “Toffel” Severin is a well-known professional player and content creator in the Magic community. He is known not only for his friendly smile but also for his successes in the game. In 2019, he won the Mythic Championship in Barcelona.
In an interview, MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski had the opportunity to talk with him about his journey and experiences in the Magic scene.
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Magic The Gathering: The 3 Most Expensive Cards by Highest Sale Value
From the Beginnings to Career Highlights
How did you first come into contact with Magic: The Gathering, and what motivated you to play at a professional level?
Toffel: I first encountered Magic when I was 13. Classmates had the cards at school and played on the playground, in the cafeteria—just everywhere. There was inter-class play, which really impressed me at the time. The younger kids played with the older ones. That didn’t happen otherwise. At some point, many people stopped playing, but I wanted to continue.
So I looked for a store in Berlin that regularly hosted tournaments. That was “Der andere Spieleladen,” which still exists today. The internet wasn’t so widespread back then, so people actually came together to play and trade. There weren’t many places to play Magic.
I started playing smaller tournaments and worked my way up to larger events. It was extremely exciting for me to play to win, to actually win the tournaments, and even take home the prize money from the big tournaments.
What do you consider your greatest success in your Magic career, and why?
Toffel: That’s simple: I won the Mythic Championship 2019 in Barcelona. In the scene, that’s something I’m known for. But I also consider my work as a content creator to be a great success. Our content and creative output on the YouTube channel reach many people in the Magic world. I feel like Magic is probably the biggest niche in the world. It’s quite possible that I’m better known for my work in the community and on YouTube than for my achievements in tournaments.
With Preparation and the Right Strategy to Success
Can you give us insight into your training routine? How do you prepare for international tournaments?
Toffel: I’ve always prepared intensively for tournaments. On relaxed days, I played eight hours, on average days I played twelve, and just before tournaments, sometimes 16 hours. Before the online era, we would meet at tournament venues, rent an apartment, and test all decks and cards there.
The preparation started two weeks before the tournament and was characterized by massive thinking work and the constant question of whether one has done enough. If a tournament took place in San Francisco, for example, we would be there at least a week earlier and stayed in an Airbnb. Nowadays, there are slightly fewer tournaments, but in the league we played in back then, there was an event almost every two weeks. That time was very intense.
Are there specific strategies or game philosophies that you follow? How do you develop your decks?
Toffel: Playing the best deck is crucial, but “the best” is often subjective. You will never be successful with a deck that might be very strong on paper but with which you can’t perform well. There are people who like to play aggressive decks, and then there are those who prefer control decks or a mix of both. Finding the right strategy takes a lot of time but also knowledge. Knowledge about the cards and mechanics. Ignorance and time are the biggest limiting factors.
I must admit, I was never particularly good at actually building the decks in the end. My discipline lay more in devising strategies for the games. However, I preferred to play with control or combo decks. With control decks, you can stretch the game better, and you have more decisions available to you in the long run than with aggressive decks. As a team, we complemented each other well in deck building and gaming strategies.
12-Hour Matches and an Ever-Increasingly Complex Game
What challenges do you face as a professional player, especially on an international level, and how do you deal with them?
Toffel: Magic is a game with high variance, much more so than other card games, and there are always factors that you cannot control. You don’t know for sure how your opponent will react. I often lost well-going matches because I suddenly didn’t draw good cards anymore, or my opponent suddenly had a streak of luck.
The psychological component, dealing with defeats, maintaining concentration over long tournament days, and teamwork are crucial. In international tournaments, there are often games lasting up to twelve hours. You have to be mentally strong to endure that.
The challenges are diverse and also encompass logistical and financial aspects. At a certain point, you need sponsors or the necessary cash to keep up with the others. The travel to events and accommodations for the team also need to be organized. All of this costs a lot of time and money.
Over the years, Magic has gained more and more mechanics that make the rules difficult to grasp, especially for newcomers. How do you handle this as a professional?
Toffel: Magic is becoming increasingly complex; new cards are constantly being added. As a professional, I have the advantage of drawing on a wealth of experience. The experience with older cards and mechanics helps enormously, especially in complex game situations or when building decks. There are certainly many people who don’t know most of the cards I play or have never encountered them.
When I started with Magic in 2000, the game had already been on the market for seven years. Young people, in particular, often have a better understanding and learn faster. I’ve seen that a lack of experience in Magic can definitely be compensated for.
To find out how cards work together or which cards suit you, there is really only one sensible way for all age groups: play as much Magic as possible.
How important is the Magic community to you and the exchange with other players?
Toffel: The community is extremely important. My goal has always been for players to feel welcome and have fun playing. Over the years, I’ve created a lot of content and noticed how much people appreciate it. We show Magic as it is meant to be played—in all its facets and with the opportunity to discover and enjoy the game personally.
