Halo: The Master Chief Collection has received yet another major update, and this one includes a series of significant changes, one of which should make most multiplayer games run smoother.

The new update available now “upgrade[s] the rate at which network packets are sent by the server” for Halo 2, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, and Halo. Additionally, the amount of data that individual packets can hold is increased. What this means is that each game should now run more smoothly and reliably. For Halo 3 specifically, the clients previously sent 15 packets per second, with the server sending 30 per second. But with the update, servers and clients send 60 packets per second. That puts it in line with the 60FPS frame rate.

Here’s how Microsoft’s Dana Jerpbak summed up the changes:

“We’ve upgraded the rate at which network packets are sent by the server in Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 4, and Halo 2A. We have also increased limits on how much data each individual packet can contain,” Jerpbak said. “This includes data about the position of bipeds, where they’re aiming, what projectiles they’re firing, etc. The server prioritizes what data is contained in a packet until it reaches a maximum size. In gaps where the client hasn’t received a certain type of information from the server (due to latency or prioritization), the client predicts what this information should be based on the last data received. It then corrects its predictions upon receiving new data.”

“This can result in cases of rubber-banding’ where a biped’s position is predicted locally and then corrected by the server. By increasing the allowed size of packets as well as their frequency, we have significantly reduced these gaps. This results in less prediction and correction due to more frequent and more complete updates from the server. In Halo 3, the clients would send 15 packets per second to the server, while the server would send 30 packets per second to all clients. Now both servers and clients will be networking at 60 packets per second, aligning with the framerate.”

You may still experience some rubber-banding, as the rate at which packets can be sent depends on your network environment. But overall, Jerpbak said “the increased send rates should generally result in an overall smoother online experience. This improvement affects dedicated servers as well as peer servers in peer-to-peer matches.”

Jerpbak said Microsoft conducted “extensive” internet and external testing, and Microsoft has concluded that the changes will have a positive impact.

You can read more about the network changes in this ridiculously in-depth blog post.

The new MCC update also comes with makeover themed around Yapyap The Destroyer from Halo Wars 2. You’ll immediately notice that the splash screen and the main menu have received a Yapyap-themed takeover, while there is a nice Yapyap game selection option in Social Matchmaking; if you play enough you can earn a Yapyap nameplate and more.

The new MP loading screen

Another big update is that loading screens in multiplayer now display lots more detail, including the map name, the primary starting weapon, the time limit, the score to win, the Gamertags of people in your session, the data center hosting dedicated server of the match, as well as the game type and description and other helpful hints and tips.

For campaign, the new loading screens now display the mission name, the difficulty, and the Skulls you have turned on, among other things.

You can read this Halo Waypoint article to see a full breakdown of what’s new.

In other news, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to PC, and the rollout process begins with a beta test for Halo: Reach later this month. A similar beta test, or a “flight” in the Microsoft parlance, will be held on Xbox One.

Beyond that, Microsoft is expected to discuss Halo Infinite (and new Xbox consoles) at E3 this year, so keep checking back with GameSpot for more.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-the-master-chief-collection-gets-60hz-update-/1100-6466054/

The next big update for The Division 2 is coming very soon, and it adds a new, more challenging difficulty mode, as well as a new World Tier, weekly invasions, new weapons and gear, and more. Not only that, but the first raid is on the way at the end of the month.

The new update, Tidal Basin, is part of the first post-launch free content, Invasion: Battle for D.C., and it arrives on April 5–here’s exactly when. It adds a new stronghold, Tidal Basin, which is occupied by the Black Tusk faction. “Tidal Basin is now home to some of the most powerful enemies in the game, and they’re not going down easy,” Ubisoft says.

Players who successfully complete the stronghold will rise to World Tier 5, and in turn this lets players get gear scores in the range of 450-500. Reaching World Tier 5 unlocks new weekly invasions that see Black Tusk enemies take over missions and strongholds throughout D.C. They are described as “harder” than other challenges, and the reward for completing them is better loot and gear.

Additionally, Invasion: Battle for D.C. adds a new Heroic difficulty setting that Ubisoft says makes for “some of the most challenging gameplay yet.” On top of that, new two exotic weapons, Pestilence and Nemesis, along with gear sets True Patriot, Hardwired, and Ongoing Directive, are coming to The Division 2 in the update.

In addition, a new PvP map titled Fort McNair is added in the update, while there are more cosmetics to acquire through the Invasion Apparel Event.

Looking ahead, The Division 2’s first raid, Operation Dark Hours, is slated to arrive on April 25. It’s an eight-player raid that is described as “the toughest of all challenges,” and one that will “test the teamwork of the most experienced agents.”

Even further out, Ubisoft will add a new Specialization to The Division 2, but there is no word yet on what it’ll be or when it’ll release.

