Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Pax Dei: Wilderness Alpha Feedback

 The Pax Dei Wilderness Alpha has come and gone and I put a few hours in so have feedback to share.

Welcome to Pax Dei!

 First, the world feels immense in scale and that is apparent from the moment you start out picking where you are going to put down roots in the world.  The size of the world is reinforced as you begin running around looking for resources and realizing hours later you still haven't left your own starting zone let alone reached any of the many other zones on your server.  

My starting zone; one of many, many zones.

 The next reality that hits is that you can claim any piece of this world (at least the zones I was playing in) as your own and begin building a home.  Pax Dei is a survival crafting game where you carve your spot out in the world.  Err well maybe not so much a survival game but definitely crafting and building your place in the world.

 I did find it confusing what my purpose was in the game.  Was I meant to just plunk down a claim and build a house? Or was I building towards producing armor and weapons to go on an adventure?  The game leaves this open ended which may be fine for some players but personally I found it unappealing.  I felt like the game should have nudged me in some sort of direction.

 There was no tutorial so I had to spend some time on Discord asking how to get started.  Part of the issue was that when I started the beginning materials were not abundantly available in my area.  It seemed like that may have been a bug because they were more easily located later in the test.  A tutorial that assures resources to get started would be ideal for launch.

 Once I had starting materials I was off and crafting.  The game was on par with any other crafting survival game except there is not a pressing survival component (i.e. I didn't starve to death immediately).  I built a campfire.  I built a starting workbench.  I built the next thing and the next thing and...

 ...then I hit a wall.  The crafting progression has some bumps.  As I mentioned early on in the test some of the starting materials were tough to find.  My first day I couldn't find clay so I couldn't make a kiln and thus everything past that was blocked.  Later in the test I encountered recipes for starting crafting stations that had steep material requirements and little help guiding me to where to get them. I think the progression can be smoothed out with a pass on what recipes require what materials so they fall in more logical order.

Eventually I was able to get a kiln.  Don't ask where my clothes went.

 Gathering was also bumpy.  Again there was clear issues early on where some resources didn't seem to be available or weren't re-spawning (at least that's my guess).   However, part of the issue is the game seems to have a "node" system so there were times where I was surrounded by rock but I couldn't actually gather any of that rock for recipes that needed rock.  I got used to games in this genre, like Enshrouded, where you can just go bash a rock pile to get rocks.

Rocks, rocks, everywhere but I can't gather any of them.

 One thing that I had hoped would happen naturally was that if I hit a bump in progression that I could rely on a neighbor who maybe had made further progress but I found it very difficult to interact with players in the game.  In fact I don't think I once was able to communicate or interact with anyone even though we ran past each other numerous times.  I had to jump out to the Discord server and even then couldn't find folks in my area and I wasn't up to run long distances to get to them.  The game needs to make it simpler to find and interact with other players.

 Crafting in the game features both station crafting where I stood at a station and crafted as well as factory crafting where a station took inputs and some time later provided an output.  When crafting there is a chance of success or failure that improves as skills improve.  Personally I didn't like this as there was only a "down side" (i.e. failing the craft) and no "up side" where if you got lucky you got a bonus or some masterwork version of something.  

 Also each individual item has to be crafted by itself and the success/failure bar has to fill up for each.  Unfortunately this meant a lot of time just watching the bar go up and not a lot of time playing. Add in the progression of recipes and a massive quantity of inputs required and players in the alpha found themselves spending hours just standing at stations doing nothing.  I would recommend they get rid of the success/failure mechanic and just make bulk crafting instant.  Don't waste players time.  It is fine to have "factory" stations that are time gated  but once I have materials just let me craft with one click.

 As I continued to play I made progress and eventually equipped myself with a weapon and shield.  This brought me into combat.  My first encounter was with a bear which ended with me dead.  I opted to pick on a boar next which... also ended in my death.  Each death meant a run back to get my corpse to get my items back.  Corpse runs are fine I suppose.

 Boar or bear there is risk to fighting with the basic weapons and part of the problem is combat is... how should I say this... bad.  It is just bad.  As it was an alpha I feel like I owe more words in feedback so I'll try to give some here but don't let these words lead you to believe there is anything to this combat system.  It is really, really bad even for an alpha (note: they have also said this is the combat system they expect to have for early access).

