Welcome
to the 1,329th
edition
of Loading...

Loading... is the premier daily
MMOG news and commentary
newsletter, only from Ten Ton Hammer.

Change is an
inevitable eventuality when it comes to the long term health of the
MMOGs we spend countless hours scampering around, hitting things with
our virtual sticks. After all, a stagnant world offers little impetus
for players to keep coming back no matter how brilliantly designed a
core gaming experience may be. Besides, consoles already fiendishly
hold the concept of throwaway gaming in their plasticized grip, and
that’s the last thing we need spilling over into the
pixilated soil of our beloved online virtual worlds.

However, not all change is for
the better, though thankfully it more
often than not is when it comes to the growth of an MMOG. Today
we’ll take a closer look at two examples which represent
opposing sides of the coin of change in Loading… Out with
the Old, In with the New.

cellspacing="0" width="100%">

The Pulse

You vote with what you
view at Ten Ton Hammer, and the
result
is the Ten Ton Pulse ( href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/thepulse/" target="_blank">What
is The Pulse?).

Here
are today's top 5 Pulse results:

  1. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow">World
    of Warcraft
  2. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/ddo">Dungeons and
    Dragons Online (UP 3)
  3. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/eq2">EverQuest II
  4. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/aoc">Age
    of Conan (down 1)
  5. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/vanguard">Vanguard:
    Saga of Heroes (UP 4)

Biggest
movers today
:

  1. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/306">Jumpgate
    Evolution (UP 13 to #13)
  2. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/287">Free
    Realms
    (UP 11 to #14)
  3. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2035">Rift:
    Planes of Telara (down 7 to #19)
size="-1">Recent Releases
  • size="-1">2/16
    - href="http://everquest2.station.sony.com/expansions/sentinelsfate/index.vm">EverQuest
    2: Sentinel's Fate (expansion)
  • size="-1">2/16
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/81479"> LotRO:
    Oath of the
    Rangers (content update)
  • size="-1">4/5
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/83086">Pocket
    Legends (iMMOG - release date) size="-1"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1004">

  • size="-1">5/1
    - href="http://www.cityofheroes.com/news/game_updates/issue_17/issue_17_overview.html?utm_source=COHemail&utm_medium=US&utm_campaign=banner">City
    of Heroes - Issue 17: Dark Mirror
    (content
    update)




size="-1">Upcoming
Releases

  • size="-1">May
    11,
    2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/aoc">Age
    of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer size="-1">
    (expansion)
  • size="-1">May
    18,
    2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/eve">EVE
    Online: Tyrannis (expansion)
  • size="-1">June
    30,
    2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/998">APB
    (US - July 2nd in EU)
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">Q2 2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1801">Mytheon
  • size="-1">TBA
    2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2079">Final
    Fantasy XIV size="-1">




size="-1">Upcoming
Events

  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">6/15 -
    6/17 - href="http://www.e3expo.com/">E3
    Expo
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">6/25 -
    6/27 - href="http://www.lfgexpo.com/">Looking
    for Group
    Expo
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">7/22 -
    7/25 - href="http://www.comic-con.org/">Comic-Con
    International
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">8/5 -
    8/8 - href="http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/">SOE
    Fan Faire 2010
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">9/3 -
    9/6 - href="http://www.dragoncon.org/">DragonCon
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">10/22 -
    10/23 - href="http://us.blizzard.com/blizzcon/?rhtml=y">BlizzCon
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;"> 3/24
    -
    3/26 (2011)- href="http://fanfest.eveonline.com/">CCP
    FanFest




Loading... Daily

Out
with the Old (For
Better or Worse)

In the hubbub surrounding Halas
making a triumphant return to
shatter-style Norrath, I could be counted among the many players who
hadn’t realized that the Queen’s Colony and the
Outpost of
the Overlord were href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84067">facing
the chopping block. While the
revamped
versions of the original Isle of Refuge were certainly a bit stumpy as
far as MMOG starting zones are concerned, they still represented one of
the final links to the href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/eq2"> style="font-style: italic;">EverQuest II
of yesteryear.

