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Bungie Says Character Progress Will Carry Over To Destiny Sequel

With major, long-term plans for their brand new IP, Destiny, developer Bungie is letting those who plan to come along for the ride know that they’ll be able to take their Guardian along with them every step of the way.

Bungie Community Manager David “DeeJ” Dague confirmed the news in a recent interview with IGN.

“It’s been no secret that we have a ten-year plan for the expansion and evolution of this franchise, and it’s something that we’re always dreaming about,” he said.

“I’ve seen new concept art, I’ve seen new exotic weapons up on people’s screens…it’s a lot of fun to walk around the studio, because there’s always somebody thinking about the next place you’ll go, the next enemy you’ll fight, the next thing that you’ll earn for doing those things.”

Luckily, if you’ve grown attached to your probably now very powerful Titan, Warlock, or Hunter, you’ll be able to experience all that with the same Guardian (or Guardians) the entire way.

“The idea is that the Guardian you have created is something you can bring along with you on that adventure. If you take a look at the way people have played other games for a long period of time, they’ve had a relationship with the same character for a very long time.”

Developer BioWare pulled off a similar plan very successfully with the Mass Effect series, allowing gamers to transfer their version of Commander Shepherd between all three games. Having spent so much time building up your Guardian in the first Destiny title, it’s nice to know not all of that work will go to waste in ‘Destiny 2’ or ‘Destiny 3’.

Elsewhere in the interview, Dague also talked about player demand for more vault space and an increase in the glimmer cap.

For now, Bungie is gearing up for the launch of Destiny’s first expansion, The Dark Below, due out this Tuesday, December 9.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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New Halo: The Master Chief Collection Patch Is Live With Matchmaking and Party Improvements

Developer 343 Industries is keeping busy with continuous updates for Halo: The Master Chief Collection as the studio works towards improving the experience on all fronts.

The game’s latest update, now live on Xbox One, focuses more broadly on matchmaking, party, custom games, and achievement improvements, along with a few other miscellaneous fixes.

The studio released the full change log earlier today, which you can read below, adding that “while this update contains a variety of improvements,” the team will “continue to work on additional content updates that will be rolled out to address further issues.”

Keep your sights on MP1st for updates!

Halo: The Master Chief Collection December 6 Update

Matchmaking & Parties

  • Made improvements to matchmaking team balance
  • Made an update to improve matchmaking search times and success rates, specifically expediting the “Players Found” and “Connecting Session” search phases
  • Made improvements to prevent a player’s rank from resetting unexpectedly
  • Made an update to resolve an issue that allowed players to be placed into an incorrect lobby after a matchmaking game
  • Made improvements to prevent the party from being disbanded upon returning to lobby
  • Made an update to ensure that players are sorted by team in the “Match Found” screen
  • Resolved an issue where Team Slayer matches in Halo 3 could separate players onto individual teams
  • Resolved an issue where players could be placed into a group of 7 players and unable to find more
  • Made improvements to ensure that the party-leader is prompted to “Bring Party” when leaving a lobby
  • Made an update to ensure that split-screen players cannot be divided onto different teams
  • Made improvements to ensure that clients are not kicked from parties at the end of matchmaking games with a “failed to connect” error
  • Made an update to ensure that Halo 2: Anniversary matches do not continue indefinitely after entire opposing team quits
  • Made an update to ensure that parties are not separated when the party leader navigates through multiple titles

Custom Games

  • Made improvements to prevent manual team selection from getting reset after a Custom Game match
  • Made an update to ensure that the “Make Party Leader” command functions correctly

Achievements

  • Made an update to ensure that the “Too Close to the Sun” achievement unlocks when prerequisites are met
  • Made an update to ensure that the “Monopolized” achievement unlocks when prerequisites are met
  • Made an update to ensure that the “Devastating” achievement unlocks when prerequisites are met
  • Made an update to ensure that the “You’re Joking” achievement unlocks when prerequisites are met

Game-Specific

  • Made improvements to Halo 2: Anniversary objective pickup, specifically in regards to objective “juggling”
  • Made an update to Halo 3’s movement input, specifically to resolve a deadzone issue which affected moving in a straight line
  • Made additional improvements to Halo: CE fall damage scenarios
  • Made an update to resolve a Halo 2 Classic campaign issue where a black screen could overlay the gameplay screen

Stability

  • Made a variety of stability improvements across the following areas:
    • Matchmaking
    • Custom Games
    • Halo 4 Campaign

Misc.

  • Made an update to ensure that clan tags appear in the post-game carnage report for all players
  • Made an update to ensure that players are sorted by team in the post-game carnage report
  • Made an update to ensure that emblems are displayed correctly in the post-game carnage report

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below – Watch A Full Playthrough Of The Undying Mind Strike

If slightly spoilerific material is of no concern to you, anxious Guardians might want to check out brand new gameplay of the new three-player Strike, The Undying Mind, coming first to PlayStation with the launch of Destiny’s The Dark Below DLC on December 9.