 The first issue with combat is there isn't anything to it.  You left click to attack.  That is about it.  Combat feels floaty and your actions lack weight which is odd because combat is terribly slow.  Animations are... not good... making it hard to connect with what is visually happening to what inputs you are providing.  Add in desync situations with the client/server connection and it's a poor experience.  I can't see myself playing a game with a combat system this poor.  New World combat has spoiled me.

 Visually the game offers stunning views, but I found the details to be less impressive once you were up close.  The mountains are stunning at a distance but generic up close with no character.  The world is clearly procedural generated for the most part and thus lacks any points of interest unless you walk for long distances to somewhere hand crafted.  I suspect player buildings will make it more interesting once the game is live but player buildings currently don't offer much of interest aside from "oh cool" or "not sure what they were building" moments.

 For an alpha test the game offered a lot of pieces and I really liked day one where a little neighborhood started popping up.  Crafting and building are in a good spot and can get better with more reviews of progression and recipes so they are more logical.  Seeing other players share their builds there is a lot of potential out there in seeing the world come alive.  If the game can then add in some better reasons to seek out and work with other players it will hit a sweet spot for some gamers.  However, combat 100% needs a do-over. If they cannot massively improve combat this game is going to miss for many players. The crafting/building is NOT better than other games in the genre and the only advantage Pax Dei has is it's massively multiplayer with the promise of thousands of players building in the same world together.  If they an figure out combat and interesting content to go with it this game will be a winner.

Some more screenshots:

Swim two feet, die.

Amazing views.

Again, don't ask about the clothes.  No, I didn't finish my house.


Monday, April 29, 2024

Monday Screenshots 4/29/2024: New World

 Some Monday Screenshots for you; this time from New World!


A screenshot of the arena leaderboards from the game New World
My good friend Indestructible, on Valhalla server, reached #1 on the arena leaderboard.  I am in 12th.

A screenshot of playing music in New World
Playing some music inbetween picking flowers during Springtide Bloom


Sunday, April 28, 2024

Farm Game Fest!?

farm fest steam

 Steam is holding a Farming Fest event starting tomorrow.  Get your farm game on!  As I just got most of my garden planted out this past weekend I'll be on the lookout for a farm a chill game.


Monday, April 22, 2024

Steam Backlog: Fallout 3 (and a fix for crashing when you click New Game)

 This post is part of my running series: My Steam Backlog (see all MySteamBacklog tagged posts).

 I jumped back into Fallout 3!

A screenshot of Fallout 3 pip boy
Oh how I've missed you Pip-Boy!
 

 First; I kept crashing when starting a new game in Fallout 3 and a little searching directed me to needing a DirectX9 file.  Once downloaded and placed in the right folder I was off starting a new game.

 One thing I realized off the start was that Fallout 3 does not use cloud saves of any sort so all of my past adventures are long gone.  I had to start back out at the beginning which is literally as a baby coming out of my mother.  Then I explored the vault as a toddler > teenager > young adult before finally heading out into the wasteland.

 Once out into the world I had to admit myself the game graphics feel dated.  It is amazing to me how games that looked "amazing" 10+ years ago just don't hold up anymore.  That is both a good and bad thing I suppose.  Good that we've seen such amazing progress in graphics but bad in that I don't get the same sort of nostalgia hit from a Fallout 3 as I do from a stylized graphical game like a Super Nintendo RPG.

 I made my way to the first town in the game which is named after the nuclear bomb at it's center: Megaton.  This is where my journey ended for now as I have to contemplate how I want to solve this particular puzzle :)  Anyone that has played the game knows what decision happens here.

A screenshot of the children's book used to set starting stats in Fallout 3
The clever way that Fallout 3 has you set your starting stats via a children's book... while you are playing as a toddler.


 

Friday, April 19, 2024

Wilderness here I come!

A screenshot of an email inviting me to the Pax Dei alpha test
Yay!

 I've been invited to the next Pax Dei alpha test entitled "Wilderness".  This will be my first time testing the game and I am looking forward to this one.  Part survival, part builder, and an MMORPG - right up my alley!

Some more info on the Pax Dei Wilderness Alpha

What can you expect in this Alpha?

For this second large-scale test, we’re going on an adventure!
 
Our team has been hard at work on every aspect of the game related to challenges, and we now want to test that foundation with our community.

We hope you will have a great time, and we are looking forward to your feedback.

