In mcmonkey25's head. He was busy with real life, so he couldn't write anything for this. I daresay you'll see that story in Issue 44.

Yes, you are a WO3 now ;)

That guy was hypermetrophic and the big thing was not so big. He no ded.

It'll all fit in, think carefully!

:blink: :P

Lol

Well, for parkour, I prefer listening to really catchy beats along the lines of reggae, for example - Ragga Bomb by Skrillex. It really gives me goosebumps.

Won't tell. When you reach the final clue, you will know about it ;)

It's not advertising, it's just reminding. :)

Um, let's just say that you won't find the next clue by reading only the first half of the current one. And by different perspective, I mean that you need to apply your brain two ways to get this - one analytically, one cryptically. I tell you, it's deadly simple once you crack the first clue.

The second clue is a vital part of the first clue ;) To all those who are stuck, let me give you this piece of advice - The location of the second clue is within the first, just apply your mind! That's all you'll get, now shoo, go solve it

That would be kirby. Also, it seems that SCYTHE has left too - I don't see his name in Orange anymore. And it doesn't mean that they've left, it just means they're busy.

Guys, Issue 40 is out now! You can read it here - http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showforum=107

^No problem :lol:

Tankers are the centre of Tanki Online - no, seriously. Without them, this game wouldn't exist - it'd just be a bunch of random people playing a PvP battle to pass time in their office, while their boss admonishes them to get on with some useful work instead. And indeed, Tankers make this game what it is, constituting the core of it. In battles, tankers are the ones who go earn the crystals, and tankers most certainly are the ones who slug it out in the arena to gain a new rank. They do enjoy a really powerful position in the game (more than Semyon, yes! He's just one person compared to you seventy thousand-ish!). But sometimes, they do get carried away. Overreacting to something is the biggest blunder a tanker can make. It affects his own gameplay, as well as that of other tankers. Nothing is stress-free. Errors and misgivings tend to present themselves at every corner of one's experience. What one really needs, is to know how to respond to these errors - or let's say, simply the wrong circumstances. And therefore, Stratus and I planned this series to benefit the community and make them appreciate the reporters more help them enhance their decision-making ability, make them react on the spur of the moment, and above all, to help them play the game better! the gold box siren, having little HP left, and supplies (our topics btw) Lose your head when you hear that industrial alarm? Do you amok typing 'where is gold' in the chat? Do you happen to have equipped a Mammoth at that exact same moment and can't change combos? Keep calm, dear tankers, because a goldhunting guide has never been so accurate, yet so brief! WHAT TO DO @sonofchrysalis3 1.) Hit the self-destruct button immediately. You will respawn with full health, and your double armour kit will be immediately available for activation. Your repair kit will also be available, so you will last longer in the middle of the gold-mad firestorm of shooting. 2.) In the ten seconds before you self-destruct, drive around looking for the Drop Zone. Remember where you see it so you can dash there as soon as you respawn. 3.) When you respawn, head for the Drop Zone but don't get onto it. Hang back and wait until you can actually see it coming down (when it has about six seconds before touching down), then fight your way to it. 4.) Ignore the noobs who scream "NO KILL!" in the chat box. They have every intention of killing you if you get in the way, so feel free to fire if needed... and believe me, it will be needed. WHAT NOT TO DO @TriNitroToIuene X First of all, never, ever ask the location of the gold box in the chat. This means exposing yourself to the enemies, and your time would be better spent if you searched for the spot manually. X Again, do not announce where the spot is if you have found the spot. Chances are, it'll be some desolate, lonely corner of Kungur which nobody knew existed and before you know it, your spot will be more crowded than Semyon's fangirl following. Retain the mystery, and others won't notice you till it's too late. Enjoy them one grand crystals! X Do not equip drugs the moment the alarm rings. Most likely, by the time the gold actually falls, you'll have used most of them up, and there won't be anything left to serve you during the pileup stage. Try picking up dropped supplies and using supplies only when necessary, but NEVER go out of your way to pick up drop boxes. If the spot and the supply are in two different directions, risk it - just do it (Shia LaBeouf style). X Do not stand on the drop spot. This is because ninety-nine percent of gold box drop spots are exposed, and chances are you'll be the first one to die. Stand away from the spot under cover, and at the last moment, dash at the spot with a fair chance to climb some tanks and get the gold. X Please, please do not type 'no kill' in the chat. This will show your weakness and you will be the first