Captured during Sony’s PlayStation Experience event, Destiny YouTube personalities DattoDoesDestiny and MoreConsole are now sharing their full play-throughs of the entire Strike from start to finish. You can watch both perspectives below, including footage of some of the new weapons and armor also offered in the quickly-approaching DLC.

Xbox users might definitely want to take a look, as the mission you’ll see below won’t be available on either Xbox One or Xbox 360 until Fall of next year.

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The Dark Below also launches with another full Strike for all players to enjoy, as well as new Story Missions, a new Raid, new Crucible maps, new gear, and a new Light Level cap increase to 32, among other things.

Are you getting The Dark Below this Tuesday? Let us know in the comments!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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New Destiny: The Dark Below Trailer Shows Off PlayStation-Exclusive Strike and Shotgun

Bungie’s latest trailer shows off some of the brand new timed PlayStation-exclusive items arriving with Destiny’s upcoming expansion, The Dark Below.

Along with a crazy-looking four-barrelled shotgun called The 4th Horseman, gamers on PS4 and PS3 will get access to the exclusive ‘Undying Mind’ 3-player Strike on Mars that will pit you and your Fireteam against “a timeless Vex machine-beast that has survived for ages”.

You’ll get to see a bit of it in action in the new trailer above.

Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below launches on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 this Tuesday, December 9.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Battlefield 4’s Community Test Environment Headed to Consoles, Details On Latest CTE Patch

Late October, developer DICE LA announced that Battlefield 4’s Community Test Environment would be accessible to Premium-members on consoles for free, provided they have a PC capable of running it. Normally a program exclusive to PC users subscribed to BF4’s Premium service, DICE LA hopes to open it up to all users for optimal feedback on some of the game’s latest tweaks.

Last October’s announcement was a start, but as DICE LA Producer David Sirland made it clear during a recent Q&A session at Battlefield 4’s recent ESL One Finals, a proper console version of CTE is coming. “We are ready. They are not,” he said, referencing Microsoft and Sony’s longer certification process. In the meantime, DICE LA “needed the console players to have something to be able to help [them],” Sirland added.

No launch time frame was mentioned, but it sounds like the studio is getting much closer.

Battlefield 4 YouTube personality Westie has some details:

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To get a better picture of what BF4’s CTE is all about, we also spoke to Sirland in October to discuss how the game is shaping up with the help of direct player feedback. You can read our discussion here.

A new patch was recently deployed in the CTE which added a number of updates to BF4’s hit markers and flight behavior. Battlefield YouTubers Battle(non)sense and XfactorGaming put together a pair of informative videos that highlight some of the more important changes that were introduced in the patch:

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Keep your sights on MP1st for more on Battlefield 4 and CTE!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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The Game Awards – New No Man’s Sky Gameplay Shows Space Travel and Giant Robots

Hello Games, a studio that has been turning heads since the debut of its latest project, No Man’s Sky, arrived at The Game Awards tonight to show off some more of the massively open and procedurally generated world that players will get to explore as a space-faring adventurer.

Studio head Sean Murray got on stage to unveil a new gameplay trailer that demonstrated a few of the different ways players will travel between locations, including flying ships at warp speed and teleporting between planets and, perhaps, even galaxies. It also has giant robots. You’ll find the new video above.

Not a whole lot of new information was shared during the presentation, but the game is still looking as good as ever. Though player interaction won’t be a part of its core experience, more details are still to come on No Man’s Sky multiplayer experience, .

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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The Game Awards – Robotoki Boss Offers First Look At ‘Human Element’, Xbox One, PS4, and PC MMO Survival Game

Robotoki studio head Robert Bowling took the stage at The Game Awards to debut the first trailer for his highly anticipated new project, Human Element, a massive multiplayer online survival game that takes place 15 years after the zombie apocalypse.

According to the ex-Infinity Ward community manager on Call of Duty, you’ll face struggles as a desperate survivor trying reach the coordinates of the last remaining cache supplies. The “human element” will factor in to the challenges you’ll face, as will the undead.

Have a first look at the art and gameplay direction Bowling and his team are headed in via its debut cinematic trailer above.

Last we heard, Human Element is being built on the CryEngine and is coming to Xbox One, PS4, and PC sometime in 2015.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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The Game Awards – Watch The “Season Premier” Teaser For Battlefield Hardline

More Battlefield Hardline single player footage emerges in a new trailer from EA and Visceral Games that debuted during The Game Awards tonight.

Sadly, no details were spared on Hardline’s upcoming multiplayer beta, so we’ll have to hang tight for more news. Meanwhile, check out the new footage above that showcases a darker and grittier Battlefield that takes place on crime-filled streets.

Earlier this week, more light was shed on Hardline’s vehicle heavy game mode, Hotwire, with brand new gameplay courtesy of a handful of well-known Battlefield YouTube personalities. You can get caught up on the footage here, if you missed it, and even check out Hardline’s full list of weapon, camos, gadgets, and grenades here.

Battlefield Hardline launches March 17.

