Author: Trafficblast

New Apex Legends Season 6 Hotfix Patch Nerfs Devotion

With Apex Legends Season 6: Boosted well underway, Respawn has released a hotfix update to address some of the early concerns that players have noticed. Of note, the Devotion is getting a much-needed nerf.

In the patch notes for the hotfix, Respawn writes that the overall number of Devotions and Turbocharger hop-up attachments that spawn on the map are being reduced. The damage from each Devotion bullet is also being lowered from 17 to 16 and the overall recoil of the LMG is being increased.

Respawn notes that “these are quick changes we can make now” and adds that players can expect “more adjustments to Devotion that take more time to do will come later.”

One of the LMGs that has been available in Apex Legends since launch, the Devotion was ultimately rotated out of the general loot pool and into care packages given how overpowered the weapon was in the in-match meta. It has remained a care package weapon for a few seasons now, but got a few adjustments and switched places with the R-99 at the start of Season 6, putting the Devotion back into the general loot pool and putting the R-99 into care packages.

However, even with some adjustments, the Devotion is still one of the strongest firearms in the game, especially in the hands of Season 6’s new character, Rampart, whose passive ability allows her to fire LMGs longer and reload them faster and whose tactical ability amplifies the damage of all firearms. This hotfix should address how overpowered the Devotion is, but it may still not be enough. It’s a really powerful gun.

The new hotfix update also addresses a few troublesome bugs that were popping up in Apex Legends with the release of the new season and reduces the number of gold helmets, backpacks, and knockdown shields that spawn on World’s Edge. You can see all the changes in the patch notes, which are listed below.

Apex Legends August 20 Hotfix Patch Notes

Addresses the following:

  • Rampart Amped Wall client error in softened gore locales
  • Fix a server error causing immediate disconnects when Rampart puts down a wall
  • Fix an error caused in some instances where a player is on Rampart’s turret when it is destroyed
  • Issue around specific Bloodhound skin getting a stretched neck while using Rampart turret. We are still working on this issue for Lifeline’s Guardian Angel skin
  • Rampart’s “Boom” finisher line from playing across the map
  • Kill stat tracking for R-99 not displaying properly

Additionally, we are publishing a playlist update later today to do the following:

  • Reduce Devotion damage [17 -> 16] , and increases recoil – these are quick changes we can make now, more adjustments to Devotion that take more time to do will come later.
  • Reduce number of Devotions and Turbochargers spawned
  • Reduced number of gold helms, gold backpacks and gold incap shields

Now Playing: Apex Legends Season 6 – Everything You Need To Know In Under 5 Minutes

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Famous Author Has No Clue What Tekken Gamer Is Talking About

A Twitter user meant to pose a question to Tekken 7 producer Michael Murray. Instead, they ended up tagging a sci-fi writer who said “Latin and Greek were easier” than the jargon in the question.

“Why is the low with the huge pushback from paul not launch punishable?,” Twitter user JWembacher asked, tagging fantasy and science fiction novelist Myke Cole. “Can you explain? Can you make snake edge from bryan then as well not launch punishable? Can you reduce the pushback from paul? why are some [characters] so op?!?!?!?!??! WHY?!?!??!”

Cole, who has written about a dozen books, said he had been eyeballing the tweet but couldn’t make sense of it. “It seems so tantalizingly like English and yet…” Cole said. “I keep thinking if I just read it one more time, I’ll understand it.”

Acclaimed writer Stephen King commented, saying it was “strange” and “tantalizing.” American archaeologist Sarah Parcak also replied, saying the question was Middle Egyptian that went through Google Translate.

Some users made light of the misidentification. A few offered genuine support, giving pointers on how to guard against Paul’s allegedly overpowered low attack. Most poked fun and pointed out that the user meant to tag Murray instead of Cole. The Twitter user apologized to Cole and the two reconciled.

In other Tekken 7 news, Bandai Namco Studios announced that Season 4 is coming this fall. The new season of content will add new characters, improvements to online play, and new moves for every single character.

Now Playing: Tekken 7 – Fahkumram Official Release Date Trailer

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Ben Affleck Is Returning To Play Batman For Next DC Movie

In early 2019, Ben Affleck confirmed he would not be reprising the role of Batman which he played in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Now, Vanity Fair has confirmed Affleck will be returning to the role for the upcoming Flash movie which won’t arrive until the summer of 2022. This news comes just days before DC’s big virtual event FanDome.

Affleck isn’t the only actor who once played Bruce Wayne to return to the role for Andy Muschietti’s The Flash movie. In June, it was reported Michael Keaton, who played the Caped Crusader in Batman and Batman Returns, will also be appearing in Muschietti’s DC movie, which stars Ezra Miller as the titular speedster.