person to get targeted. However, feel free to kill other people. X Do not refer this guide for an idea of what to do once the box actually starts dropping - this just chronicles the preparations. Keep hiding in the corner when there is more dark green than light green in your health bar? Do you stay out of the battle waiting for that non-existent Isida to heal you? Run out of Repair Kits, and don't want to risk going to the Garage in fear of being kicked from the battle? Don't worry, tanker. YOU can contribute too! WHAT TO DO @sonofchrysalis3 1.) If a drop box is available, grab it before you consider hitting the 1 button. Repair kits are your most valuable asset (besides your tank, obviously), so you don't need to waste them. BUT: 2.) Do make sure that an enemy is not going to endanger you as you attempt to grab the drop box. You will often find that dropping a mine and running for your life will save your life, while trying to smash through an enemy to get a Repair drop is an invitation to getting smushed. Of course, if you can drop a mine, then you should be able to use that Repair, but ANYWAY... 3.) If you are on a team, check to see if there are any friendly Isidas around. Most Isidas can be summoned by simply "burping" at them (shooting at or past them with your gun). You'll get your hp back, and he'll get a nice little xp boost. WHAT NOT TO DO @TriNitroToIuene X Do not dash for the first aid drop spot the moment you run low on health if the box has already not fallen. Time is of the essence here - the less time you spend on one spot (mostly out of cover) the better. Waiting stationary on top of the drop spots makes you vulnerable. X Avoid going too near your enemies. Shoot them from a distance if they have short-ranged weapons, and camp if they have long-ranged ones. Also, make sure you stay away from places with more than one playable platform (for example, under the main building in Rio). X Do not stay in one spot - keep moving and act as if you're contributing somehow, to avoid triggering the enemy's suspicion. They're more likely to shoot you if you keep hiding behind a wall. X It's good, in fact, it's the best idea to wait for an Isida to recharge you; however, take care - don't type 'Isida' in the public chat. You'll be killed within seconds. X And also, don't wait for an Isida or repair kit for too long - you'll be multing if you do. Just go ahead, camp or simply do a kamikaze attack - kill as many as you can till you die. I think you can sacrifice your D/L if you're not aiming for a TWR. Mad at other tankers for picking up unwanted supply boxes? Do you feel your fingers itching towards the number keys too often? Do you find yourself typing 'drugger noob' too often? Never fear, because after reading this short brochure, you'll become a pro at using Supplies too! WHAT TO DO @sonofchrysalis3 1.) Understand that, unless you are in a pro battle, your opponents will use supplies. They will not stop, no matter how much you yell at them, and Tanki will never, ever remove them from the game. Wipe your eyes and deal with it. They really aren't that bad, as I've been screaming for a while now.... 2.) Failing that, you will rarely run into an entire map of tankers who are constantly using supplies. There will usually be one or two, tops. You'll notice that they are almost always on the top of the leaderboard, so maybe you should take a hint. Anyway, identify the ones who use supplies and stay away from them. Attack everyone except them. When they come after you, flee. Your pointless and nigh unto religious revulsion from supplies has rendered you unable to compete with them, so don't even try. 3.) Maybe you don't hate supplies (bless you brother, bless you). In that case, don't respond to the screams of those who hate them. It will distract you from the battle you are so totally winning. 4.) Don't use your stash of Repair kits in Deathmatch mode. You're going to need them when you are running home with a flag or beating your way to a Gold Box. 5.) If you see a Double Damage kit falling, press that 2 button to arm yourself with a Double Armor. Grab that Damage kit and you will become a fearsome tank-tossing beast. The same applies, obviously, if you see a Double Armor kit falling. WHAT NOT TO DO @TriNitroToIuene X Don't pick up every supply that comes in front of your tank, ignore it and pick it up when later needed (if it's still there, that is), or else let a teammate who needs it more have it. X Do not drug to complete supply missions. Need I say more? X Pick up as many boxes as possible, but don't camp near the drop zone. Fight your way through the battle, and when the supply actually falls, come and get it. X Don't call anyone 'drugger noob'. Supplies are a part of Tanki, and you know it. If you're so jealous, go and buy some supplies yourself, and you'll see that people using 'em are noobs as long as it isn't you. Well, yeah, that was it. A shorthand but accurate guide on what to do if you're stuck in various pleasant situations, or the opposite. I guess all you need to do after reading this is keep your head on. And, if you have any suggestions for this series, by which I mean more scenarios to which we react, feel free to write them in the comments! Till then, this is le explosive and le pony, signing off.

