New World Economy Update Q1 2024

 The New World team gave their quarterly economy update for the game and addressed concerns from the community as well as provided insight on how they arrived at their last update.  Watch below and scroll down for my thoughts!

 The team did a good job covering what they look for in the economy and this time brought charts to go with it.  In the last economy update there was more talk than visuals and the first video was shot well before it went live so the economy had shifted a good bit and thus felt like the developers knew what they were talking about.  Most of those concerns are gone for this video; it was up to date to the current state and again brought visual aids.

 The main core of the economy discussion was focused on the fluctuation of the economy between "sink" (more gold going out) and "faucet" (more gold coming in).  This of course is a discussion as old as time within MMORPGs.  The term "gold sink" entered the gamer lexicon to describe ways for developers to remove in-game currency from games. It is refreshing to see a developer actually show where a game is at in regards to sinks and faucets.

 The ideal state, one would think, would be to be right in-between a sink and a faucet where as much gold that comes into the economy goes right back out.  However, that is not realistic.  Players come and go with online games and thus their liquid currency sits in stasis for when they come back.  It was not clear from the New World video if they account of inactive players in the "sink".

 Also an economy at equilibrium is... well... boring.  Fluctuations between times where the economy is flush with currency and times when currency is hard to come by creates opportunity for those of us that like to "play the market".  It also drives in game behavior and the types of content players engage in.

 To me its less about where the economy is at and more that the developers are reacting to it and that is what this update cemented for me: AGS uses the economy and data behind it in making decisions.  We can debate if they are the right changes or if the changes are released in a timely fashion, but the important piece is the economy is a driving factor for the team.  For me that is a win.

Packers Beat Cowboys

 Alternate title: Sunday 1/14/2024 Post

 The Packers surprise everyone, even me as one of their most diehard fans, and stomp the life out of the Cowboysgirls.  The meme's even make themselves with the Cowboys fans reactions; my favorite below.

Nice People Do Exist on the Internet!

 Just sharing this nice comment I got after helping someone out with Firestaff questions for New World on Reddit.  While lots of folks just use Reddit or other platforms to complain about games every once and a while one person helps another out and shares some knowledge.  While I may not have a heart; I am always willing to share with others in the games I am playing!

Reddit username blurred as they sent this via private chat message

Day 1 Rewards from Legacy of Crassus

 To go with my last post about the Legacy of Crassus event in New World here is what I netted in my first three runs on day one of the event.  

 I was caught a little off guard getting Wrath of Decimus multiple times, but I'm not going to complain having two copies of an awesome great axe since I can upgrade and change the 3rd perk on each for different builds.

 I was also surprised by the perk mods as I had overlooked them as rewards.  While not the rarest perk mods these were still in demand perk mods which are nice to drop in storage for future use.

New World: Legacy of Crassus 2024

 

 The Legacy of Crassus event is back in New World starting today so I wanted to break down how players should approach the event and rewards to shoot for.

 First let's go over the daily limits:

• The first 3 kills each day net unique event bonus rewards
• Event armor and weapons (3 per day)
  
• 15x Dark matter (45 per day)
  
• 1 Obsidian Gypsum (3 per day)
• Note: All unique bonus event rewards can be earned after 12 kills (so 4 days, 3 kills per day)

 To go with the limited bonus daily rewards each kill will also net random armor/weapon drops including a low chance at Brimstone Sands named items along with consumables such as health potions.

 The dark matter alone makes completing the event 3x a day worth it so I'd at minimum go for that.  The random item rewards should also net a few extra dark matter from salvaging.

 As far as weapon/armor rewards of particular interest there isn't too much (at least from my view).  The main reward I am going for is the Wrath of Damicus great axe.  The axe comes with Thwarting Strikes and Enfeebling Maelstrom and a random third perk.  Per NWDB it can be upgraded to 700 GS and the third perk can be changed.  This makes it an ideal great axe!

 To a lesser degree there may be some value in the Vesuvius fire staff for PvE.  Lots of folks sleep on the Mortal Refreshment perk but combining this staff with Refreshing Pillar of Fire on your armor (since the staff has a weapon perk already) can result in a machine gun of pillars coming out in PvE clump fights.  So niche use in PvE for anyone interested.

 Lastly, as a housing items hoarder, the cyclops statues look sweet!  Good luck in the event y'all!

Pax Dei Early Access

 Continuing the "heartlessgamer playing around with AI" I asked Bing to summarize the news from the past day with Pax Dei's plans for Early Access.

NVIDIA featured Pax Dei gameplay footage during their CES 2024 special address. Mainframe Industries confirmed NVIDIA DLSS 3 will be included in "day one" of Pax Dei's launch. After a successful alpha test in late 2023, the game developers affirmed the highly-anticipated game is to enter early access in the coming Spring ¹. The game is a medieval flavored social sandbox MMO from developers from Blizzard and Remedy Entertainment ². The game will be available on PC and will feature AI accelerated DLSS 3 ². The early access offers are almost finalized with monetization confirmed as a single purchase grants access ¹. There is no specific date for Pax Dei's early access launch, but a second alpha test phase is in motion with sign-ups available on their website ¹.

