I work in a seemingly insane industry.

A law professor at the Wharton School of Business writes for a game blog. Though this is disturbing in a "the milk tastes funny" kind of way and is unquestionably unusual, it isn't the ingredient in this story that has passed the expiration date.

What is sour is that a game blog is upset that a game publisher is making wild claims.

What is profoundly disagreeable is that the publisher in question is now attacking the blogger, the blogger's website and the administrators at the blogger's place of employment via e-mail claiming slander.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that the blog in question is Terra Nova, a site that I am drawn back to regularly not because I agree with much of what they write, but because like a rubber-necker at a car-wreck I want to see what happens next. I don't remember ever visiting Terra Nova directly. It has always been via a link from another site that is ranting or raving about something they wrote. Credit where credit is due, they can invoke emotion in their readers.

It probably comes as no surprise that the game in question is Entropia Universe, previously known as Project Entropia. Their tagline says it all, "The first virtual universe with a real cash economy."

Combine a hybrid lawyer-academic writing about virtual worlds with a massively multiplayer online game that requires you to pay real life money to progress and you have a mixture that was destined to explode.

I work in a seemingly insane industry.

You play in it.

In brighter news, only 17 days until World Cup 2006 begins. I'm as passionate about soccer as I am about MMOs.

Questions, comments, donations to the send Boomjack to the World Cup fund? Hit the comment button below and learn to share. Shy or simply profane? Mail me

Looking for a place that your guild can call home that doesn't run gold ads? Look no further than GuildPortal.com.


What's New On TenTonHammer.com?
Let us entertain you or at the very least waste some of your time at work.
05.23.2006
  • TenTonHammer.com's E3 2006 Awards
    "Ten Ton Hammer is pleased to honor the best and most innovative massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) shown at the 2006 Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3). No one would question the increasing depth of the MMO genre. Some would go so far as to call the MMO market niche "saturated"- but we believe that the explosive growth of World of Warcraft only shows the enormous potential - the nascent yet accelerating power to entertain and interact - of massively multiplayer online gaming. We especially celebrate these games - MMOs that widen the genre, pushing the creative and technical envelope- all in the name of delivering a challenging and immersive perpetual world gaming experience."
  • City of Villains Issue #7 Details and Screenshots
    "As Issue 7 prepares to go live, the good folks at Cryptic Studios are calling all heroes and villains to participate in a giant playtest on the Test Server. All character info will be wiped for the event, and players will have a special chance to auto-level to 40 for 2-days of massive PvP action. It's good vs. evil at last in the Rogue Isles May 24th - 26th! In the meantime, whet your appetite with these screenshots."
  • Auto Assault: Crafting FAQ
    "Auto Assault's in-depth crafting system is vast and complex, while at the same time user-friendly. Though, there are certain questions that rise up quite often on some of the various crafting mechanics. That is where our new crafting FAQ comes in! Answering all of those common questions about crafting and the related research skills!"
  • Dungeons and Dragons Online: The Art of Boom
    "Anybody with half a brain can storm into a dungeon and try to cut a swathe through enemies. It takes careful planning of spells, Feats, Enhancements, enchantments, and items to get maximum boom. Join Darkgolem as he takes us through some of the more difficult math and demystifies the art of boom."
  • Guild Wars: Coasting
    "I've ventured out of my basement lair and traveled down to Victoria, BC. So far on my trip, I've had drinks with Halo machinima actors, done a lot of walking in the rain, and answered a lot of questions about Guild Wars. Follow my adventures in today's column. "
  • Vanguard: Saga of Heroes - A Long Road To Nowhere
    "The month of May has brought us the question; “Hardcore versus casual, how do YOU play, and do you feel the game will accommodate your play style?” We've heard from several other writers as they have given thier take, today Merriandra gives us hers. Having started out as a relunctent MMO player she has quickly found her way and gives us insight into what kind of gamer she really is. "
  • World of Warcraft: Guide to Ahn'Qirag - Buru the Gorger
    "Buru the Gorger is the forth boss in the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj (AQ20) and is a very large tick. You think you dislike ticks in real life? Wait till you check out Buru! Seriously though, Buru is a very entertaining encounter. The main reason is that EVERYONE gets to have a chance to kite him around his room. I find it very entertaining to try to kite a boss around since it is not a normal task for many classes. Hence Buru is one of my favorite encounters."

Vin Diesel Fact of the Day - Vin Diesel and not the farmer's wife, cut off the tails of the three blind mice.
Now on to the real world. You can't make this stuff up. [Thanks Matt!]

As always, thanks for visiting TenTonHammer.com,
-- John "Boomjack" Hoskin

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

About The Author

Dissecting and distilling the game industry since 1994. Lover of family time, youth hockey, eSports, and the game industry in general.

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