David Veselka

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The Game Awards – Metal Gear Online Debut Multiplayer Gameplay

As promised, popular video game developer Hideo Kojima took the stage at The Game Awards to debut brand new gameplay from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’s online multiplayer component, Metal Gear Online.

The gameplay, which you can watch above, showcased player-controlled characters in a PvP battle called “Tactical Team Operations” inside a war base. From the looks of things, players will be able to select different skins for their soldiers, including iconic legends like Big Boss himself.

Have a look at the debut above and be sure to tell us what you think in the comments!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Destiny – New Crucible Rules Now In Effect, Iron Banner Returns Mid-December

Exciting changes to Destiny‘s PvP experience are afoot.

In preparation for the upcoming expansion, The Dark Below, Bungie has made a few necessary changes to the way the Crucible work, some of which are currently in effect.

For starters, the studio has now implemented what they are calling “Slaughter Rules”, the intention being that mismatched players that differ severely in skill level will have a better time in the Crucible over all. Here’s what’s new:

Slaughter Rules

  • In the event of a massacre, all parties are returned to orbit at the conclusion of the match
  • Team-based playlists
    • If one team is grossly under-performing, the session is dissolved in favor of matchmaking
  • Rumble playlist
    • If three or more players are grossly under-performing, the session is dissolved in favor of matchmaking

As for what’s coming, players will notice some tweaks to both Public and Premium (new) playlists that will take effect once The Dark Below DLC hits on December 9. Here’s what to expect:

Public Playlists
  • Limited-time playlists (Salvage and Combined Arms) will be available to all players
  • Bastion and First Light have moved out of Control and Clash to Combined Arms
Premium Playlists
  • New Playlists will let you play new content right away
  • Playlists will require The Dark Below to enter
  • Each week, we’ll have two additional Premium Playlists
    • Week One will be Clash and Rumble on new maps
    • Rotators will change each week
    • New experimental modes to be included!

Additionally, competitive Guardians can once again look forward to the return of Lord Saladin and his Iron Banner on December 16. The Dark Below DLC will not be required to enter, but players will be able to earn Level 31 gear by winning matches. Here are some of the notes from the latest Bungie Weekly Update:

Iron Banner!
  • Lord Saladin returns to the Tower on December 16th
  • He’ll reset Event Standings – like a new season
  • Level 31 inventory can be earned by winners
  • The Dark Below will not be required to compete

If you missed out on the previous Iron Banner, here are all the changes that have been made that will carry over to this event.

Last, but not least, Bungie has also addressed a few of the bugs that were introduced in Destiny’s last big update that have been affecting the game as a whole. Here’s what’s being fixed soon.

Upcoming Fixes

  • Pocket Infinity
    • Charges too quickly after the first shot
    • Fix in progress, to be released in a future update
  • Daily Event Reward Packages
    • No longer delivered by the Postmaster after a Public Event
    • Will be fixed automatically in The Dark Below update
    • All players will receive the fix when Expansion I goes live

Bungie notes that these are just the items that were made apparent in the game’s last update. Other fixes are still “being prepped and giftwrapped” for future updates.

Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below will land on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 on December 9. The new Raid, Crota’s End, will open at 1AM Pacific Time and will not include any prerequisites in order to enter, so you and your Fireteam can have at it right away.

What do you think of the new changes to Destiny’s PvP? Looking forward to the return of Iron Banner once again?

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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More DLC Gameplay Shown In Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below’s New Trailer

New dangers await on Earth’s Moon where the Hive build their army and prepare to unleash their madness on us petty Earthlings. Good thing we’ve got our own little army of brave Guardians to take care of business.

On December 9, you’ll be able to take your Guardian on a new adventure in Destiny‘s first expansion, The Dark Below. It introduces new Story Missions, new Strikes, a new Raid, new Crucible maps, new gear, a Light Level cap increase, and more. To show it all off, developer Bungie and publisher Activision have put together another trailer that mixes some of the cinematic scenes we saw earlier with new gameplay. You can watch it above.

A ton of new details on what’s new in Destiny’s upcoming expansion were spilled yesterday. If you haven’t yet, be sure to read up on the tweaks being made to Exotic, Legendary, and Raid gear, as well as what’s different with Strikes, Raids, and PvP.

Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below DLC launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 December 9.

David Veselka

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Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s Biggest Update Yet Is Here – Weapon Balance, Spawns, Map Exploits, and More Get Fixed

Developer Sledgehammer Games is now rolling out Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare‘s biggest update yet since launch.

It’s currently being made available to users on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 with similar changes coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC “soon”.

“We’ve included weapon balancing tweaks, fixes and improvements for emblems, improvements within the Player Lobby (including a new way to view your Armory), map exploit fixes, spawn improvements, connectivity optimizations, improvements to our anti-cheat measures, and even more,” he studio wrote in a recent update.

“It’s been so much fun playing the game in the wild and watching the community surprise us with new ways to play as the Advanced Soldier,” the note continued. “We also used this time as an opportunity to focus on the little things that would make a big difference to our community.”