Of course, major Magic tournaments are played with highly developed decks and according to fixed rules. But that is just one part of Magic for me. My interest has always been to show people out there how Magic is still played. Namely, with perhaps not-so-perfect decks and house rules. The most important thing is that we engage the community by showing how much fun we have with Magic.
“What matters is that everyone finds their own path in the game”
How do you see the future of Magic: The Gathering, both as a game and as a sport? What changes or developments do you hope for?
Toffel: Magic is currently extremely successful, and I believe that this won’t change anytime soon. It’s important that everyone finds their own way in the game, without feeling like they have to understand everything. Ultimately, I hope that there will always be Magic and that I can continue to play in tournaments.
What advice would you give to someone just starting with Magic: The Gathering who may want to play at a professional level sometime?
Toffel: If someone were to ask me who is just starting with Magic, I would probably first say: think carefully about whether you want to do this. Playing Magic at a high level is challenging and demanding. Apart from that: use the resources available, build a network, and learn from others. There’s always something to learn in Magic. And never forget: if you really want to play Magic at this high level, don’t be discouraged by setbacks.
Besides Magic, what other interests or hobbies do you have? How do you find balance to the demands of professional play?
Toffel: I love all kinds of games, especially competitive ones. That’s probably not surprising. I also do a lot of sports. It’s particularly important to me to balance my time at the computer with enough offline time. Music in various forms is also one of my hobbies. Music helps me especially to unwind after a day full of mental work. Especially during tournament phases, that’s really valuable.
Skull and Bones is currently free. At least for a week, you can play for free and then decide if the game is worth the price.
Ubisoft took a big risk with Skull and Bones beforehand. So big that it was not surprising that the big success did not materialize and fell flat. Initially, they wanted to justify a high price, but now you can play the game completely for free – at least for a week. This seems to be quite a desperate attempt to expand the customer base.
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Pirate MMO Skull & Bones showcases brutal naval battles and absurd upgrades in the new trailer
How can you play the game for free? Since May 30 and until the morning of June 6, you can download and play Skull and Bones for free. If you are interested in the game, you can get Skull and Bones for PC through Ubisoft Connect or the Epic Games Store.
Console owners (PS5 and Xbox Series) can simply access the store on their console and download the game for free there. However, if you want to continue playing after the promotion ends, you will need to purchase Skull and Bones.
What happened with Skull and Bones? Skull and Bones received a lot of attention even before its release. The pirate game made headlines, mainly due to the very confident statements from the developers. They spoke of it as a “AAAA title” – essentially the highest budget level for games.
Now, with the start of Season 2 and after many small improvements (especially to the balance), Ubisoft seems to want to show that Skull and Bones is on a good path, even if it may not ultimately be the big AAAA title that was announced beforehand.
MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz has been playing online role-playing games for over 20 years and misses the heyday of the genre, when the hype train would race through the internet several times a year. What would a MMORPG need to bring to make the genre veteran completely excited again? What about you?
Were you also there during the heyday of online role-playing games, when exciting MMORPGs were announced or launched almost quarterly? Popular franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek, Warhammer, Conan, Lord of the Rings, Final Fantasy and Elder Scrolls were set to get large online worlds – how cool is THAT?!
Notable developers and publishers were involved, such as Bioware, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, Funcom, and Square Enix. Many of these projects were aimed at the Western market and modeled after World of Warcraft. Often a AAA budget went into the development.
I personally miss this time. In the past ten years, only a few new releases have been able to create comparable hype. Instead, it was often clear long before the launch that the next online role-playing game would face various problems or, at best, appeal to a niche.
Who is writing here? Karsten Scholz is the MMORPG expert of MeinMMO. He has been dealing with the best genre in the world almost daily for 15 years. His first private contact was in 2005. Since then, he has amassed several years of playtime in various online role-playing games and has played almost every relevant genre representative of the past two decades for at least a while.
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I build my dream MMORPG
What would an online role-playing game have to look like to get the old grumpy guy in me excited for the launch and make himself comfortable at the front of the hype train? That’s what this column is about. Please tell me in the comments how your dream MMORPG looks!
A first warning: Since there are currently very many genre representatives that offer enormously many options for almost every player type and can be played well alone, I wish for an ambitious theme park MMORPG that wants to highlight the special and unique strengths of the genre around cooperation and competition.
In my experience, even the fairest free-to-play model negatively affects game design and player experience. Somehow, players need to be encouraged to visit the shop and spend money there. Moreover, purely cosmetic items sold for money automatically devalue the rewards that can be earned.
Therefore, I prefer – and this certainly won’t please everyone – an MMORPG with a buy-to-play model and subscription (and completely without shop and microtransactions), where developers can focus entirely on providing the best possible player experience.