Keaton’s role in The Flash is said to be “substantial.” However, Muschietti seems quite taken with Affleck’s performance in the DC Cinematic Universe. “His Batman has a dichotomy that is very strong which is his masculinity–because of the way he looks, and the imposing figure that he has, and his jawline–but he’s also very vulnerable,” The Flash director told Vanity Fair. “He knows how to deliver from the inside out, that vulnerability. He just needs a story that allows him to bring that contrast, that balance.”

Muschietti went on to state that Affleck is also a “substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie,” as Affleck’s Bruce Wayne and Barry Allen have a relationship and interact quite a bit. The director went on to say this movie does revolve around Barry, but he and Wayne are very connected–mainly because both their mothers were murdered.

More importantly, The Flash seems to be the movie that will tie all of DC’s live-action properties together, in one way or another. “This movie is a bit of a hinge in the sense that it presents a story that implies a unified universe where all the cinematic iterations that we’ve seen before are valid,” Muschietti said. “It’s inclusive in the sense that it is saying all that you’ve seen exists, and everything that you will see exists, in the same unified multiverse.”

The Flash is no stranger from jumping through a multiverse. Most famously, there was the the 2011 comic book miniseries Flashpoint. In the story, Barry traveled back in time to save his mother from being murdered. However, this changed everything in the present day. Bruce Wayne died instead of his parents, which drove Thomas Wayne to becoming a very murderous Batman. Aquaman ruled over Atlantis and waged war on Europe. And Deathstroke became a pirate.

While The Flash movie encountered troubled seas for years, originally the movie was going to be called Flashpoint. And considering that Warner Bros. has so many DC movies that aren’t connected to the DCU like Joker, Nolan’s Batman series, Jonah Hex, and even non-superhero films like V for Vendetta, The Losers, Red, and more, the DC multiverse has always existed in one way or another–just look the CW’s Arrow-verse. It seems like The Flash will finally acknowledge the broader DC multiverse.

Now Playing: Gotham Knights: How The Court Of Owls Almost Destroyed Batman

New Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Lego Set Announced

One of Star Wars’ most iconic moments is getting a Lego set. Starwars.com has revealed a first look at a set celebrating the long-running sci-fi films. This time, it’s a construction set of The Empire Strikes Back’s Bespin duel, which “celebrates the climactic clash between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader” in which (spoiler alert) it’s revealed they are son and father. The new set will launch August 27 exclusively on Target.com, and run $40.

The new Lego set will be available August 27 from Target.
The new Lego set will be available August 27 from Target.

In a Q&A with Starwars.com, Lego Star Wars design director Jens Kronvold Frederiksen revealed that in order to assure detailed accuracy in the 295-piece kit, he was granted access to black-and-white pictures from Lucasfilm of the original movie set. Frederiksen explains: “This is more a model…. For display, so it is important to get every little detail right.” The set, Frederiksen adds, “reflects the moment after the lightsaber duel is over, and Vader tells Luke, ‘I am your father.'” The lightsabers aren’t canon to that moment but were included because “everybody wants lightsabers.”

This set, most likely, was originally intended as merchandise that would have been released during the 2020 Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California. The event was canceled due to COVID-19 back in June. As indicated in that cancelation announcement: “All of the incredible, exclusive merchandise planned for Star Wars Celebration Anaheim will be available for purchase online in the not so distant future and fans that choose to receive a merchandise credit will be able to use it at that time.” Looks like that not-so-distant future is here–next week.

Some Of The Best PC Games Of All Time Are On Sale Right Now

Steam kicks off new sales every week, but its latest one is something special. The 0451 weekend sale celebrates the iconic video game Easter egg, ‘0451,’ discounting some of the best PC games of all time. ‘0451’ has appeared in many video games over the years. It’s most commonly used in games that some call “immersive sims,” where players are given choice in how they play, and the game’s systems respond in kind. The 0451 sale runs from now until August 24.

Many of the best immersive sim classics are discounted, including System Shock: Enhanced Edition for $2.49, System Shock 2 for $2.49, and Deus Ex for $1. These are the games that started it all, but a number of the games they inspired are also featured, including Deus Ex: Human Revolution for $3 and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided for $4.49. All three BioShock games are on sale as well: BioShock Remastered and BioShock 2 Remastered are $6.59 each, while BioShock Infinite is $7.49.

Steam’s 0451 sale

Arkane’s takes on the genre are also on sale. Dishonored is $5, Dishonored 2 is $20, and Prey is $15. All three games are absolutely fantastic, giving you a ton of choice for how you want to approach every room and situation. The Dishonored games have a greater focus on stealth and supernatural powers, while Prey arms the player with a number of different guns and scientific powers.

There are also a number of indie games on sale that feature the ‘0451’ Easter egg. Transistor is $3, Firewatch is $5, and Gone Home is $8.24. There are plenty of other games on sale as well, so be sure to check out the Steam’s full ‘0451’ sale to see them all.