The banner says it all. The developers are the guys running Tanki - ensuring every single day goes successfully, seeing to it that our servers open, and making sure that every Sandbox, every Rio, every Polygon; every critical hit, every arcade shot, every healing; every self-destruct, every bit of banter, every respawn; every supply and every gold box alarm is possible. They prevent the game from crashing down, and they're the supporting pillars of it all. They're in charge of every single thing that goes on in Tankispace, including dropping gold boxes. And most importantly, they bring in updates; ensuring Tanki stays new. Just imagine, Tanki stops evolving. The same daily missions, the same amount of crystals, the same hulls and turrets, the same maps, the same game modes, the same friends, the same pinch, the same makeup, the sesame seeds. Wait, I'm running out of same things. Anyway, just think of Tanki being the same as it is now. What could be the most possible, comprehensible reaction one could have? Would it be gratitude for retaining the great elements of this game? Or would it be something more sinister? Opinions could change, that's why I've prepared my own mini-interactive path. Here we go! What would your reaction be if Tanki remained the same forever? If you're optimistic, go to Spoiler A. If you're not optimistic, go to Spoiler B. If you're sensible, go to Spoiler C. Spoiler A Spoiler B Spoiler C I think that a majority of us would accept those spoilers as the truth. If we don't, well, time to rework 'em. Anyway, the time has come for me to make my actual point. Hold on to your hats! What is it that the developers do? You get the principle - they develop the game. Make sure it stays new and ensure new updates keep rolling. Because, let's face it. What would Tanki be without new features? Now, don't go telling me it would be timeless - that's a pathetic pun (although a good joke). The developers bring in new updates because they recognize the need for a changing interface. It is obvious that they keep tankers' best interests at mind - yes, including the score caps, and the rebalances, and the nerfing in daily missions, and removal of crystal boxes. AND Smart Cooldowns! Meanwhile, adding updates that make you rejoice or make you clasp your head in horror is not the only thing they do. They have another, equally important, sometimes more important job (although it may not be acknowledged by you update-hungry guys) - to keep things smooth. Yes, that's right. Just because they're called developers doesn't mean that they develop all day long! Where did your grammar interpretation go? *Blows a whistle* I'll shape you up! Give me twenty reps of the alphabet! A, B, C, D, E, F, G! SET THINGS RIGHT, THEN COME TO ME! Anyway, the developers have to ensure Tanki remains bug-free : that we can get our twenty hours' quota of gameplay every day. It's a pretty demanding job, they control, what, thirty servers, at least? There will be some bug or the other popping up in the game everyday - these often bring battles to a standstill, emit sighs, cause tears, well, we get the point. And not to mention the thousands of complaints they get everyday from tankers crying for accounts or requesting stuff like free crystals. Imagine the patience involved in doing all that - they're sure to get cranky. But still, they've got our best interests and heart, and I'm sure every update is delivered with good intent. What is the difference between a good and bad update? Let me make one thing clear - there is no such thing like a good update or a bad update. The positive or negative aspect depends on how we receive them. If we set our minds on perceiving an update as good, then it will definitely benefit us. However, if we set our sights on the bad part, then, scroll up and open Spoiler B. However, from my considerable two-year experience in the game (which, I'm sure, can be considered a pretty long time), I've tended to notice that sometimes, people classify an update as 'bad' simply to beat about a different, mostly off-topic bush, mainly for 'equality purpose'. The most common argument is that a 'good' update is good for everyone. Stereotype-breaking time, baby! I've not done this since I called 'heal Isida plz' users mistaken people. There is no update that can benefit everyone - Tanki is already divided into different types of people. Um, sure, I mean, we're all from different countries and all that, but there's a difference in the level of experience we has that is the bottomline of our reception of a particular update. Let me give you an example. Smart Cooldowns was perhaps one of the most badly received updates in Tanki (except for perhaps crystal boxes). Why was it so unpopular? Well, the majority of the population was (forgive me for this) too reliable on drugs to get pas't their daily slog in Tanki. Smart Cooldowns meant a big dip in their 'skill' level and consequentially, less Experience Points and Rewards. That explains the downvotes, people thought it was 'unfair' to many. However, only the 'pros' of the community remained unaffected. We often tend to look past most updates by labelling them as 'unfair', but do we give a second glance to what the update really is? If we can get our minds to think past the 'not fair for everyone' attitude, then perhaps, we can appreciate what