So what exactly went into the latest update? Check out the full notes below:

Advanced Warfare December 4 Update – Xbox One, PlayStation 4

Security and Anti-Cheat Updates:

  • Multiple fixes for invalid player data, which allowed custom “super” classes.
  • Added offensive emblem policy message to emblem editor main page and save pop-up.
  • Added additional enforcement for offensive player-created emblems.

Store Updates:

  • Polish and fan requested improvements.

Emblem Updates:

  • General Emblem Editor polish and fan requested improvements. Including colors, layers, etc.
  • Added ability to set an emblem as your clan emblem.

UI Updates:

  • Added support for new upcoming AE4 weapon, including challenges.
  • Fixed issues with invites between Multiplayer and Exo Survival modes that would exclude Splitscreen party leader is unable to invite anyone to their party.
  • Fixed issue where newly unlocked items were not showing up in the new items list.
  • Safe Area adjustments for Spectator HUD.
  • Added categories to Armory. (All Loot, Redeemable Loot, Time Limited Loot, and Permanent Loot)
  • Fixed issue where Armory Page Count displays incorrectly and added time remaining information for all Time Limited Loot Items.
  • Fixed an issue where the scoreboard on the after action report was not highlighting the active player.
  • Added indication of how many modules a Scorestreak can have based on player’s rank level.
  • Updated lobby status info for System Link games while in the firing range.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Completed” text would show up on locked calling cards, after scrolling over an unlocked/completed calling card.
  • Updated Multiplayer Main Menu to include Friends list option by default.
  • Updated Prestige menu flow experience and information displayed.
  • Added the ability to customize Scorestreaks within the Scorestreaks selection menu.

In-Game Updates:

  • Fixed Momentum mantle prompt overlapping with 2X indicator
  • Fixed issue with the “Taking” icon overlapping the flag icons in Momentum Splitscreen.
  • Fixed issue with the Reinforcement icon overlapping HUD while playing in Splitscreen.
  • Added “RELOAD”, “LOW AMMO”, and “NO AMMO” HUD notifications on all Weapon Loot.
  • Fixed stretched weapon loot icon in Killcam feeds.
  • Fixed issue where 1st players progress in Exo Survival would be lost when signing into a Splitscreen local play.
  • Fixed Lynx ammo count issue.
  • Fixed Care Package trap module exploit.
  • Fixed threat indicator  issue with friendly  MDL projectiles and the Crossbow Bolts
  • Fixed Goliath pod down on planted bomb.
  • Fixed Goliath getting stuck issues.
  • Fixed Goliath players out of world exploit.
  • Fixed issue where the Ameli – Chicanery Elite variant would remain locked after permanent unlock via Prestige.
  • Fixed rare issue where MDL projectiles would not explode.
  • Fixed an exploit where the Minimap would be visible when you paused during a Killcam, Fixed issue where players being invited into a bonus playlist while the game is still installing, which would cause a crash when loading Atlas Gorge.
  • Fixed issue when rapid supply package from a supply drop appear locked and expired.
  • Fixed rare visual affect issue when ADS with the Sniper, ACOG, Variable Zoom, and Ballistic scopes would not appear correctly.

Clan Updates:

  • Widened the Clan Invite Details window to accommodate long clan names.
  • Added warning message when transferring ownership of Clan.
  • Added Clan member position display label to the Clan Roster

Challenge Updates:

  • Fixed Far Sighted” challenge  requiring four long shot medals  instead of the three to complete
  • Fixed an issue with the “Super Star” challenge, where it did not prompt the player that 6 or more people are needed to complete the challenge.
  • Fixed an issue with the “Crushing Victory” challenge where it would not track properly when there are less than 6 players in the match.

Weapon Balancing Updates:

Note: Adjustments affect base weapon and all loot variants.

  • Bal27: damage reduced, max damage range decreased, recoil adjusted
  • HBRa3: max damage range decreased
  • ASM1: max damage range increased
  • MP11: max damage range increased
  • EM1: damage increased
  • EPM3: damage increased, ads time decreased
  • XMG: damage increased, lockdown mode increased
  • Ameli: damage increased
  • Pytaek: damage increased

Scorestreak Updates:

  • Fixed an issue where the System Hack Graphic would remain on Broadcaster’s Screen, even after system hack event was over.
  • Fixed issue with Care package drone delivery if System Hack is activated at beginning of delivery.
  • Fixed issue with not being able to kill care package drone.
  • Fixed issue where all medals earned while operating a Scorestreak would not appear on players screen.
  • Fixed rare issue of players losing the ability to activate Scorestreaks when killed while moving a turret.
  • Fixed an issue where the player could have his weapon dropped after returning from controlling a Scorestreak.
  • Fixed issue where player wouldn’t be able to trigger game objects while using the ripped turret.
  • Fixed an issue with the Paladin where Friend or Foe overlay would remain on if you joined a Paladin Scorestreak and immediately exited Scorestreak.
  • Fixed issue where the player would get credited with assault drone challenges when they used a Map Based Scorestreak

Broadcaster UI Updates:

  • Added the bomb planting/defusing UI to the Broadcaster UI.
  • Adjusted scoreboard placement when viewing through Broadcaster.
  • Fixed issue where the bomb icon in the Broadcaster UI wouldn’t disappear when the bomb carrier planted the bomb.
  • Fixed issue where the match summary in the After Action Report wouldn’t update with Scoreboard for the broadcaster.
  • Updated HUD outlines for Broadcaster.
  • Fixed issue where Aim Down Sights overlays weren’t being displayed for Sniper Scopes.
  • Removed player rank information from being displayed in the Fullscreen scoreboard and the overhead names.
  • Added objective information to the Broadcaster scoreboard.  This information appears in the gray bar beneath the teams’ scores.
  • CODVision is now brighter and easier to see. Added Broadcaster HUD UI elements including active player info, in-game scoreboard/status, mini-map highlights player with satellite (Uplink), persistent weapon info, and objective information in First Person Mode.
  • Added functionality for broadcaster settings to be remembered between rounds.
  • Added a subtitle to the broadcaster scoreboard that displays the current Hardpoint’s timer; or the current round number in Capture the Flag, Search & Destroy, and Uplink.
  • The primary timer in the broadcaster scoreboard is now yellow once the bomb has been planted. Will switch to red when timer reaches 10 seconds.

eSports Settings Changes:

  • Search and Destroy Silent Plant = Enabled
  • Spectating POV = First Person Only
  • Battle Chatter = Disabled
  • Uplink Respawn Delay = 5 Seconds
  • Hardpoint Respawn Delay = 2.5 Seconds
  • Team Kill Penalty = None
  • Friendly Fire = Enabled
  • Explosive Delay = None

Ranked Play Updates:

  • Remove Join in Progress.
  • Turning on Skill Based Matchmaking.
  • Turning off friendly fire.
  • Fixed issue where the player wouldn’t lose division points from abandoning the match by using the system close application option.
  • Initialize disconnect penalty as soon as the match starts.
  • Utilize latest eSports rule set:
    • Primary Weapons – All Specials
    • Secondary Weapons – All Launchers
    • Attachments – Tracker, Grenade Launcher, Akimbo
    • Wildcards – Bombardier
    • Exo Ability – Ping
    • Exo Launcher – Tracking Drone, Explosive Drone
    • Scorestreaks – UAV, Orbital Care Package, System Hack
    • Scorestreaks Modules – Bombing Run Care Package Upgrade, XS1 Goliath Recon, and All Support Modules.

Game Mode Specific Updates

Note: Adjusted score amounts for various events and objective modes.

  • Search & Destroy:
    • Fixed rare Search & Destroy Killcam issue.
    • [Broadcaster] Added various Search & Destroy UI improvements.
    • [Broadcaster] Fixed the bug where the “Target A” and “Target B” in-world icons wouldn’t disappear when the bomb was planted.
  • Capture the Flag:
    • Removed the text that duplicates the information presented by the flag icons.
    • Adjusted spawn logic in Capture the Flag to make it less likely for players to spawn near their own flag.
    • [Broadcaster] Added a timer that displays the time remaining until the flag automatically resets when the flag is on the ground.
  • Uplink:
    • [Broadcaster] Added various Uplink UI improvements.
    • Added distance limitation to passing the Satellite Drone in Uplink. This prevents the players from passing it across the entire map. Also adjusted the required throw angle.
    • Fixed spawn points issue in uplink.
  • Hardpoint:
    • [Broadcaster] Added various Hardpoint UI improvements.
    • Altered Spawn logic to prevent cluster spawning near the Hardpoint.
    • Fixed rare Hardpoint location disappearing issue in Private Match.
    • [Broadcaster] Adjusted so that the broadcaster will now see a “Defend” icon appear on the HUD when the spectated player is standing in the Hardpoint.
  • Momentum:
    • [Broadcaster] Changed the team scores to display a list of flags with the current state of the flags.
    • [Broadcaster] The objective bar now displays the current state of the contested flag, and displays a bar that illustrates the current capture progress.

Map Specific Updates

Note: Many of the following updates apply to all maps, and are directly improved based on the findings of our security team and via community response to exploits.

  • Fixed player out of world exploits throughout. [Applies to Exo Survival.]
  • Fixed Aerial Assault Drone and Recon Drone out of world exploits throughout.
  • Fixed rare spectate cam issue.
  • Fixed rare Tactical Insertion exploit in Infected.
  • Fixed Warbird out-of-bounds exploit.
  • Fixed various clipping issues with the Goliath.

Exo Survival Global Updates:

  • Fixed issues with the score number in the Exo survival after action report.
  • Fixed an issue where players would get “Share Package” medals using a partners Goliath Scorestreak.
  • Fixed automatic revive issues at the start of the next round.

David Veselka

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Latest Halo: MCC Update Contains Several ‘High-Priority’ Matchmaking Improvements

A new Halo: The Master Chief Collection game update containing several ‘high-priority improvements’ is now available on Xbox One.

