TenTonHammer.com - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

MMOG memories are made in many different ways and for all kinds of reasons, but it's almost a given that each of them shares one thing in common--community. Memorable game experiences rarely happen when we're flying solo; they involve friends and fellow gamers. Karen "Shayalyn" Hertzberg shares her unforgettable MMOG experience, with a hint of thankfulness appropriate to the season, in today's Loading... Solace and Solidarity.

MMOG memories are made in many different ways and for all kinds of reasons, but it's almost a given that each of them shares one thing in common--community. Memorable game experiences rarely happen when we're flying solo; they involve friends and fellow gamers. Karen "Shayalyn" Hertzberg shares her unforgettable MMOG experience, with a hint of thankfulness appropriate to the season, in today's Loading... Solace and Solidarity.

Have you ever thought something was going to be cheap and in the end it cost you a bundle? Microtransactions can be like that. Sure, the game is Free 2 Play, but does that really mean it's going to be free? Today we take a look at the lure of microtransactions and see what can possibly make F2P cost more than your average subscription in Loading... Free 2 Pay.

Ah, Thanksgiving week. The pilgrims abandoned the old world in search of a new, more promising one and found some friendly natives along the way. If you're given to exploring more than acheiving in MMOGs, that might roughly encapsulate some of your best in-game experiences. But with just about every MMO released, the world size is shrinking, and not in a Friedman-esque "world is flat" kind of way. We'll look at some of the ways game world size is determined, ask whether the explorer types are a doomed breed, and link to two exclusive EverQuest 2 and Star Trek Online interviews and more great Ten Ton Hammer contentn in today's Loading... Pilgrim's Regress.

The idea of a Call of Duty MMO was met with a lot of hostility from the Ten Ton Hammer boards, which doesn't bode well for what will prove to be a major theme in 2010 - the persistent world shooter. Three top-tier genre benders are slated for release next year, so what can they do to capture an already listless MMOG crowd? Does the lack of story and persistence, the blistering pace, the notoriously rough-edged playerbase, or the lack of slick shooter skills play a bigger role in making the MMOFPS an uncomfortable proposition? Thoughts on this topic plus a brand new Sins of a Solar Empire feature and three new or newly rebuilt guides in today's Loading... A Pwn in Their Game.

One of the frequently overlooked though integral aspects of character advancement in MMOGs ties directly into whatever shape the in-game economy ultimately takes. Players obsess over seeing the hordes of currency they’ve amassed throughout the course of gameplay constantly increasing nearly as much as the almighty XP bar. While most developers carefully plot out multiple means of keeping in-game currency gains in check, more often than not MMOGs fall prey to the ugly beast otherwise known as mudflation. We take a look at this aspect of MMOG gameplay and its effects on new players today in Loading… Market Mudflation Online.

Most of us have been playing MMOGs for several years now, and when it comes to our games we know exactly what we want. Or do we? Developers have been delivering plenty of what gamers seem to be demanding, and yet there's a growing restlessness in the MMOG community as games launch to great fanfare only to have their popularity quickly fade. If developers are delivering what we say we want, then why aren't we satisfied? The answer lies in today's Loading... You Don't Know What You Want.

The search for the ultimate MMOG has become almost crusade-like for thousands of gamers. A lot of these gamers come from earlier times, with fond memories of experiences that have happened a decade ago. The real question becomes, is the search all for naught, or will there be a happy ending? We explore the possibilities in Loading... The Search for the Holy Grail.

A few subscription MMOs have made a succeessful switch to the microtransaction / "freemium" pricing model. Is this the right way to turn fan-favorite games into legacy builders and even long-term earners, or are devs and publishers correct to backburner and eventually cancel games after they crest their subscription peak? Thoughts on the next step for mature MMOs and a ton of great new and exclusive content (including a Star Trek Online interview you won't want to miss) in today's Loading... Taking a Toll.