the devs really do for us. What are the limitations of the developers? This, perhaps, is one of the most important topics we shall discuss today. One of the major reasons we find recent updates unappealing is that they don't work out so well for everybody. Well, it's not like the developers are having drunken fits or concentration lapses or things like that, it simply means that it's an attempt to see what every tanker wants, and it is their duty and moral responsibility to ensure Tanki stays new. Perhaps you'll understand better if I put it this way - They have to do what is best for the tankers - The developers, I'm sure (though I've never been inside the AlternativaPlatform headquarters) number less than a hundred as compared to the seventy-thousand-odd players who play the game everyday. One must understand that there are thirty ranks in Tanki, and each rank will have different needs and styles of gameplay. The developers need to make sure that all the thirty ranks accept a new update as uniform and the scales don't tip too heavily towards one sect of the game. They have multiple duties - Like I specified before, the devs have to keep the game running smoothly as well. Thus, they need to ensure each update fits snugly in the game engine - that is, check the compatibility. Imagine trying to make a tank fly in a battle without activating the anticheat. Wait, it is possible : hax. Anyway, the integrity and playability of the game is much, much more important than new updates - the latter would be nothing without the former. Tanki provides enough to satisfy every tank's need, but not every tank's greed -Well, Gandhi sure got it right. Little did he know that a hundred years after he made this, some random Tank game would be pilfering his quote to teach a lesson to a crowd of seventy thousand needy people. But I'm sure he wouldn't have minded. The true meaning of this quote is, Tanki Online is a strategy game - a battle of your mind - and the number keys 2, 3 and 4. To ensure we get our daily dosage of mind-bending, action packed gameplay, Tanki has made provisions to keep the game new, along with our thinking skills, at the same time ensuring that we tankers don't become fat due to lack of proper gameplay. We have to be smart enough to know what is good for us, and what is not. Now I think I'm going to stop sounding like a guy preaching democracy and move on to the next limitation - something so important it has an entire section devoted to it...... The economy The economy. There. Had to mention that. This article without a mention of the game's economy would be like @Godmode_ON without his special paint - impossible. Why is it that the developers don't give us x2 battle funds everyday? Why can't we have constant 70% discounts? Why is it that among all the hype for the major updates, the minor ones are released first? The answer is simply - budget. Now, I may not be the best person to explain this to you, but I'll try to make it brief. This section mostly deals with discounts and the causes of the 'unbalanced' updates. Let's go. First off, the 'unbalanced' updates are so triggered because it needs to fit in with the Programming algorithms in the game - they need to adapt the announced updates to make sure we don't get technical snags while playing the real game. Now, one may ask, how is this related to economy? The answer probably lies in an Economics textbook somewhere - human capital. It may be important for an update to seem reasonable to us, but even more important is that the update feels reasonable to the computer. Changing of the programming involves extra work by the hardworking devs and thus, more money is involved in pooling resources. It's simpler to make the updates suit the system, right? And now for the sales half. Obviously, we already know that discounts eat up a big chunk of Tanki's economy, and too much of a discount will throw the economy into jeopardy. Want to know why? Well, at least you won't know now. All I know is that the crystals bought by Tankers is one of the most direct sources of income for Tanki Online, and a sale means less buying of crystals, blah blah blah, but you know where to look for that - I've already given it to you. So next time the developers reduce the discount percentage, just keep in mind - it's not hypocrisy, it's an attempt to balance out the economy. (Oh, and please don't argue with the 'Wholesale discount' part - It's plain generous of the devs to do that). Let's test you with an interactive passage once more! A 40% sale has just been declared. What is your reaction? If you're impractical and bitter, go to Spoiler A If you're practical and bitter, go to Spoiler B If you're practical and not bitter, go to Spoiler C Spoiler A Spoiler B Spoiler C Well, there you have it. A short and rather blunt reaction to each of the following situations. A honest reflection of each of the three sides of Tanki, although I'm not sure if you'll be as honest with me in the comments. And now, we approach the conclusion of the article - we'll sign off with something BIG - the supreme reason why the game is not as much of the blitzy, carnage-filled, action thronged and popular game it once was (and it still is, don't get me wrong!) Something that is so big that the developers are possibly giving the current version less, if not negligible