Today’s update is primarily focused on matchmaking, which has yet to improve to a satisfactory level for many users. More updates are still in store that will contain fixes for team balancing and other improvements. “Please note that while this update will improve team balance issues, we do not expect it to fully resolve uneven teams,” wrote 343 Industries in its latest blog update. “Our next content update, targeted for early next week, will address team balance.”

For now, here’s what’s in today’s patch:

Halo: The Master Chief Collection December 3 Update

  • Made a change to allow for matches to start once minimum player counts are met, allowing for faster matching times.
  • Made an update to resolve issues that caused false matches to be created, which resulted in a variety of matchmaking issues, including slow matchmaking and bad session starts.
  • Streamlined the process for maintaining party continuity through the matchmaking process.
  • Made an update to the high-level matchmaking flow that will reset lobbies after each match. Moving forward, players and party leaders need to press “B” after the post-game-carnage report, and select a playlist for their next match. This flow is consistent with previous Halo titles.
  • Improved user experience through removal of non-actionable error messages. This will allow for a more seamless matchmaking flow with less interruption and confusion.
  • Improved the post-game experience to fix an issue that could result in a player getting sent to another player’s lobby, rather than returning to the matchmaking screen.

Notice any improvements? Let us know in the comments.

David Veselka

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Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below – What’s New With Strikes, Raids, and PvP?

Along with a number of tweaks and improvements to Destiny’s loot and upgrade system, which were detailed earlier, the game’s first expansion, The Dark Below, will also be making a few changes to the way activities like Strikes, Raids, and the Crucible work.

As mentioned earlier, The Dark Below will offer Guardians new things to do with the introduction of one new Strike (two for PlayStation owners), one new Raid, and three new Crucible maps, on top of a number of new Story Missions. Bungie has now outlined a few of the other differences in these activities that you can expect once the new DLC launches next Tuesday, December 9.

Here’s the summary.

Strikes

Due to the Light Level cap increase to 32 and the addition of newer, more powerful weapons and armor, players will now be able to tackle both Heroic and Nightfall Strikes at level 30.

Raids

Though the new Raid, Crota’s End, will unlock on December 9, hard mode will only be available at a later date in January. Players at Light Level 30 can lead a Fireteam into the new Raid immediately upon release. As mentioned earlier, a number of changes have been made to the new Raid’s loot system, including a higher rate for Raid loot drops.

Crucible

The Dark Below will introduce two new exclusive competitive playlists while the three new maps (Pantheon, Skyshock, and The Cauldron) will be featured in their own map rotation. Playlists found in The Director will change on a weekly basis, including 6-player and 12-player game modes. Map rotation will also alternate between focusing on new maps only and on including original maps.

If you missed it, you can catch Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below’s official trailer right here.

 

David Veselka

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Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below – What’s New With Exotic, Legendary, and Raid Items?

In The Dark Below, Destiny’s first PvE and PvP expansion pack, developer Bungie will be making a few very notable changes to the way powerful items are acquired and upgraded during your adventures.

As GameInformer discovered, there’ll be entirely new ways to upgrade both previously existing items and new items that are being introduced in the expansion. There have also been some improvements made to the loot system in the new Crota’s End Raid based off of feedback from the previous Raid, the Vault of Glass.

We’ve summarized what’s new below.

Exotic Gear

Older Exotic gear can now be upgraded in order to keep them competitive with some of the new more powerful Exotic items being introduced in The Dark Below DLC. This can be done by visiting the vendor Xur on the weekends, who will require the item, an Exotic Shard, and a hefty does of cash to make the transformation. With those requirements, you’ll receive a new version of the same item but with a higher maximum damage or defense. Item upgrade progress will be reset in addition.

Xur will possess a different selection of upgrades each week.

Legendary Gear

You’ll be able to purchase new DLC Legendary gear from vendors, like before, but each will require a Vanguard or Crucible Commendation in addition to Reputation and Marks. Commendations are rewarded when a new Reputation level is earned and arrives via the Postmaster.

These new upgraded items will be available to all players with or without the DLC.

Raid Gear

Now, Ascendant materials (shards and energy) will only be used to upgrade regular Legendary items. Legendary items acquired during Crota’s End Raid will need to be upgraded using Radiant materials (shards and energy), which can be earned by progressing through the Raid, by breaking down other items from the Raid, or by trading with the new Vendor, Eris Morn.

Raid primary weapons will only be awarded to Guardians in the hard mode version of Crota’s End Raid, available later in January.

Raid Loot

Loot drops from Crota’s End have been refined from the previous system used in the Vault of Glass. The game will pay closer attention to the items you already own and how long it’s been since you’ve earned a “fun” drop. Overall, expect more consistent rewards and items with a wider variety of potential perks.

What are your thoughts on the new loot and upgrade systems? Are you getting ready to upgrade your Guardian to Light Level 32?

Destiny Expansion I: The Dark Below launches on all platforms December 9.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Battlefield Hardline – New Multiplayer Gameplay Round-Up And Details

With the help of a handful of known Battlefield YouTube personalities, EA and Visceral Games are showing off some brand new multiplayer footage for their upcoming cops and criminals-themed shooter, Battlefield Hardline.