  •  Gear up. We have revamped and introduced new statistics for all gear in the game. With hundreds of items for mixing and matching, you will have no lack of choices in crafting your own role.
  •  It is dangerous to go alone. Denizens of the world will now present a real challenge. Don’t wander away from home without a party and the proper equipment.
  • Master your weapons. We’ve added new spells, combat abilities, and weapon types. Keep an eye on their durability, you don’t want them to break when you need them the most.
  • Welcome to Fight Club. Divine peace doesn’t extend to Lyonesse, our new province. Enter here at your own (mortal) peril, if you’re willing to try out our first iteration on PVP.
  • Build & craft away. We've made multiple changes to the peaceful aspect of the game as well, be sure to check our release notes for a comprehensive overview.


Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Fallout to the Fallout

Fallout TV series
 

 The Fallout series on Amazon is all the rage and rightfully so as it recreates not only the theme of the games but also the quirkiness.  I am one episode in and even I, the can't-ever-seem-to-play-single-player-games gamer, am contemplating a jump back into the Fallout games.

 I was reading Tales of the Aggronaut and the post from Belghast: Radioactive Nostalgia.  Both in title and content the post was spot on.  The Fallout TV (is it really TV?) series is spot on translating the game to the screen.  From the look of characters to the well-placed medpacks on the walls everything just feels right in the first episode and I can't imagine it gets too far off later in the season.  

 It is so good that it has many players such as Belghast back and playing the Fallout games.  Even I'm considering going back to Fallout 3 or 4 which I never finished.  Or maybe like Belghast I revisit my favorite in the series: New Vegas.  Regardless of my decision the SteamDB charts don't lie: lots of folks are returning to Fallout games with the popularity of the TV series (see charts below).  You might say there is some fallout... to the Fallout.

A screen capture of a chart on SteamDB showing player count in a Fallout video game

A screen capture of a chart on SteamDB showing player count in a Fallout video game

A screen capture of a chart on SteamDB showing player count in a Fallout video game

A screen capture of a chart on SteamDB showing player count in a Fallout video game

A screen capture of a chart on SteamDB showing player count in a Fallout video game



 

Monday, April 15, 2024

Major Anvil Empires Test Coming!

Anvil is a massively multiplayer game where thousands of players work together to build empires, wage war, and conquer in a persistent online world. March alongside armies of players in massive melee battles and large scale sieges.

 The season of MMO tests marches forward!  Anvil Empires moves into it's next major testing period on April 18th.  I have not posted about this game before but it caught my attention for a few reasons I'd like to share.

 First, the game is from the same developer as Foxhole and while I never got deep into Foxhole the promise of the game was amazing.   Foxhole is a WW2 themed game where everything must be created by the players; every bullet, gun, vehicle.  Not only that but they must all be transported to the frontline and the frontline isn't static.  Players can dig and build and then destroy anywhere.  Frontlines form naturally where force meets force.  Foxhole is a big sandbox.

 Second, Anvil Empires features an isometric view which always has my nostalgia ringing for the days of Ultima Online.  The view evokes something deep inside of me that I can't explain; like a gamer looking down upon a tabletop game and imaging all of the possibilities.

 While I like the isometric view that was not the case for Foxhole where I found it very limiting for the context.  In Foxhole I have a gun or a vehicle with a gun but I can't see more than a little bit in front and behind me which made it very hard to get a broader sense of the battlefield.  While this was all part of the design and gave value to certain things it also felt constraining to me as a player.

 In the medieval context of Anvil Empires I think the view will work better.  There is more melee scrums than there will be long range warfare.  The view supports that action better.

 On top of the view and pedigree of the developers other hit there is a lot of depth to the game that has been announced so far.  There is homesteading so you can make your mark in the world all the way up to empire building to dominate the world.  And that world is persistent so should minimize how much instanced content there is.

 If the team can deliver Foxhole but in a fantasy/medieval setting then I'm sold.


Sunday, April 14, 2024

Hide UI in New World?

new world

 Hiding the UI in New World used to be Alt+H, but after Season 5 it was changed to a default of F10.  That's it.  That's the post.  You can change the key bind in settings if you want.

Friday, April 12, 2024

Venom Bunny!? New World S5 PvP Build

 Came across this New World PvP build from TrickTrick and figured I'd share for anyone looking for a meta build for S5.  This is also very capable in PvE.  The build is Venom Bunny so expect a lot of hopping and get your rabbit facemask skins ready.

