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Epic Games Store: Cloud Saves, Achievements, More Features On The Way
Epic has released a roadmap for 2019, which includes the new features scheduled to appear on the Epic Games Store. The full roadmap can be viewed on Trello, but Epic has issued the disclaimer that the new features listed and the times they’re scheduled for are “subject to change.”
Exact timetables are not provided for each feature, with each one falling into a category of one-three months, four-six months, or long-term (more than six months). In the short-term, Epic isn’t implementing too many major features. The company plans to redesign the Epic Games Store’s website, and add search tools that utilize both genre and tags. The Epic Game Store will also start hosting video, provide an “optimized delta solution” to help developers reduce the size of game patches, support DLC add-ons, and streamline the sign-in process to allow players to “get into their offline games faster.” The one major feature during this window of time is cloud saves support–a long-requested addition from the Epic Games Store community.
You’ll see a lot more community-requested features added in the mid- to long-term. In four-six months, Epic plans on adding user reviews, wish lists, additional payment methods/currencies, player time tracking, and mod support. The Epic Game Store is also scheduled to see improvements to its newsfeed and follow features, as well additional sorting and filtering methods for its game library. In the long-term, the Epic Game Store will support game achievements, direct carrier billing, and a shopping cart. Epic also plans on overhauling the store’s social features as well.
Epic has a few more improvements scheduled for its game store that don’t have any planned date. These include more generalized PC game store features, such as automated refunds and gifting, and specific ones, like an Arabic translation for the store and support for games that released in Korea. Epic also plans to have the Epic Games Store be accessible on Android devices.
Getting these features out the door is important for the survival of the Epic Games Store, as many of them already exist on its number one competitor, Steam. The Epic Games Store has managed to attract an audience by securing several major triple-A 2019 releases, such as Metro Exodus and The Division 2. However, PC gamers have come to expect many of the features listed above, and will probably gravitate back to Steam if all the Epic Games Store can deliver is a few good exclusives.
The Epic Games Store also offers a free game every two weeks. Right now, you can download the indie game Slime Rancher, which is normally $20 USD on PC. Slime Rancher will be available until March 21, when it will be replaced by Oxenfree.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-games-store-cloud-saves-achievements-more-fea/1100-6465613/
Anthem Loot Just Got Better In New Update; Patch Notes Released
EA has announced the next update for Anthem is now live. This update patches Anthem’s loot system–specifically buffing the drop rates for Masterwork and Legendary items. The full patch notes are listed on EA’s website.
The new update has taken immediate effect on the server-side of Anthem so you don’t have to actually download anything. If you boot up Anthem right now, the update should have already taken effect. Because of the update, drop rates for all Masterwork and Legendary items have been increased on Grandmaster 2 and Grandmaster 3 difficulties. Across all difficulties, Masterwork and Legendary items now have a higher chance of dropping from Anthem’s harder enemies–which includes Legendary and Epic Titans, Legendary Furies, Legendary Acid Ursixes, and Legendary Luminary Elders.
This new update comes out after BioWare community manager Jesse Anderson put together a lengthy response to a Reddit post that expressed concerns with Anthem. “All I’ll say on this is that Anthem is here to stay. Do we have a lot of work to do to fix parts of the game? Yes, and the team is committed to making improvements and releasing new content,” Anderson wrote. Anthem did not have the smoothest launch–releasing to mediocre review scores. BioWare even implemented a patch that accidentally fixed a bug that players wanted to stay in the game. However, BioWare seems to be taking most of the criticism in stride, and has repeatedly released follow-up hotfixes and large scale patches for the game in response to community complaints–which Anderson also pointed out in his Reddit post.
“For feedback, we’ve made a large number of changes based on what players have told us. Not wanting to run to the Forge every time to launch an expedition? We added the ability to launch anywhere in Fort Tarsis, that was because of player feedback. Wanted to visually see loot drop from bosses in Strongholds? Added because of player feedback,” Anderson wrote. “If you are talking about feedback on loot in general…I’ve already said that the team is discussing and that more will be likely be shared in the coming days. I know everyone wants to know when, but I don’t have that answer.” He continued, “Like Chad Robertson said in a tweet, we aren’t happy with where loot is either, so know that it’s high on our priority list.”
In our Anthem review, Kallie Plagge gave the game a 6/10, writing, “Anthem has good ideas, but it struggles significantly with the execution. It’s a co-op game that works best with no one talking; it buries genuinely interesting character moments and puts its most incomprehensible story bits at the forefront; its combat is exciting until you get to the boss fights and find your wings have been clipped. Even the simple, exhilarating act of flying is frequently interrupted by the limitations of your javelin, and you never quite shake that feeling of disappointment–of knowing, throughout the good parts of Anthem, that you’ll inevitably come crashing back down.”
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/anthem-loot-just-got-better-in-new-update-patch-no/1100-6465608/
Where Is Xur? Destiny 2 Location And Exotic Weapons Guide (March 15-19)
Xur has returned to Destiny 2 once again, and for the second time in as many weeks, the weekend Exotic vendor has new things to offer. Not only does he have another Forsaken Exotic for Warlocks looking to complete their collections, but he’s offering the first Invitation of the Nine, a special bounty that gives new information about Xur’s enigmatic masters.
You’ll find Xur on Titan this week, hanging out in a small shed on The Rig. Head north from the spawn point and check in a small building toward the edge of the platform. There you can purchase Crimson, a phenomenal Exotic hand cannon that fires a burst of three shots at a time. Kills with Crimson heal you, and precision kills refill the magazine, making it a pretty devastating weapon, especially in Crucible. Crimson is a great hand cannon to take with you on the lengthy Crucible grind if you’re working on the quest to get the new Exotic hand cannon Thorn—check out our guide for some handy tips, including where to find the start of the Thorn quest.
For armor, Warlocks win this week with a Forsaken Exotic after missing out on getting one last week. It’s Chromatic Fire, a chest armor piece that makes precision kills with your Kinetic weapon detonate enemies with elemental blasts. For Titans, there’s Wormgod Caress, a set of gauntlets that increase your melee damage for every melee kill you get, with streaks lengthening the effect’s duration. Finally, Hunters can snag the Orpheus Rig Exotic boots, which gives you more shots in the Moebius Quiver version of the Shadowshot super, and gives you ability energy for every enemy tethered by it.
Here are all the Exotics Xur offers this week and what they’ll cost you:
- Crimson (Exotic combat bow) — 29 Legendary Shards
- Wormgod Caress (Exotic Titan gauntlets) — 23 Legendary Shards
- Orpheus Rig (Exotic Hunter gauntlets) — 23 Legendary Shards
- Chromatic Fire (Exotic Warlock Chest Armor) — 23 Legendary Shards
You can also buy a Fated Engram, if you can afford it. Dropping 97 Legendary Shards on the item will grant you one Year One Exotic you don’t already have for that character. Xur also offers the Five of Swords challenge card for free, which allows you to add difficulty modifiers that increase your score in Nightfall runs.
Xur is also packing an Invitation From the Nine, a bounty that’s new with the Jokers Wild expansion content. The first one requires players to farm enemies in the Lake of Shadows Strike, and you can expect a new one every week. The goal is to finish off nine of them to earn some special rewards.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/where-is-xur-destiny-2-location-and-exotic-weapons/1100-6465609/
