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

Star Trek Online is less than 3 months away from launch, so it's time to start brushing up on your ship to ship combat and customization skills. This week Cryptic sent us two videos to help sharpen your knowledge with the Bridge trailer and Space Combat Part 1 narrated by Craig Zinkievich, Executive Producer and Daniel Stahl, Producer, Star Trek Online.

• Check out the videos here.

Sony Online Entertainment recently announced that pre-orders for EverQuest 2: Sentinel's Fate are now available and with the announcement came several new screenshots and a new game trailer, which includes a look at the newest content in the game's latest expansion. Find out how the lands of Odus have changed over the last 500 years in Norrath.

• Check out the new video here.

Update One to Dungeons and Dragons: Eberron Unlimited launched last week, and a whole new adventure pack is available. Jump into the Vale of Twilight for levels 17 and above and purge the malevolence. The thirteen moons of Zen'drik have aligned and the battle is at its peak.

Watch the video trailer here.

Ten Ton Hammer is pleased to showcase Cryptic’s latest video for their superhero MMOG, Champions Online. Champions Online allows players to create super powered heroes, with an incredible amount of options, allowing players to create the unique heroes that they want to play. With features such as being able to pick from any power set plus the ability to create your own arch-villain to act as a nemesis to your hero, Champions Online really packs the punch into comic book POW!

Click here to watch the video!

You never get a second chance to make a first impression goes an old saying, and rarely is it proved wrong. Dungeons and Dragons Online has done just that however with the switch in revenue model away from subscriptions to a free-to-play with microtrasnaction platform. Not content to simply rest on its newfound success, the team at Turbine is cranking out adventure packs to satisfy the newly resurgent player base. One of the newest to enter the fray is Gianthold, a pack intended for players in the level 13-14 range that features ten adventures, fourty-five quests and a raid.

Click here for the video.

Hungry for more video goodness? Check out Turbine's YouTube Channel.

Turbine has been busy the last few weeks pumping out numerous developer diaries for The Lord of the Rings Online on the road to Siege of Mirkwood's (SoM) launch, but none have been busier than Brian “Zombie Columbus” who wraps up his series of developer diaries on the SoM Skirmish system this week. The final diary rounds out the series with a quick summary and touches on the FAQ, while giving a shout out to all the helping hands that made it possible.

Skirmishes are short, repeatable instances that can be joined from most places in the world.  They have a number of randomized elements in them to keep gameplay fresh, as well as the ability to scale to different levels and group sizes.  Skirmishes are military fights against the enemy, allowing you to bring a custom trained Soldier to assist you.

• Read the full diary here.

Warhammer Online will be losing two more servers soon as community manager Andy Belford announced the news on the Warhammer Herald recently. The two latest victim servers will be Dark Crag and Phoenix Throne, but players will be offered free server transfers starting on Wednesday, December 2nd. Phoenix Throne will be able to transfer to Iron Rock or the Badlands server, while Dark Crag will will have the option of transferring to Gorfang or Volkmar server. To try and make the transaction a little less painful a 20% bonus to experience and renown will be enabled during the weeks following the transfers.

And so, it is after careful evaluation and much discussion that we are announcing free character transfers off of the Dark Crag and Phoenix Throne servers. At this time we plan to enable these free character transfers on Wednesday, December 2nd.

• Read the announcement here.

Want to know what you're missing out on as a healer from level 26-50? Those lovely hidden spells that you have to earn the right to? Too bad you don't have what it takes to level a healer to 25+. Fortunately, we've got you covered here at the Hammer. Check out the 26-50 cleric skill list here!

Remember--Magic Boost doesn't have any effect on heals folks, but clerics do rely on magic boost to solo and do damage. Let us roll sometimes on those mage accessories!

In the gaming industry it's not uncommon to find yourself at the bad end of a lawsuit and Activision Blizzard is the latest company to find themselves faced with allegations. Gamespot has recently acquired new civil suit papers that names Activision Blizzard as the latest target of disgruntled gamer Erik Estavillo who alleges Blizzard's World of Warcraft of having a "harmful virtual environment" with "sneaky and deceitful practices." Estavillo also takes issue with the game's subscription rate of $14.99, calling it the highest of any MMOG. Obviously ignoring the fact that it is the current industry standard.

He first takes exception to the game's $14.99 monthly subscription fee, calling it the highest of any MMORPG. He contends the fee is aggravated by the game requiring players to travel great distances at a slow walking or running pace, with fast travel options like teleportation stones and mounts only available to gamers who rise to an advanced level or purchase the game's expansion packs.

That's not Estavillo's only issue with the game. He also expresses his displeasure with having to travel at a slow pace and called the death mechanics an unnecessary part of the game. Lucky he didn't get the old EverQuest death treatment, but on the issue of EverQuest, Estavillo does cite it in his suit, bringing up the 2001 suicide of a man who played the game.The plaintiff goes on to state he suffers from many of the same mental ailments and doesn't want to end up like the 2001 suicide player. The plaintiff has also subpoenaed a pair of celebrities to testify on his behalf with actress Wynona Ryder and song writer and singer Martin Lee Gore.

Estavillo has already filed suits against Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo alleging various things relating to each company's console such as causing undue stress and the violation of First Amendment Rights. The case against Sony was subsequently dismissed, but the battle rages on as the gamer seeks $1 million in punitive damages from Activision Blizzard and a court order forcing them to address the problems alleged in the suit.

Read the full story here and please tell us what you think on our forums. It should be an interesting conversation.

Cryptic has just sent word of their Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) sale for Champions Online.

The Friday after Thanksgiving, November 27, we’ll be offering special Black Friday deals, available Friday only. The special offers available are:

* Buy all three Emblem Packs for 160 Cryptic Points. (Regular price: 80 Cryptic Points each.)
* Buy all three Vehicle Action Figures for 160 Cryptic Points. (Buy two, get one free!)
* Buy 4 additional Character Slots for 800 Cryptic Points and receive a Clown Action Figure free. (Regular price: 1200 Cryptic Points.)

Some people just can't get enough action figures!