 NW Champ link: https://nwchamp.com/Venom-Bunny
 Build video: https://youtu.be/AdYr6PZ7uiI?si=w170iIDDo20NPmWk

 I watch a lot of build videos but what I like about this one is that it has mostly named armor pieces and weapons which are more reasonable to acquire.  Yes, many of these are PvP track named items which can take time to unlock in the tracks but that is probably faster than getting the gold for crafted pieces.  If you PvP frequently then you have probably got a copy of these named items (assume you horde gear like I do).

 Even the weapons are named.  Venom is the new spear artifact from the Siren Queen's arena which, while group PvE content, is dead simple and lots of groups are currently doing it.  The sword options are also named drops that most players probably have salvaged copies of many times before (hoping you saved one in your stash of gear for a rainy day).

 Also I'll admit this is the build I hate running into.  Sword and shield/Spear is the bane of my Frigid Inferno heavy armor flamethrower build.  Too many stuns and interrupts to be able to do any flamethrowing.  Even if I can throw some flame; shield block is a winning defense.

 Enjoy!

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Eye on Aeternum or Eye on clues? Hippos!?

 The New World team recently started a new video series called: Eye On Aeternum.  With the first one (see video below) the team gave a heads up to keep an eye out (ha!) for clues to future changes coming to New World (similar to how they hid a controller in the background of a video before they announced controller support).


 So of course the community has been eyes wide open and recently we came across.... a hippo!?

An image from a New World developer update showing a hippo in the background
Not so subtle hippo clue!

 For anyone not up to speed on the history of the hippo conversation: when mounts were announced there was a community question about whether hippos would be a possible future mount type.  That idea was shot down but in being shut down the idea -- the possibility -- of hippos was born.

 Personally my interest in hippos comes from the book series River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey. The book series is based on a "what if" scenario:

Years ago, in an America that never was, the United States government introduced herds of hippos to the marshlands of Louisiana to be bred and slaughtered as an alternative meat source. This plan failed to take into account some key facts about hippos: they are savage, they are fast, and their jaws can snap a man in two.

 The book idea is based on a real historical proposal to do what happens in the book: bring hippos to the "new world".  The book expands the idea where hippos become reliable companions/mounts.  There is also the real example of the "cocaine hippos" in Columbia as well.  So while hippos seem far fetched there is some historical context to play with when we consider Aeternum is an island that has visitors from many time periods.  Hippos are also cool.

 There is already a statement from the devs that the plush hippo was just forgotten on set but I'm not buying it.  The same as I wasn't buying that the controller was "just there" in it's original video.  What realistically could we get out of this in the game? My guess would be a pet system and a mini-hippo as a pet; or just a hippo pet as a housting decoration like we have dogs/rabbits/etc today.  My dream though is a hippo mount!

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

A Ghost No More

 Fantastic Pixel Castle (that's the developer) has shared some early prototyping for their future MMORPG under the project name "Ghost".  Ghost for Ghostcrawler who recently left the Riot MMO project to start this new adventure.

Concept art for Fantastic Pixel Castle's ghost mmo

 Ghost is also a ghost no more as we actually get to see some early glimpses on what they are working on.  For anyone keeping track, yes that is more information in a few months time than we've gotten in the years of Ghostcrawler when he worked on the Riot MMO.  The Riot MMO is still a thing though apparently.

 What I liked about this Milestone 1 update was that it talked about wanting players as part of the process while admitting the natural problems that arise from that such as "this game looks like garbage" when showing off early prototype content.  It was reassuring to hear a developer talk through the reality of letting the players ride along with development.  There is a good head on their shoulders here.

 I also like that they went with UE5, a known game engine, instead of what every other "I quit my company and started my own MMO" project seems to do thinking they can build their own engine.  UE5 is powering so many games so good to see another one on the list.  It should help the team move along faster than some others in the past few years working on their own engines.

 And proving it is helping the team along the post highlights some screenshots and feedback from early prototyping (note: this was using premade assets in the UE store so is not representative of the game).  They want to focus on combat and their concept of red/blue zones (static vs procedural) and had both up and going in the prototype.  It is refreshing to see a team that appears focused on a core idea and are "failing fast" through it.

Prototype screenshot for Fantastic Pixel Castle's ghost mmo
Prototype gameplay with UE assets

 This was a cool step of a game's life that we don't get to see all that often.  This update was a fun read and I am looking forward to more.  This game is years away but its looking to be an enjoyable ride to take along with the team.  They also have a podcast, Word on the Street, that I' m going to check out.