priority. (And even with that negligible priority, they're still rollin' out awesome updates!) Ladies and Gentletanks, please meet................. The Unity Tanki This is possibly the best thing that happened to Tanki since I came on the scene the x5 battle funds. A new game. New challenges. A promise of more fun than ever before. And above all, a totally new experience! Yes, the Tanki Online Unity version has been the pet of the developers' eye ever since they recovered from the rather disappointing cancellation of Tanki v2.0. A shift to Unity means less lags (finally, yes!), much better graphics, greater detail, and much, much, much more absorbing gameplay! I think, that from observing the VLOGs, we can already tell that this new version promises to be a blockbuster. Just think of it! 3D shapes, new maps, new everythings! It's not just a new update - it's a totally new game, with totally different aspects. It retains the fundamental core of the current Tanki, but promises a fresh break from all those lags and glitches. And, we all know that updating a game is something - but creating a new game is totally different. The skill and attentiveness required is around a hundred times more than altering the present programming. New codes, new UI, new objects - it's a wonder AlternativaPlatform finds time for the current Tanki Online at all. Admit it, fellows - they may not be at their best as of now - because they're focusing all their major efforts towards Unity - to ensure that we stay happy with the new Tanki Online. Their think-tank may be stuttering - not because they don't care for us, but because they're thinking of the long run. So whenever we call some update 'noob', think again - it's only done to make a better Tanki in the future. All the manpower and all the skill is going into developing Unity, because it promises something big - and Tanki keeps promises they make. As our occasional guest @MarineMan2 has been kind enough to point out, only three developers are working on the current Tanki. Yes, zero three - the one digit numeral. The rest of the dev team is completely focused on Unity, and that points out two things - number one, Unity is going to be AWESOME, and number two, it's not lack of ideas or attention that causes these 'bad' updates - it's the lack of human capital. Surely, it must be worth it? The other side of the coin On one side, it's the devs. And the other? Oh, gosh, not their computers! It's Godmode_ON the players! The players cannot exist without the developers, but on the other hand, without players, the developers are nothing. We may not be playing the game for the developers, but it is imperative for us to realize that the developers made the game for us. While we may not like the updates they create, they are simply doing their job. They do all these things for us - not for personal gain (although money is another factor altogether). If they were the selfish, swindling pigs you'd imagine them to be, they wouldn't be here - probably in some hideyhole counting the money they generated from a phishing link or something. And what if the developers suddenly stopped maintaining Tanki because they don't like the players? Pandemonium, isn't it? They have a job, and so have we. And while we have every right to express our opinions on various updates, we have absolutely no need to demand things from them. Firstly, give Semyon Kirov a break, and stop demanding things from him - he is not a developer, he is the Community Manager - the guy who conveys the updates made by the developers to us, and also ends up taking all the blame. Secondly, after reading that biiiiig rant I just finished above, I think you'd also agree that we need to stop being so harsh on the developers. While it is okay to write stuff like 'I don't like this update', we certainly shouldn't be writing 'GIVE US THIS, GIVE US THAT!' in the comments, because firstly - the developers are human beings too. They have feelings like the rest of us and they certainly make mistakes (at this point, Stratus interjects 'what do you mean, "too"'?). Do we need to go easy on the people because of whom Tanki is here today? Or do we continue our hypocrisy? The answer, my dear tankers, lies in how well you interpret this final line - To err is human; to forgive is divine.

This is a series, ShadowVisions will be covered sooner or later ;)

Do you mean Skrillex? Oh and by the way, stratus, don't listen to any song which contains the word 'dubstep' in it :P When I listen to gaming music, I try and limit it to Skrillex and Knife Party.

Actually, the critical thinking comes up at the very end - the final hurdle. And what you're saying has a point. I'll see the number of entries, plus the number which are actually correct, and release the keyword A DAY before the deadline if everyone is struggling - otherwise, the work of the questors will go waste ;)

Come on.... surely it's not that difficult.

Dang it, thanks for pointing that out.

I'd personally say that Issue 40 is one of the best we've had so far....or at least my best as a reporter

Srsly you come back to the forum, see an article praising you and write 'lol'? :P Anyway, tell me how much of it is the truth, I had to rely on the Newspaper Archives for this one.

It's a quest!

You'll see when Issue 40 releases. Which ought to be sometime today.