The origins of the ‘0451’ Easter egg started as the first door code in the original System Shock developed by Looking Glass Studios–this tradition continued with developer Ion Storm and its classic, Deus Ex. In a Deus Ex Let’s Play, producer Warren Spector revealed that the ‘0451’ code was the door code for the original Looking Glass Studios building.

Rainbow Six Siege Is Giving You More Control Over Sensitivity

A major quality of life change is coming to Rainbow Six Siege once Operation Shadow Legacy begins players will now be able to fully customize the sensitivity level while aiming down sights. The shooter currently uses a single slider setting to determine the ADS value across all zoom levels. The update will make it so that players can set the sensitivity for individual zoom levels, and Ubisoft says player’s settings will convert automatically once the new system is in place.

The prior sensitivity system frustrated players that enjoyed using different sights with different operators as they would have to constantly adjust their settings between rounds. Ubisoft admits that it was difficult for players to get a consistent feeling between zoom levels since field-of-view wasn’t taken into account. For those that preferred the old system, the developer has launched a sensitivity calculator that will help players convert the prior ADS value to the new system.

Once Shadow Legacy releases later this year, players should no longer have this problem. Ubisoft claims it was able to improve consistency between zoom levels by factoring in 360 distance and visuomotor gain.

“A visuomotor gain system scales the rotation linearly in order to maintain better consistency and perception when rotating your view,” Ubisoft explains on its site. “Because of the consistent feeling visuomotor gain provides across all zoom levels, we decided to use it as the new ADS sensitivity model in Siege. From now on, new R6 players will have an ADS sensitivity value of 50 for all zoom levels. This value of 50 gives a neutral and consistent transition between hip fire and ADS.”

Operation Shadow Legacy is set to introduce Splinter Cell protagonist Sam Fisher as an operator and make gameplay changes including how EMP grenades work. Ubisoft has yet to announce a release date.

Now Playing: Rainbow Six: Siege Review (2020)

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CoD: Modern Warfare, Warzone Patch Notes Revealed For August 20

Infinity Ward has rolled out a new update for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The patch notes are detailed below.

The update makes a number of changes to weapons, most notably by addressing the damage falloff of the FR 5.56 underbarrel shotgun. Previously, the underbarrel shotgun of the FR 5.56–better known as the FAMAS–was extremely overpowered. Infinity Ward said this patch is in response to that issue.

Other adjustments include reducing the Bruen MK9 LMG’s damage to the upper torso, increasing the ISO SMG’s base ADS movement speed, reducing the 735 Sawed-Off Barrel shotgun’s lethal damage at close range, and more. The patch also addresses an exploit near Warzone’s prison and removes the VO from the High Alert perk.

In other Call of Duty news, this year’s entry–officially titled Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War–has been formally announced. Studios Raven Software and Treyarch are attached as developers. A full worldwide reveal of the game will debut on August 26 within Warzone’s Verdansk.

Full Modern Warfare, Warzone Patch Notes (August 20)

General Fixes

  • Warzone – 12-Gauge Deputy underbarrel shotgun:
    • Clamped close lethal damage
    • Fixed damage falloff for the FR 5.56 underbarrel shotgun
  • Bruen MK9 LMG:
    • Reduced upper torso damage
    • Base weapon – Increased recoil
    • 60 Round Mag – Additional increased recoil
  • ISO SMG:
    • Reduced movement penalty for drum mags
    • Increased base ADS movement speed
  • 725 Sawed-Off Barrel:
    • Small increase to ADS time
    • Small decrease to movement speed
    • Reduced close lethal damage range
  • Fix for an exploit near the Prison in Warzone
  • Removing the VO from the High Alert perk

Now Playing: Call Of Duty: Warzone – Top 5 Glitches

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Is Wrestling Fake, Old Wrestling Video Games, And More | Wrestle Buddies Episode 16

This week on Wrestle Buddies, GameSpot’s professional wrestling podcast, Chris E. Hayner and Mat Elfring are getting personal. How personal, you ask? Chris is digging up the past–literally–while Mat is settling an online beef with someone he’s never met.

First up, Mat got a comment from a stranger on the internet about how wrestling is fake. Is it really, though? That’s the question we tackle by looking at the history of sports entertainment and trying to figure out exactly what “fake” means. After all, Mick Foley falling through the Hell in a Cell structure most certainly wasn’t done using computer graphics.

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Then, Chris cleaned out his closet and found a wild array of wrestling items–including a number of very old wrestling games. The Wrestle Buddies break it all down and look back on some live events they’ve attended, and Mat even tells the story of staying in a hotel next to a Korn concert that resulted in him buying Chris the absolute worst luchador mask of all time.

All of that, plus we answer your questions and there’s a new installment of Gangrel Watch, in which we track down noted vampire warrior professional wrestler Gangrel. New episodes of Wrestle Buddies are released every Thursday on the podcast platform or app of your choice, including Spotify, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.