Monday, April 08, 2024

Eclipse Resources

 If needed there is really only one resource you need for today's (4/8/2024) eclipse and that is NASA's "Where & When" page with the below map.

A map of the total solar eclipse for April 8th 2024
Total Eclipse Map from NASA

 And for us gamer's out there; the gamer version of the eclipse.

 

An image showing Pokemon Moon and Pokemon Sun to represent an eclipse


Friday, April 05, 2024

Best Battlefield!?

 Jack Frags published a recent video going over the Battlefield Reddit communities vote for "Best Battlefield game ever".  Surprisingly the winner was Battlefield 1 which happened to also be available on Steam for the low sales price of $5.99.  Having not played BF1 and being apparently the "best one" I had to give it a go.


 Before I jump into my initial impressions let's review my last personal "favorite Battlefield" list (at least as far as I can find in my 20 years of blog content): https://www.heartlessgamer.com/2011/11/battlefield-3-is-step-back.html

My list at the time in 2011:

1. Battlefield 2
2. Battlefield 1942
3. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
4. Battlefield Heroes
5. Battlefield 3 

  Since that is 13 years (yikes) old let me update it:

1. Battlefield 2
2. Battlefield 1942
3. Battlefield: Bad Company 2
4. Battlefield 2042
5. Battlefield Heroes

 There.  All is right with the world.  The community has a different opinion with Battlefield 1, Battlefield 3, and Battlefield 4 being the top three.  Personally, I didn't jive with Battlefield 3.  I played a good bit of it but it didn't supplant the others.  I never played Battlefield 4 (because of my feelings about 3) and originally the theme of Battlefield 1 was not attractive so I skipped it.

 More recently I've had a side addiction to Battlefield 2042.  I didn't get it at launch so missed all the launch drama and came in well after the game had significant changes to make it more Battlefield-like.  I am in the minority listing this as one of my favorite Battlefield games.  2042 has a bad reputation from that launch drama.  For me though it hits a sweet spot in theme (near future) and a good balance between infantry and vehicle.  I really enjoy it and haven't enjoyed a Battlefield game this much since BFBC2.

 Battlefield 1

 On to Battlefield 1 then. I've put about 3 hours in so far and it is definitely a different experience than other Battlefields.  Part of it is the setting being World War 1 but also that the game seems stuck between the old days of server browsers and the new days of "quick match" push button experiences.

 Personally I couldn't get quick match to work as there was never enough players to start the matches.  The campaign mode also didn't seem to work.  This pushed me into the server browser and there were only a few servers to pick from with reasonable ping.

 Once in a match the visuals are top notch.  I grabbed some screenshots riding around on a horse as cavalry and for a game that is seven years old it looks pretty good.  The maps are also visually stunning and some feature a grand scope.  I stopped a few times to look at something.

A screenshot from Battlefield 1 showing horse cavalary

A screenshot from Battlefield 1 showing horse cavalary

 I can't say I've ever played a WW1 themed game so some of the aspects caught me by surprise such as the horse cavalry, the biplanes, and coolest of all: the armored train!  The first time I was on a map when the train came rolling through was pretty dang cool.

 With those surprises it made me realize there is a lot I don't understand about this Battlefield.  Sure there are points on the map to conquer and the classic Battlefield classes to pick from, but as far as how stuff like the train works I don't know.  The maps are also proving difficult for me to grok and some rounds are really rough learning where you can and can't stick your head out.

 I think I'll put a few more hours into the game but it's not grabbing me like 2042 did.  Its a good break from the faster pace and more technically capable vehicles of 2042 though so has a slot currently with New World being on the slow down.

Wednesday, April 03, 2024

The Big Upgrade: Ryzen 5 3600X to Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Hooray; I've upgraded my CPU: Ryzen 5 3600X to Ryzen 7 5800X3D!

An image of the benefits of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800x3D CPU

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a powerful processor that offers substantial improvements over the Ryzen 5 3600X. In this blog post, I’ll explore the key differences, gaming performance gains, and considerations for upgrading.