Last month, we got a good look at Hardline’s single player. With the embargo now lifted on the multiplayer coverage these Battlefield fans and content creators were able to gather, we’ve rounded up what videos we could find below, so have a look.

We’ll keep adding as we come across more, so keep your sights locked right here!

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Battlefield Hardline launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on March 17.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Battlefield Hardline Complete Weapon, Attachment, Grenade, and Gadget List Revealed

Battlefield Hardline will be packing some serious heat when it hits patrols this March.

Based off of some of the brand new multiplayer footage that just recently hit YouTube, we now have a better idea of the type of arsenal both cops and criminals will have access to in the upcoming shooter from Visceral Games. If you’re as curious as we are, you’ll want to check out these video from Battlefield YouTube personality LevelCapGaming who reveals Hardline’s entire weapon, attachment, camo, grenade, and gadget list.

You’ll find a few familiar names as well as an interesting selection of weapons and gear that are brand new to the Battlefield franchise. Watch the videos below and tell us in the comments what guns or gear you’re anxious to try out!

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Battlefield Hardline Weapon, Grenade, & Gadget List

Operator

Primary Weapons

    • R0933 (M4)
    • M16A3
    • M416
    • AKM
    • AKS-74u
    • G36C
    • ARM (Galil)
    • CAR-556 (Ace 21)
    • L85A2
    • ACWR (Adaptive Combat Rifle or Masada)

Secondary Weapons

    • 92FS
    • P226
    • G17
    • CZ-75

Mechanic

Primary Weapons

    • MP5k
    • UMP 45
    • MPX
    • K10 (aka Kriss Vector)
    • UZI
    • P90
    • M/45 (aka Swedish K)
    • FM9

Secondary Weapons

    • .38 Snub
    • .357 RS (327 TRR8* revolver)
    • .44 Magnum
    • .410 Jury (Taurus Judge)

Enforcer

Primary Weapons

    • 870P Magnum
    • 37 Stakeout (Ithaca 37)
    • Spas-12
    • Double Barrel
    • Scar-H
    • HCAR (heavy counter assault rifle)
    • SA-58 OSW (Operational Special Weapon)
    • HK51

Secondary Weapons

    • 45T (HK45 Tactial)
    • M1911A1
    • .40 Pro (M&P40 Pro Series)
    • Bald Eagle (Desert Eagle or Deagle)

Professional

Primary Weapons

    • Scout Elite
    • R700 LTR
    • AWM (arctic warfare magnum)
    • .300 knockout (M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle)
    • Socom16
    • SR-25
    • PTR-91
    • Saiga .308

Secondary Weapons

    • G18C
    • 93R
    • TEC-9
    • MAC-10

Gadgets

Universal

    • Grappling Hook
    • Zipline
    • Survivalist
    • Decoy
    • Armored Insert
    • Gas Mask
    • Dtunt Driver

Operator

    • First Aid Pack
    • Revive
    • Satellite Phone (aka Spawn Beacon)

Mechanic

    • M79
    • M79 Gas
    • M79FB
    • M79 Smoke
    • Repair Tool
    • Sabotage

Enforcer

    • Ammo Box
    • Breaching Charge (aka C4)
    • Ballistic Shield

Professional

    • Laser Tripmine
    • Stealth Training
    • Camera

Grenades

    • M67 Frag
    • Gas Grenade
    • M84 Flashbang
    • M18 Smoke
    • Molotov (Criminals)
    • Incendiary Device (Police)

Melee Weapons

Universal

    • Knife
    • Boot
    • Bowie
    • Carbon Fiber
    • Scout
    • Seal
    • Survival
    • Trench

Criminals

    • Baseball Bat
    • ACB-90
    • Crowbar
    • Golf Club
    • Lead Pipe
    • Machete
    • Shank
    • Sledgehammer

Police

    • Police Baton
    • Blackjack
    • Breaching Hammer
    • Collapsible Baton
    • Nightstick

Weapon Optics

Close Range

    • Micro T-1 (Aimpoint T-1)
    • SRS 02 (GDS) (green dot sight)
    • COMP M45 (RDS)
    • Reflex (RDS)
    • Coyote (RDS)
    • Kobra RDS
    • Holo (Eotech)
    • HD-33
    • PKA-S
    • IRNV 1x
    • FLIR 2x

Medium Range

    • M145 3.4x
    • Prisma 3.4x
    • PK-A 3.4X
    • ACOG 4x
    • JGM-4 4x
    • PSO-1 4x

Long Range

    • TA 648 (6x) (same as the old CL6x in BF4)
    • PKS-07 (7x)
    • Rifle Scope (8x)
    • Hunter (14x)

Optic Modifiers

    • Canted Iron Sights
    • Canted Red Dot Sight (new)
    • Magnifier (2x)

Pistol Optics

    • Ghost Ring
    • Mini RDS
    • Delta RDS

Thanks, LevelCapGaming

Battlefield Hardline launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on March 17.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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First Details On Destiny’s PlayStation-Exclusive Content In The Dark Below DLC

As promised, PlayStation users are getting something a little extra to call their own for an entire year in Destiny’s first expansion, The Dark Below, arriving next week.

