News – Page 498 – Sick Gaming

Posted on June 11, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Keywords acquires game production outfit Blindlight

Newsbrief: Keywords Studios has acquired Hollywood-based game production outfit Blindlight for an undisclosed fee.

Founded back in 2001, Blindlight works on behalf of game publishers and developers to oversee certain aspects of production, including voiceovers, celebrity acquisition, rights management, motion capture, writing, and sound design.

The company has worked with some notable names over the years, including the likes of Bethesda, NCSoft, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Ubisoft.

Keywords, which only last week secured a new $88 million credit line for new acquisitions and investments, believes the deal will bolster its audio and production capabilities, further cementing its place as the one-stop-shop for video game services.

Posted on June 11, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

E3 2018: Command & Conquer: Rivals Announced

It’s not often that E3 throws up anything truly interesting on mobile, but you can always count on EA to do something in this space. This year, they announced a new 1v1 competitive real-time tactics mobile game in the form of Command & Conquer: Rivals.

Now, it IS a bit of a shame that a franchise with as storied a history as C&C’s now has to be used to give a new mobile game some legs, but if you look past that to what Rivals actually IS, there’s some potentially interesting dynamics at play. Here’s the official overview video that EA put out (don’t watch the EA conference segment, it’s awkward AF):

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The objective is ultimately to destroy the enemy’s base, but you do this by taking control of the missile silo in the centre of the map (although you can also attack directly). This is in turn achieved by owning at least 2/3 of the launch pads surrounding the silo. When you own the majority of the points, the Silo will tick up. If you lose control, the opposing team keeps your progress and when the Silo ticks up to completion, a missile will launch at whoever isn’t in control at the time. Rinse and repeat until your enemy’s base is destroyed.

Beyond this, you choose a faction, a commander (they all have different special abilities) and then six unit types you want to take into the field. This potential for variety means there’s going to be a meta to contend with, and how well EA balance’s it will determine how much potential the game will have. Tiberium does feature as the key resource, and both sides generate it at the same rate unless you deploy harvesters, but these can be attacked and destroyed.

Rivals shares a lot of key-points with another game we tried last year called Mini Guns. We ultimately didn’t end up reporting on it in any great detail as we weren’t 100% sure on the business model, but the core gameplay loop was actually pretty solid, and a lot of dun. The tactical problems presented by Rivals, and the constant jockeying of position over those control points could give rise to a genuinely fun strategy experience. You just have to look past the hallow shell that is now Command & Conquer.

If you are genuinely interested in giving Rivals a shot, you can pre-register on Google Play if you’re an Android user or go directly to the game’s website to pre-register as an iOS player. There will be a pre-alpha launching sometime soon, although only residents of the US and Canada will have a chance to be invited in.

Engadget has a hands-on preview that you can read that gives a bit more insight – it’s going to be free-to-play (unsurprising), with the micro-transactions revolving around the purchase of “more diverse and powerful units”. Doesn’t sound promising but then you can earn those same units via grinding, according to the article. Mini-Guns did something similar but you bought ‘packs’, which had a couple of minis that could be of any rarity, so it wasn’t a direct money-unit transaction.

We’re not going to rule it out just yet, but the key things to pay attention to will be that business model and how they take it, and then the ultimate balancing of abilities and units so that there is a healthy and accessible competitive meta.

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Mdp4life — Leave a comment

Get a great deal on a Nintendo Switch system plus Memory Card

For a limited time, get a Nintendo Switch™ system plus a SanDisk 128GB microSDXC Memory Card for $299.99 from Best Buy. You’ll get the gaming system that lets you play the games you want, wherever you are, however you like, and a memory card to store your games and data. Offer is valid on the Nintendo Switch system with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy-Con™ controllers, or the Nintendo Switch system with Gray Joy-Con controllers. Each version includes the Nintendo Switch console and Nintendo Switch dock in black, left and right Joy-Con controllers, and extras like Joy-Con wrist straps, Joy-Con Grip, high speed HDMI™ cable, and Nintendo Switch AC adapter—everything you need to get started.