Now, I’d never make
light of all the sweeping changes that
have
helped EQ2 overcome some of the early hurdles that allowed the Blizzard
wrecking ball to do some shattering of its own on the game’s
server populations back in early 2005. All the same, I’m one
of
those nutty people who loved EQ2 for what it was from day one, and have
long since mourned the passing of different aspects of the old EQ2 such
as one of the most brilliantly designed social crafting experiences the
industry has ever seen. Sure, a small part of me may have loathed the
fact that my Sage lived or died by the whims of Alchemists and their
desire (or lack thereof) to sit and craft stacks of ink all day. But at
the same time, the crafting channels were some of the most hyper-social
I’ve ever seen in an online game, and it was thanks to the
dependency between trades that the vast majority of my early
friendships in EQ2 were made.

So while the current iteration
of the early starting isles may be one
step removed from their launch day form, I will mourn their passing all
the same. To me it’s the MMOG equivalent of driving past the
neighborhood where your favorite park once stood only to discover that
it’s been steamrolled in favor of a sparkling new parking
lot.
Thankfully the memories remain, but it’s still a bummer to
see
that your favorite park has become little more than a crappy new place
to park your car all the same. Call it what you will, but I’d
be
the first in line to log into an “EQ2 Classic”
server,
however doubtful it is that one will ever officially be offered to
players.

In
with the New

As noted in my recent href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/interviews/fallen-earth-downsizing">interview
with the fine folks from style="font-style: italic;"
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/fallenearth">Fallen
Earth,
the developer may have hit a few bumps in the road last week, but that
certainly hasn’t stopped the game from building up momentum
moving forward. Not only is the ultra-cool Blood Sports update hitting
the live servers today, but yesterday Ten Ton Hammer also broke the
news that href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84108"> style="font-style: italic;">Fallen Earth
has landed on the shelves at a Walmart near you.
In an era where shelf space for PC games at major retailers continues
to shrink at an alarming rate, that’s a pretty major deal for
an
independent developer.

The combined one-two punch of
Blood Sports and a heftier retail
presence could very well precede a sizable chunk of new clones
scampering around the wastelands in the weeks and months to come. Be
sure to check back next week for a detailed report on Blood Sports,
Deadfall and the style="font-style: italic;">Fallen Earth
Achievement system, and to learn why they
represent the positive end of the spectrum of change in MMOGs.

That about wraps things up for
this week, but be sure to hop on your
Prairie Chickens and ride ‘em on over to the
Loading…
forums and share your thoughts on the death of EQ2’s noob
isles,
and FE’s latest and greatest update. Have an excellent
weekend
everyone!


Shayalyn's
Epic Thread of
the Day



From our href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/forumdisplay.php?f=142">WoW
News Discussion Forum



href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=51187">Someone
Call Merry Maids: Cataclysm Leaked All Over the Net



David "Xerin" Piner's href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/editorials/cataclysm-alpha-leaked">editorial
about the leak of World of Warcraft's highly anticipated Cataclysm
expansion client has epic written all over it, so I predict the
relative thread will, too. How do leaks like this happen? Is
downloading that client a Really Bad Idea? href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=51187">Discuss!



==============================

Awesome Quotes from the
Epic Thread




"Why shouldn't you download the
leaked client? Same reason it was a bad idea to download the stolen HL2
code:



13Gigs of Hardcore Gay Porn

."



- Thansal

==============================



Have you spotted an Epic Thread on our forums? href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=32559">Tell
us!


New
and Exclusive Content
Today at Ten Ton Hammer

6 new Ten Ton Hammer
articles today! 22 Ten Ton Hammer
features
in May! 493 in 2010!