First up is another Strike located on Mars called The Undying Mind. Players will “step back into the coveted dangers of The Black Garden to face a timeless Vex machine-beast that has survived for ages,” reads the description on the official PlayStation Blog. “Prepare for firefights amidst vine-laden pillars and decaying paths in an effort to destroy the ancient evil.”

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Backing adventurers up is a new Exotic shotgun called The 4th Horseman that packs “four barrels, five shots, and a sizzlingly fast fire rate will eat away at the Vex legions in short order.”

15740075670_1d0abd71ee_zDestiny Expansion I: The Dark Below arrives December 9 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The Undying Mind Strike and The 4th Horseman Exotic Shotgun will be available to Xbox Users next Fall.

As for all users, the new expansion will introduce three new Story Missions, one new Strike, one new Raid, three new Crucible maps, new Legendary and Exotic gear, a new vendor, and a Light Level cap increase to 32.

David Veselka

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The Story Of Evolve Teased In New Trailer, Get The Details On New Hunters, Maps, and Game Mode

It’s story time with Turtle Rock Studios and 2K Game’s latest gameplay trailer for their 4v1 shooter, Evolve.

If you check out their newest video above, you’ll get some context to the struggle between Hunter and Monster on a remote colony set on an alien and unfamiliar world. Clearly Evolve is all about its epic asymmetrical multiplayer battles, but it appears that there’ll be at least some story elements to dive into when the game releases on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC this February 10.

Last month, IGN spent some time with Evolve developers to find out what there is to know about some of the game’s new characters and locations. We’ve rounded up details on the new Hunters and Maps below, including a brand new game mode called Nest, so you can catch up on anything you might have missed.

In addition, we also learned that any map expansions for Evolve will be free for all users, so players won’t ever be kicked out of matchmaking and Evolve’s community will never be required to split up. New DLC characters will cost you some cash, however, but both vanilla and DLC characters can still play together on the same map, even if a party member doesn’t own any DLC. Anyone who pre-orders the game will get the Monster Expansion Pack free of charge.

Check out the additional gameplay videos and commentaries below:

Hunters

Abe The Trapper

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Cabot The Support

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Caira The Medic

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Parnell The Assault

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Maps

Orbital Drill

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Armory

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Rendering Plant

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Refueling Tower

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Game Modes

Nest

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David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Xbox Live Rewards Members Get $15 Rebate With Halo: MCC In December, Early Adopters Upset

Members of the Xbox Live Rewards program learned today that for the rest of this month, a 15,000 Rewards Credit will be awarded to new buyers of $59.99 USD worth of Halo games, add-ons, and videos on the Xbox Store, including the recently released Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

The program is also offering the same amount of credits, which translates to $15 USD in your Microsoft account, for any pre-orders on games “that ship this holiday season,” along with free shipping.

While the deal might benefit new buyers who held off on picking up The Master Chief Collection after catching wind of its troubled launch, the news clearly doesn’t sit well with early adopters who were met with busted online matchmaking services and a handful of bugs and glitches after paying full price for the game in November.

343 Industries Studio Head Bonnie Ross made it clear that the company has plans to ‘take care of all owners’ and ‘make it right’ with fans who were feeling let down with the game’s launch, but we’ve yet to hear exactly what that might entail. While we wait for news, reports are coming in that there are still ways early buyers can take advantage of the new Xbox Live Rewards offer or at least receive some form of compensation.

On Reddit, a couple of users were offered a full refund on The Master Chief Collection after explaining their intent to repurchase the game while taking advantage of the rebate. Other users were offered three months of Xbox Live Gold after expressing their disappointment. Here are some excerpts:

“I just explained that I wanted to take advantage of the 15,000 points and wanted the refund for the purpose to repurchase and obtain the funds. She gave me the ‘one time only’ spiel but I just consider that jargon. MS takes care of their customers, especially ones who are loyal to the Xbox brand and who have bought +40 titles for their new console.”

“i just contacted MS and spoke to ‘Joan’. She said that we should get the deal if you have the digital copy of MCC. You just have to go post in the xbox rewards support. ‘Please sign in to this link: http://forums.xbox.com/xbox_forums/default.aspx and then click on Xbox Rewards Support and you will see the ‘Add a new post’ on the left side of your screen and please click on it to post a message.'”

“Can confirm, this is a thing. Seems they’re doing this for all who got it in the month of November. Sales rep told me ‘Okay so unfortunately we cannot offer the rewards points but what I can do for you is offer you 3 months of Xbox Live for the troubles’.”

Others weren’t so lucky, but it might be worth a try if you feel strongly about the situation. It’s also not clear if these users used their once-in-a-life-time-refund for Xbox Live or if was entirely separate. Good luck, if you decide to try!

In the meantime, more updates for Halo: The Master Chief Collection are still in the works while 343 Industries continues to improve the experience.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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