Don’t forget to check out great new games for Nintendo Switch, such as Sushi Striker™: The Way of Sushido, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, and Donkey Kong Country™: Tropical Freeze. Check your local Best Buy store for these and more games, or head to Nintendo eShop or Nintendo.com once you’ve set up your Nintendo Switch system to purchase and download games and demos digitally.

Games and systems sold separately. Nintendo Switch plus Memory Card offer valid at participating Best Buy stores from 6/10 – 6/16, or while supplies last. Please check your local Best Buy store for details and availability: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/nintendo-switch-offer.

Posted on June 10, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Free Week – Quake Champions

7.17:
==

* Eul’s Scepter of Divinity: Bonus movement speed reduced from +40 to +30
* Moon Shard: Night vision increased from 300/150 (base/consumed) to 400/200
* Refresher: Recipe cost reduced from 1800 to 1700
* Talisman of Evasion: Evasion reduced from 20% to 15%
* Talisman of Evasion: Cost reduced from 1450 to 1400
* Solar Crest: Base evasion reduced from 20% to 15% (active application is still 20%)

* Abaddon: Level 10 Talent increased from +20% XP to +25%
* Abaddon: Level 15 Talent increased from +60 Mist Coil Heal/Damage to +75
* Abaddon: Level 15 Talent increased from +6 Armor to +8

* Alchemist: Chemical Rage now applies a basic dispel on cast

* Ancient Apparition: Level 10 Talent increased from +60 Gold/Min to +90

* Anti-Mage: Base damage increased by 2

* Bane: Base damage reduced by 2
* Bane: Brain Sap manacost increased from 70/100/130/160 to 90/115/140/165

* Beastmaster: Base armor reduced by 2

* Bristleback: Viscous Nasal Goo now has a -2 base armor reduction

* Clinkz: Base armor increased by 1
* Clinkz: Strafe dodge now works against non-player units
* Clinkz: Strafe attack speed increased from 80/140/200/260 to 110/160/210/260

* Clockwerk: Base damage reduced by 4

* Crystal Maiden: Crystal Nova cooldown reduced from 12/11/10/9 to 11/10/9/8
* Crystal Maiden: Level 15 Talent increased from +120 Gold/Min to +150

* Dark Willow: Bramble Maze cooldown reduced from 40/35/30/25 to 34/31/28/25
* Dark Willow: Level 10 Talent increased from +20 Damage to +30

* Death Prophet: Exorcism spirit spawn interval increased from 0.3 to 0.35

* Disruptor: Thunder Strike cooldown increased from 15/13/11/9 to 18/15/12/9

* Earthshaker: Echo Slam now has 100 Initial Damage

* Enchantress: Nature’s Attendants cooldown reduced from 45 to 35
* Enchantress: Enchant slow rescaled from 3/4/5/6 to 3.75/4.5/5.25/6

* Enigma: Demonic Conversion manacost reduced from 170 to 140/150/160/170
* Enigma: Demonic Conversion Eidolon HP regen increased from 0.25 to 4

* Gyrocopter: Level 15 Talent changed from +3 Flak Cannon Attacks to +0.5s Homing Missile Stun Duration
* Gyrocopter: Level 20 Talent reduced from +45 Movement Speed to +40

* Huskar: Level 25 Talent changed from 0 Inner Vitality Cooldown to Burning Spears Pure and Pierces Immunity
* Huskar: Level 25 Talent increased from +125 Attack Range to +150

* Invoker: Catacylsm max spread distance reduced from 220 to 200

* Io: Spirits damage reduced from 25/50/75/100 to 20/40/60/80
* Io: Tether movement speed reduced from 7/10/13/16 to 5/8/11/14%
* Io: Level 10 Talent reduced from +60 Damage to +45
* Io: Level 20 Talent reduced from +20 Health Regen to +15

* Juggernaut: Base armor increased by 1

* Keeper of the Light: Chakra Magic no longer has a 25/35/45/55 manacost

* Leshrac: Lightning Storm cast range reduced from 650/700/750/800 to 650

* Lich: Frost Blast attack slow increased from -20 to -30
* Lich: Frost Blast cooldown reduced from 8 to 7
* Lich: Level 10 Talent increased from +175 Health to +200