Invasion: Battle for D.C. is the first of at least three free content drops for The Division 2 in its Year 1. The others include Episode 1: DC Outskirts Expedition (Summer 2019), Episode 2: Pentagon: The Last Castle (Fall 2019), and Episode 3 (Winter 2019).

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-2-adding-new-difficulty-mode-and-worl/1100-6466052/

Ubisoft is bringing down The Division 2‘s servers tomorrow for an extended period of maintenance. The downtime, which will run for about three hours, will begin Friday, April 5 at 12:30 AM PT.

That works out to 3:30 AM ET, 9:30 AM CEST, and 5:30 PM AEDT. Ubisoft will use the downtime to roll out the new Invasion: Battle for D.C. update, in addition to the regular maintenance.

Invasion: Battle for D.C. is the first of The Division 2’s free post-release updates. It introduces a new stronghold, Tidal Basin, which features the strongest enemies to date, along with a new Heroic difficulty setting. It also adds two new exotic weapons, Pestilence and Nemesis, along with multiple new gear sets. You can find out more about the update in GameSpot’s coverage here.

Here at GameSpot we scored The Division 2 a 9/10, and it’s exciting to think about the new update and other opportunities to continue to explore and spend time in The Division 2’s world.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-2-servers-going-down-for-3-hours-here/1100-6466049/

Aside from free monthly games, another perk to being an Xbox Live Gold member is having access to Free Play Days, which make certain games free to play throughout a given weekend. Starting today, three games are available to play for free: Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, WWE 2K19, and Dead by Daylight: Special Edition.

It’s perfect timing to play Borderlands: The Handsome Collection–the two games included, Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, just received free Ultra HD texture packs that greatly enhance the graphics on Xbox One X, PS4 Pro, and PC. Plus, Borderlands 3 finally has a confirmed release date and is now available to pre-order.

If you have a Steam account, you can also play Borderlands: The Handsome Collection for free on PC this weekend. You’ll have to go to each game’s individual store page, where you can then play them at no cost.

Then there’s WWE 2K19, which marks the 20th game in the WWE game series. WWE 2K19 introduces minor quality-of-life improvements for in-ring action and, outside the ring, a plethora of new content and game modes, including a story-driven MyCareer mode.

Finally, you can try out the special edition for Dead By Daylight, a multiplayer horror game that pits four players (the “Survivors”) against one other player (the “Killer”) in an eerie environment. The survivors are tasked with repairing five generators in order to escape before the killer can find and take them out.

All three games are free to play until Monday, April 8 at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET. To download the games on your console, navigate to the Gold member area on your Xbox One dashboard. If you enjoy the games, you can buy them at a discount this weekend and continue playing with all of your progress.

Xbox One free weekend games for Gold members:

• Borderlands: The Handsome Collection — $15
• WWE 2K19 — $19.80
• Dead By Daylight: Special Edition — $15

Not an Xbox Live Gold member? Sign up now for free games, discounts, and more »

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-ones-free-weekend-games-for-gold-members-are-/1100-6466046/

Fortnite‘s Week 6’s challenges are now live on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch, and mobile, giving players across all platforms another opportunity to earn Battle Stars and level up their Season 8 Battle Pass. While most of this week’s tasks are fairly straightforward, a couple of them will require a bit more legwork, including the one that asks you to visit a wooden rabbit, stone pick, and metal llama. If you’re not sure where to go, this handy guide will point you in the right direction.

As you can probably gather from the challenge’s name, you’ll need to find the giant, animal-shaped structures somewhere around the island to claim your Battle Stars. This can seem a bit daunting, particularly if you aren’t too familiar with Fortnite’s map. Fortunately, however, you don’t need to visit all three within a single round, so you can simply glide from the Battle Bus to a different animal structure across three matches and complete the challenge.

The wooden rabbit an be found in quadrant A4, on a hill located between Haunted Hills and Snobby Shores. The stone pig, meanwhile, is directly east of Lucky Landing, and the metal llama is just northwest of Junk Junction. We’ve marked their exact locations on the map below. You can also watch the video at the top of this guide to give you a better look at where you need to go.

Once you’ve visited all three of the structures, you’ll earn five Battle Stars, bringing you another step closer to unlock Season 8’s Battle Pass rewards. Most of Week 6’s other challenges are more straightforward, so you should be able to complete them just by playing the game normally. However, you may have trouble knowing where to find the highest elevations on the island, so we’ve put together another guide laying out where they are located.

Week 6’s challenges arrive on the heels of Fortnite’s 8.20 content update, which introduced another new weapon to the game: the Boom Bow. What makes this bow unique is that it has shotgun shells on its arrow tips, making them explode upon impact. The update also brought back the Sniper Showdown limited-time mode and buffed peppers, one of the several scavenged items recently added to the game.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-wooden-rabbit-stone-pig-and-metal-llama-l/1100-6466045/