Today's Loading... looks at Modern Warfare 2 and asks these questions: have first-person shooters become the nexus of cooperative gameplay, and why does every recently released RPG (MMO or otherwise) lack co-op gameplay until the highest level, if at all? That and two new key giveaways in today's Loading... The Uncooperative RPG.

With Funcom’s recently announced incentive to revitalize interest in Age of Conan, the developer joins the swelling ranks of studios attempting to sweeten the deal on multiple month subscriptions. But are bundled beta access offers for upcoming titles all they’re cracked up to be, or simply a new take on the concept of paid betas? The latest industry trend plus a look at the changes being made in the StarCraft universe, our latest hands on impressions of Runes of Magic and much more await in today’s Loading… Bundled Betas.

The disabled gaming community has made many strides in pushing for accessibility in MMOGs and other video games, but a recent lawsuit by a visually impaired gamer against Sony Online Entertainment looks more like a setback for disabled gamers than a leap forward. How far do developers need to go make their games accessible to all? What constitutes a reasonable request? Read on to learn more in today's Loading... Blind Rage.

PvP has become such a large part of our games, and yet, disappointment with the results is abundant. Almost every game launch in the past few years has had at least some focus on PvP, and it is little wonder why. PvPers are a large, vocal audience. But why is it that no recent game has been able to hold its own for very long on the PvP field? Today we take a look at some problems and potential solutions in Loading... For the Love of PvP.

Thanks to RockBand and Fallout 3, DLCs are more popular than ever, and premium download-only content may soon be coming to an MMO near you. Turbine went DLC in a big way with Dungeons and Dragons Online and next month's Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood is arguably a DLC expansion.

Only paying for the areas you want to play and having instant access may be a welcome approach, but will MMO developers succomb to the temptation of intermediary currency (i.e. BioWare or MS "points")? Will we have to constantly pay for more points than we'll use? Thoughts on DLCs and pricing in today's Loading... Let's Make a DLC.

Once upon a time in the magical land of MMOGs, in-game anniversary celebrations set the bar for what would become one of the staples of the industry in the years to follow. Much of the more recent flood of holiday themed events came into being thanks in large part to how developers formerly opted to commemorate milestones in the overall lifecycle of their creations. With two such major milestones just around the corner, we take a look at how one of these events stacks up to the celebrations of yesteryear today in Loading… Fabled or Forgotten?

DragonAge: Origins is perhaps the most anticipated Fantasy RPG of the year, and with good reason. It's a BioWare game (need we say more?) and its production values are top notch, but how does its novel group-based gameplay stack up? While our full-blown review is coming next week, join us for some initial impressions of DragonAge, thoughts on whether DDO Unlimited is going a step too far by putting levels and items on sale, patch previews, and much more in today's Loading... DragonAge: Origins First Impressions.

We all have different tolerance thresholds when it comes to language--what some find offensive, others shrug off. Words aren't innately bad; it's the intention behind them that matters. But are some words always derogatory, and thus people who use them always offensive? Despite a gaming culture littered with a certain offensive word, to the point that we're all but immune to it, I say yes. Read up on the latest video gaming bad word scandal in today's Loading... No Bad Words.

Today is Dragon Age: Origins Day! Even though not an official holiday, it should be. BioWare's biggest RPG hits the shelves today, and Ten Ton Hammer Executive Editor, Benjamin J. de la Durantaye, has a hard time deciding which version of the game to buy. With ports for the PC, Xbox, and PS3, the decision isn't an easy one; but in the end, will it matter?

November used to be the month of MMO expansions, now it seems like every developer is angling for their own spot on a crowded release date calendar. What's behind a mostly expac-less month this year? Is December the new November? Thoughts on this topic, plus links to Brad McQuaid and Star Trek Online interviews you don't want to miss in today's Loading... Expansion Month?

How much xp is too much? Is there such a thing? With less and less patience from gamers now, why bother having it at all? Join us today as we mourn the loss of experience point value in Loading... When XP is Not Enough