* Lycan: Feral Impulse damage reduced from 15/26/37/48% to 12/24/36/48%

* Magnus: Base strength increased by 1
* Magnus: Skewer slow increased from 2.5/2.75/3/3.25 to 3.25
* Magnus: Shockwave damage increased from 75/150/225/300 to 90/160/230/300

* Meepo: Base armor increased by 2

* Mirana: Level 25 Talent reduced from -80s Moonlight Shadow Cooldown to -75s

* Naga Siren: Song of the Siren manacost increased from 100/150/200 to 150/175/200

* Necrophos: Level 15 Talent increased from +16% Ghost Shroud Slow to +20%
* Necrophos: Level 25 Talent increased from -1.5s Death Pulse Cooldown to -2.5s
* Necrophos: Level 25 Talent increased from +0.6 heartstopper Aura to +0.8

* Night Stalker: Crippling Fear cooldown increased from 12 to 24/20/16/12
* Night Stalker: Void cooldown increased from 8 to 11/10/9/8

* Oracle: Fortune’s End is no longer disjointable
* Oracle: Level 15 Talent increased from +90 Gold/Min to +120

* Pangolier: Fixed Rolling Thunder having no effect on units like Primal Split Brewlings and Ancients neutrals (still doesn’t affect roshan)

* Phantom Assassin: Stifling Dagger slow rescaled from 1/2/3/4 seconds to 1.75/2.5/3.25/4
* Phantom Assassin: Level 20 Talent improved from Double Strike Stifling Dagger to Triple Strike Stifling Dagger

* Phoenix: Supernova stun duration from 1.5/2/2.5 to 2/2.5/3.0

* Puck: Waning Rift silence duration increased from 0.75/1.5/2.25/3 to 1.5/2/2.5/3

* Pudge: Level 10 Talent changed from +5 Armor to +30% XP
* Pudge: Level 15 Talent changed from +75 Damage to +12% Rot Slow

* Riki: Base armor increased by 1
* Riki: Base damage increased by 4

* Sand King: Base damage reduced by 3
* Sand King: Caustic Finale slow reduced from 21/24/27/30% to 15/20/25/30%

* Shadow Shaman: Base intelligence increased by 2
* Shadow Shaman: Hex manacost reduced from 110/140/170/200 to 70/110/150/190
* Shadow Shaman: Level 15 Talent increased from -4s Hex Cooldown to -5s
* Shadow Shaman: Level 25 Talent reduced from +60 Wards Attack Damage to +50

* Silencer: Arcane Curse penalty duration increased from 4 to 5 seconds

* Sniper: Assassinate cast range increased from 2000/2500/3000 to 3000
* Sniper: Level 10 Talent changed from +15% Cooldown Reduction to +25%

* Spectre: Level 15 Talent increased from -8s Spectral Dagger Cooldown to -10s

* Spirit Breaker: Greater Bash disable duration increased from 1/1.2/1.4/1.6 to 1.2/1.4/1.6/1.8
* Spirit Breaker: Nether Strike damage reduced from 150/250/350 to 150/200/250
* Spirit Breaker: Level 10 Talent increased from +400 Night Vision to +600

* Sven: Storm Hammer Manacost reduced from 140 to 110/120/130/140

* Terrorblade: Agility gain increased from 3.2 to 3.7

* Tiny: Base movement speed increased from 280 to 285
* Tiny: Tree Throw splash damage increased from 130% to 150%
* Tiny: Grow Status Resistance increased from 20/30/40% to 30/40/50%

* Ursa: Overpower duration increased from 15 to 20
* Ursa: Level 20 Talent changed from +1s Enrage Duration to +1.5s

* Winter Wyvern: Base Intelligence increased by 2

* Wraith King: Mortal Strike skeletons now have 30% Magic Resistance
* Wraith King: Level 15 Talent increased from +25 Skeletons Attack Damage to +35

* Zeus: Lightning Bolt manacost increased from 75/95/115/135 to 90/105/120/135

Posted on June 10, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Dota 2 Update – June 10th, 2018