¹: [KeenGamer](https://www.keengamer.com/articles/news/pax-dei-early-access-features-nvidia-dlss-3-nvidia-ces-2024-address/)
²: [IGN](https://www.ign.com/videos/pax-dei-nvidia-dlss-3-official-trailer-ces-2024)

Source: Conversation with Bing, 1/9/2024
(1) Pax Dei Early Access Features NVIDIA DLSS 3, CES 2024 ... - KeenGamer. https://www.keengamer.com/articles/news/pax-dei-early-access-features-nvidia-dlss-3-nvidia-ces-2024-address/.
(2) Pax Dei Nvidia DLSS 3 - Official Trailer | CES 2024. https://www.ign.com/videos/pax-dei-nvidia-dlss-3-official-trailer-ces-2024.
(3) Pax Dei Is Hosting Its First Alpha Test, Called 'Home Valley,' Starting .... https://www.mmorpg.com/news/pax-dei-is-hosting-its-first-alpha-test-called-home-valley-starting-on-november-14th-2000129436.
(4) RTX 500 and Counting: Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition & Pax Dei .... https://www.nvidia.com/en-my/geforce/news/ces-2024-dlss-ray-tracing-rtx-games-announcements/. 

Sunday 1/7/2024 Post

 The Green Bay Packers are off to the play offs!  The Bears Still Suck.  Let's see what Bing's AI image generator has to say about it!

The Dangers of Cheating in Online Games: Beyond the Pixels

With cheating running rampant in The Finals I figured I'd let ChatGPT tell us why cheating is bad.

Introduction

Online gaming has become a global phenomenon, connecting players from different corners of the world in virtual realms where competition and camaraderie thrive. However, the rise of cheating in online games poses a significant threat to the integrity of these digital spaces. Cheating not only undermines the spirit of fair play but also tarnishes the gaming experience for everyone involved. In this blog post, we will delve into the reasons why cheating in online games is detrimental to the gaming community as a whole.

1. Unfair Advantage: Cheating grants players an unfair advantage over their opponents. Whether it's using aimbots, wallhacks, or other malicious software, cheaters gain an edge that goes against the principles of fair competition. This not only frustrates those playing legitimately but also erodes the sense of accomplishment that comes from genuine skill and effort.

2. Erosion of Trust: Trust is the foundation of any healthy gaming community. When players suspect that others may be cheating, it creates an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion. Genuine achievements are called into question, and players may lose faith in the legitimacy of the competition. This erosion of trust can have long-lasting effects on the community, making it less enjoyable for everyone involved.

3. Deterioration of Sportsmanship: Online games provide a platform for players to showcase their skills and sportsmanship. Cheating, however, undermines the very essence of fair play. It replaces the thrill of competition with a cynical pursuit of victory at any cost. This deterioration in sportsmanship not only affects the cheater but also influences the behavior of others in the community.

4. Financial Implications: Many online games have thriving economies, with in-game items, skins, and virtual currencies having real-world value. Cheating can disrupt these economies by flooding the market with illegitimate items or devaluing the efforts of legitimate players. Additionally, game developers invest significant resources in creating anti-cheat measures, diverting resources that could be better spent on improving the gaming experience for all.

5. Negative Impact on Game Developers: Constant efforts are required to combat cheating in online games, diverting valuable resources from the development of new content, features, and improvements. As developers struggle to stay ahead of cheaters, the overall quality of the gaming experience may suffer, affecting the enjoyment of honest players.

6. Legal Consequences: Cheating in online games can lead to legal consequences. Many game developers have strict terms of service that prohibit cheating, and violations can result in legal action. In extreme cases, cheaters may face fines or even imprisonment, highlighting the severity of this issue.

Conclusion

Cheating in online games is not merely a violation of the rules; it represents a threat to the very essence of fair play, sportsmanship, and community trust. As players, it is our responsibility to foster a gaming environment that encourages skill development, camaraderie, and healthy competition. By understanding the negative impact of cheating, we can collectively work towards creating a gaming community that thrives on integrity and mutual respect.

Some AI Blog Banners!

 Playing around with Bing's AI generated images; prompt "heartlessgamer blog banner". Results below.  What do you think?

What Surprised Me In 2023

 To go along with my 2023 disappointments I wanted to share some surprises.

 The Finals

 The Finals surprise launched in December and I've not stopped playing since.  It is one of the most refreshing FPS games I've played in a while and I have fun every time I log in and play.  My teenager is also playing now that he has his own gaming PC and is the first FPS we've played together.  I'd recommend the game to anyone that is interested; it is free to play.

 Throne and Liberty Turn Around

 Throne and Liberty (T&L) blasted onto the scene in 2023 with an amazing trailer and lots of promise as "the next big MMORPG" only to follow up the initial hype train with a train wreck of a beta test where a completely different game seemed to have appeared.  Littered with mobile-game features like auto play and static combat the game was written off as "another Asian pay 2 win grinder".

 However the T&L development team took the harsh feedback to heart and re-engineered major aspects of the game.  Auto play was removed, the grind was significantly reduced, and combat was updated to be more fluid.  It is still a tab-target combat system but gone is the static combat where you were stuck in place.  Characters now can move with most of the combat abilities and from all accounts the system is better for it.

 T&L also launched in Korea in December... with the changes noted above.  Again that is a big turn around from the development team.  From various folks that jumped into the Korean launch it also seems like the game is in a good spot and the changes have addressed many of the initial concerns.  

 I am adding T&L to my "want to play" list for 2024.

 Blaugust 2023

 I didn't know about Blaugust until I came across it via Mastodon (gamepad.club instance specifically).  I had a lot of fun with my posts last August and look forward to Blaugust 2024!  You can see my Blaugust 2023 tagged posts here.