Performance Benchmarks

I’ve looked at extensive benchmarks to compare these two CPUs across various games and applications. Here are some highlights:

a. Gaming Performance

  • CS:GO: The 5800X3D outperforms the 3600X by 81% in 1% lows and boosts the average frame rate by 55%.
  • Assetto Corsa Competizione: The 5800X3D provides a staggering 95% increase in frame rates compared to the 3600X.
  • Cyberpunk 2077: Even in GPU-bound scenarios, the 5800X3D maintains a significant lead, with up to 55% higher average frame rates.

Value and Considerations

  • The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a worthwhile upgrade for gamers seeking top-tier performance.
  • If you have a powerful GPU and prioritize gaming, the 5800X3D will deliver substantial gains.
  • Keep in mind that the 3600X is still a capable CPU, especially if budget constraints are a concern.

Conclusion

Upgrading to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a smart move if you want the best gaming performance. However, consider your GPU and use case before making the switch. Happy upgrading!

Remember to check compatibility with your motherboard and ensure proper cooling for optimal performance. Enjoy your new CPU!

Tuesday, April 02, 2024

Day 1: New World Season 5

 New World Season 5 is here and there are a lot of changes to go with it.  Here are my Day 1 thoughts with a few of the changes.

 The major change is the rewrite of the combat code and animation system.  The good news is they didn't screw it up and anyone logging in today vs yesterday is not going to see anyproblems.  Combat feels snappier and more responsive.  After playing through an outpost rush (OPR) match all of my fears of this change going poorly were alleviated.  Well done AGS!

 Even outside of combat feels improved.  I tend to take the same route through the town of Ebonscale Reach which involves a lot of jumping and flying off edges using skills like Leaping Strike from my sword.  I have done these moves so many times they are ingrained in my memory and they feel so much better now with the changes.  I wish I had video to show the difference but alas I've not kept up my promising of recording video.

 Next are the armor weight balance changes; specifically looking at heavy armor.  My comments are formed off a single outpost rush match so take it with a passing grain of salt.  Through that match it... felt... the same.  I was tanky and did good damage and a solid K/D of 12/6.  Heavy melee, especially sword and shield/spear, were still dominant in the melee scrums.  I am sure the math works out that heavy damage is less but not sure it will feel that way for many.  I did see more heavy armor players get dropped though and at times I felt a little weaker defensively so we'll have to watch over time.

 One thing I didn't expect to talk about but sort of jumped right out at me is the PvP track reward updates.  As a PvP rank 200 player I am at the top end of the reward curve so I can't speak to the lower levels that get lower gearscore rewards now, but at least for me at 200 the item rewards are much more relevant.  My first track featured two 697 GS legendary swords and a 700 GS named amulet.  Also there is new PvP furniture for the house, which of course I bought immediately.  The high GS rewards were a nice change and I can see myself snagging some (which I did with the 700 GS amulet). 

A screenshot showing PvP track rewards in the game New World
There is a bug with item text but just some of the PvP track rewards for me today. 

 

A screenshot showing New World PvP track rewards after the Season 5 changes
Nice rewards!

 Last we have mounts enabled in OPR and boy did it feel different!  I really, really like seeing a swarm of players on mounts ride into the central fort on the map and all come flying off as the first attacks start dismounting players.  Tossing a giant fireball from one side of the fort to the other and seeing multiple players get dismounted is awesome.

 As far as my single OPR match went the immediate changes noticed was that all forts were constantly under contention and I saw more points flip and more points get contested than I can remember in any OPR match.  I attribute this increased fort fighting due to less folks getting bogged down on the roads.

 There is some strategy as well to dismounting players in OPR since ranged attacks cause players to get dismounted. If you control the central fort and can put ranged on the wall they can really slow down mounted players trying to skirt the fort.

 The baroness fight (aka baron) also changed a good bit due to mounts.  I saw more players make it to the baron fight and in my OPR match we had three baron fights.  Each fight had both teams present and each time baron was "sniped" by the team with less players.  Baron or fort fights the key is mounts lets players get to the action faster and more reliably and that feels good! 

Resting in my new Champion's Canopy Bed!

 Up next for me in Season 5

  1. New artifacts
  2. 3v3 arenas where I'll get a better sense on balance changes
  3. New season trial (not clear it was active yet)
  4. Cooking changes (we'll see if I care enough to check them out)

Monday, April 01, 2024

Windsward 300

 Just a milestone from New World.  I hit level 300 in Windsward town experience which is my first max level city.  Windsward is my main crafting hub and crafting is the fastest way to reach 300.  My next highest city is 170ish.

new world windsward 300