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More GDC coverage than any other MMOG news site. It just keeps pouring in...

Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in working at TenTonHammer.com. Today is the last day to submit resumes for the following positions:

  • Industry Relations Specialist: This individual should have a book of industry contacts and be experienced procuring content opportunities for a large game or entertainment network. This position includes frequent travel.
  • Community Manager - Warhammer Online: This individual should be active in the Warhammer Online community. Excellent writing skills and the ability to manage staff writers is a must. The ability to travel to community events is a plus.
  • Community Manager - Gods and Heroes: This individual should be active in the Gods and Heroes community. Excellent writing skills and the ability to manage staff writers is a must. The ability to travel to community events is a plus.
  • Community Manager - Lord of the Rings Online: This individual should be active in the Lord of the Rings community. Excellent writing skills and the ability to manage staff writers is a must. The ability to travel to community events is a plus.
  • Webmaster: This individual should have an extensive knowledge of PHP, Drupal and PostNuke. Experience working in a high-paced, entertainment related industry, knowledge of the MMOG game space and an artistic flair are a must.

Please forward your resume by end of day today (March 20, 2007) for consideration.

I promised I would give out more information about Tabula Rasa and well, I keep my promises.

Tabula Rasa has two interesting types of areas of conflict, named "battlefields" and "instances" by Richard Garriott.

It is important to remember that Tabula Rasa will be a story-driven game. Mission arcs are an evolutionary step up from the quest-chains that we know and love in World of Warcraft, Everquest 2 and the current crop of MMOs. As you work your way through a mission arc you will be given sub-quests that must be completed in order to complete the main quest as a whole. Think of mission arcs like the Shaman totem quests in World of Warcraft ratcheted up about five notches. Instead of collecting the fur of ten rats, returning it and never speaking to that NPC again you will be sent to uncover a story that will encompass numerous sidequests in order to complete.

Instances are areas that only your group or you yourself are allowed into. You can play out the scenario as you see fit, free of players not partaking in your portion of the storyline.

Richard Garriott had this to say about instances:

"Instances are used to make the game more like a single-player game. Many include one-time scripted events."

Battlefields also advance the story, but in a different way. Battlefields have their own ebb and flow with NPCs from both sides of the war taking part in combat. NPCs will spawn with the ebb and flow of the battle around major tactical areas changing the tide of the war. Control of these tactical areas is very important. Losing one could result in the loss of a repair area, defenses, or worse.

"Battlefields will literally play themselves when no players are present" - Richard Garriott

TR looked like a game that put the player first. Though I didn't get to try it hands-on, I am looking forward to doing so. I'll divulge even more tomorrow, including some details about the language that Richard Garriott has created just for this game.

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Guild Management has never been easier! Not sure what GuildPortal is, or what it can do for your Guild? Click here to read about what GuildPortal is, why it's the most imitated, and why people have been using GP since October of 2001 to host their Guild web sites!

Exclusive TenTonHammer.com Content!

03.20.2007

  • Op/Ed: Should Gamers Test Upcoming MMOs?
    "With over thirty high-quality MMOs currently in development and a large portion of them zeroing in on an open beta test, Cody "Micajah" Bye takes a look at the history of testing, the current art of "test jumping", and his own stance on testing in general. Some of you who have been through the recent closed betas may agree with his stance, so dive right in and see what he has to say!"
  • Op:Ed: Division of Labour
    "Ralsu has a new blog ready for you! This time, he explains how the Vanguard Ten Ton Hammer site works and drops some hints about how community members can help get feedback to Sigil developers."
  • Dungeons and Dragons Online: Interview With James Jones
    "This weekend I had the pleasure of an exclusive interview with James Jones, DDO's Executive Producer, where I proceeded to try to get as many details about what's coming in DDO. He was kind enough to give me as much as he could, so that you, his customers, could find out what is coming up in the next year!"
  • Huxley: GDC Preview
    "While other titles have attempted to integrate MMOs with first-person shooters, the developers behind Huxley are trying to be the first to truly blend the two elements harmoniously. At GDC 2007, Ten Ton Hammer was able to grab a sneak peek of the game and has put together a preview of the intricate workings of the game. Vehicles, starting races, skills, and more are all covered in this preview!"
  • Vanguard: Saga of Heroes - 6 Slash Commands No News Should Be Without
    "If you've been around the MMO block a few times, you're probably intimately familiar with slash commands. But if you're brand new to MMOs and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, then we've got a newb guide for you."
  • World of Warcraft: Warrior Guide
    "Our Warrior guide has received two updates. One to its main page getting a brand new face lift and another to its basics section, receiving not only a visual upgrade but now has some additional information like the basics of rage generation! Check back soon as we continue to improve our various class guides!"
  • World of Warcraft: Guide To The Botanica
    "This week I travel to one of the instances in Tempest Keep in Netherstorm, The Botanica. The Botanica is the second wing of the Tempest Keep and it's located north of the main palace in the blue crystal building. Like the other instances in the Tempest Keep, this is a rather tough one and you'll need a full party and a good bit of wit and daring to survive the instance alive! In it High Botanist Freywinn awaits, with one of the more unique boss fights in the game! And should you make it all the way to the end, Warp Splinter is waiting for you."
  • World of Warcraft: The Botanica Gallery
    "A compendium to our guide, this gallery features images from the second wing of the Tempest Keep. Check out High Botanist Freywinn, Warp Splinter and much more."

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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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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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