Free-to-play MMORPGs like Lost Ark can never offer the best possible player experience.
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Everything you need to know about the MMORPG Lost Ark – in 2 minutes
From my perspective, designers should feel free to experiment with subscription prices. Who actually decided that such an MMORPG subscription must cost between ten and thirteen euros per month? Why not try five to seven euros and see how that is received?
Oh, and please no release for mobile devices. That would also have an immediately noticeable negative effect on the versions for PC and consoles – for example in terms of interface, number of available skills, or through some automation functions that make the MMORPG play itself.
The setting: Western and with a large IP
Even though completely new universes have their charm, I usually find it much more exciting to travel through virtual worlds that I already know well from books, movies, series, or other games. Four franchises that I would find particularly exciting for a new MMORPG project have already been mentioned in this column:
Basically, I am also open to other IPs. In the field of fantasy and sci-fi novels, there is certainly still one or the other exciting universe that has not yet been blessed with a game adaptation – off the top of my head, I think of Joe Abercrombie’s fantastic “First Law” / blade world series.
However, what is important to me is that the MMORPG is designed with a view to character design, graphics, races, menus, and so on aimed at the Western market. I do not need scantily clad schoolgirls trying to be world saviors, gender locks in class selection, or an interface cluttered with flashing pop-ups and texts.
Equally off-putting to me as the generic look of many Asian online games is the simple yet bright style of smaller projects that simply do not have the budget for more. However, one upcoming MMORPG project that already delights me with its graphics is Ashes of Creation:
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MMORPG Ashes of Creation will be even more realistic – Shows great weather effects and seasons
The setup of the servers
I am firmly convinced that the best possible MMORPG player experience is only possible if developers offer language realms for the largest countries. Only in this way can server communities be created where players and guilds can build relationships and rivalries that matter.
Only on such servers can one make a name for oneself, for example as the player who has learned the best enchanting recipes. Or as the guild that you have to pass by if you are keen on world boss loot.
The best possible cooperation and competition, as well as the most beautiful role-playing moments, can also only be experienced if there are no language barriers. The individual servers, however, should accommodate more players than is the case in New World.
An active population of about 3,500 to 6,000 characters per server is optimal; this is at least my experience from the first years of WoW and WoW Classic.
WoW Classic has impressively shown how important language servers are for the MMO experience.
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WoW Classic: Der Trailer zu Wrath of the Lich King
The focus on socializing
In order for players to come together in MMORPGs, developers must ensure that cooperation provides clear benefits.
Who voluntarily quests with a stranger if they can reach their goal more efficiently alone? Why search for players for raids and dungeons when there are automated group searches and easy difficulty levels that can be mastered completely without communication or even solo?
My dream MMORPG therefore focuses on cooperative PvE challenges (dungeons, raids, scenarios) and competitive PvP content (arena, battlegrounds, contested areas in the open world), in which players must take on essential tasks with their classes and roles and coordinate with each other.
Interested parties organize themselves within the guild, via Discord servers, chat channels, and bulletin boards in the game. Guilds can be leveled to unlock passive buffs and various advantages for all members – such as larger vaults, access to a guild hall, or reduced cooldowns for essential skills.
Continue on page 2.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
We have collected series that are similar to Maxton Hall in a list. We present to you 5 titles that you might enjoy if you liked the Young Adult series.
What kind of series are these? The selection of titles was made by the editorial team. The series have several commonalities with Maxton Hall.
This series is about the exclusive elite school Las Encinas in Spain. There, three students from humble backgrounds meet their wealthy and privileged classmates – leading to conflicts, intrigue, and secrets. The tensions between the students escalate, resulting in a crime.
Watch Elite if you like the following aspects of Maxton Hall:
Intrigue and drama
Love stories and conflicts
Power and privileges play a significant role
Elite school
This is what the IMDb ratings say: The series has a rating of 7.2 stars with over 90,000 ratings on IMDb.
Fun Fact: Due to the rapid global success, Elite was renewed for a second season by Netflix just 12 days after its release. (via IMDb)
2. Young Royals
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Trailer for Season 1 of Young Royals
This series is about the young Swedish prince named Wilhelm, who is sent to an elite boarding school due to a scandal. There, he develops feelings for his classmate Simon. It’s about Wilhelm’s internal struggle between his royal duties and personal wishes.
Watch Young Royals if you like the following aspects of Maxton Hall:
Coming-of-age issues
Search for identity
Complex relationships
High Society
This is what the IMDb ratings say:Young Royals has a rating of 8.2 stars with over 44,000 ratings on IMDb.
Fun Fact: The boarding school Hillerska does not actually exist. The main filming location was Kaggeholm Castle on Helgön, near the island of Ekerö – close to Stockholm. (via IMDb)
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