INTERVIEWS



(Prairie) Chicken Little Be
Damned - An Exclusive Fallen Earth Interview


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/interviews/fallen-earth-downsizing">http://www.tentonhammer.com/interviews/fallen-earth-downsizing



When
the news recently broke about the downsizing of the Fallen Earth
development team, it raised many concerns about the future of the game
among players. As a longtime fan and player himself, Managing Editor
Reuben “Sardu” Waters wanted to get to the heart of
the matter, which
is exactly what he did when he had the opportunity to Icarus Studios
earlier this week. The resulting interview with core members of the
Fallen Earth team is a must read for fans or even those of you curious
to learn more about the impact of post-launch downsizing on an
independent MMOG developer, as it puts many of the doom and gloom
rumors about the future of Fallen Earth to rest.



FEATURED EDITORIAL



WoW: Someone Call Merry Maid -
Cataclysm Leaked All Over the Net


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/editorials/cataclysm-alpha-leaked">http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/editorials/cataclysm-alpha-leaked



The
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm alpha has been leaked to the Internet and
information is sprawling out like mad. Ten Ton Hammer is here to tell
you why you shouldn't download the clients, to give an overview of how
leaks like these happen and what's involved, and to ask: is
Blizzard at fault?



MEDIA



Age of Conan - Rise of the
Godslayer Expansion Launch Trailer


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84073">http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84073



Excitement
is in the air in the lands of Hyboria as Age of Conan is set to launch
its first expansion pack, Rise of the Godslayer. In advance of
that occasion the good folks at Funcom have sent us video trailer for
your enjoyment.



EVE Online Tyrannis Expansion
Trailer Video


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84075">http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84075



On
the cusp of the launch of its newest expansion, Tyrannis, EVE Online
has released a new trailer that gives us the first look at the new
Planetary Interaction interface. And don't miss The Mittani's title="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/83512"
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/83512" target="_blank">opinion
of this anticipated new system along with the rest of his wish list for
the new content!



FEATURES & GUIDES



EQ2 Priest Alternate
Advancement Updates


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/55271#AAChart">http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/55271#AAChart



the
priest abilities have now been completed, wrapping up our updates on
the EverQuest II alternate advancements for each class. We have updated
all the previous AA info and in addition and added the Shadows and
Sentinel's Fate AA abilities. In one quick look you can find out what
advancement options are available for your class or any class you might
be interested in.



WoW: Death Knights and Duskwood
in Cataclysm - Loremaster's Corner


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/lore/dksincataclysm">http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/lore/dksincataclysm



The
Loremaster's Corner is here again this week with a look at Death
Knights and their role Cataclysm. Arthas, now slain,
has
fulfilled their role in the story. Yet, can an old nemesis from many
wars ago find its way back to the main story stage? Let's take a look
in this week's Loremaster's Corner.


Today's
Hottest Articles, Guides, and Features

  1. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/interviews/fallen-earth-downsizing">(Prairie)
    Chicken Little Be Damned - An Exclusive Fallen
    Earth
    Interview
  2. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/editorials/cataclysm-alpha-leaked">Someone
    Call Merry Maid - Cataclysm
    Leaked All Over the Net
  3. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/reviews/guildleaders_handbook">The
    Guild Leader's Handbook
    Review
  4. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/rift/interviews/intro-scott-hartsman">Rift:
    Planes of Telara Intro Q&A with Trion's Scott Hartsman
  5. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84071">Exclusive
    Fallen Earth Blood
    Sports Developer Journal
  6. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/guides/seasonal/childrensweek">WoW:
    Children's Week Guide
  7. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/podcasts/live/5">Ten
    Ton Hammer Live Ep. 5 - Developer Guests for Guild
    Wars
    , Guild
    Wars 2
    ,
    and City
    of Heroes
  8. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/interviews/eq2-passport">EverQuest
    II
    Passport Q&A with
    Dave Georgeson
  9. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/eve/guides/ships/bait_raven">EVE
    Online: Flying A Bait Raven In PvP
  10. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84007">Microcosms
    - Gaming for Freedom: Atlantica
    Online
    Review

Thanks
for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!

- Reuben "Sardu" Waters
and
the Ten Ton Hammer team


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our EverQuest II Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

About The Author

Reuben "Sardu" Waters has been writing professionally about the MMOG industry for eight years, and is the current Editor-in-Chief and Director of Development for Ten Ton Hammer.

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