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is the premier daily MMOG newsletter, only from Ten
Ton Hammer!
Welcome
to the 1,384th
edition
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As MMOGs steadily shift towards offering more cash shops in
more games an often overlooked element, at least from the player side,
is the integration of the microtransaction stores. As with anything
involving the handling of money, though, security and efficiency are on
the minds of all developers who enter the arena. Today we take a look
at the rise of one of these commerce solutions, Live Gamer, and how
it's rapidly becoming an industry favorite today in
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/loading/2010/jul/27">Loading...
Paying it Forward.
The
Pulse
You vote with what you
view at Ten Ton Hammer, and the
result
is the Ten Ton Pulse (What
is The Pulse?).
Today's
top 5 Pulse results:
- World
of Warcraft - EverQuest
II - Dungeons
and
Dragons Online -
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/38">EverQuest
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/115">Age of
Conan
Biggest
movers this week:
-
5/26
- EVE
Online: Tyrannis
(expansion) -
5/27
- Craft
of Gods
(release) -
6/9
- Mortal
Online
(release) - 6/29
- target="_blank">APB
(release) - 7/13
- href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1801"
target="_blank">Mytheon
(release) - 7/20
- href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2461"
target="_blank">Need
for Speed World
(release)
Releases
- August
17, 2010 - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/140">City
of Heroes: Going Rogue (release) - September
7, 2010 - Aion:
Assault on Balaurea (free
expansion) -
September
30, 2010 - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/ffxiv" target="_blank">Final
Fantasy XIV
(release) -
style="font-weight: bold;">October
26, 2010
- LEGO
Universe (release)
-
style="font-weight: bold;">November
2, 2010
- DC
Universe Online (release)
Upcoming
Events
-
style="font-weight: bold;">8/5 -
8/8 - href="http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/" target="_blank">SOE
Fan Faire 2010 -
style="font-weight: bold;">8/18 -
8/22 - href="http://www.gamescom-cologne.com/en/gamescom/home/index.php"
target="_blank">Gamescom 2010
-
style="font-weight: bold;">9/3 -
9/5 - href="http://www.paxsite.com/paxprime/index.php" target="_blank">PAX
Prime -
style="font-weight: bold;">9/3 -
9/6 - target="_blank">DragonCon -
style="font-weight: bold;">10/22 -
10/23 - href="http://us.blizzard.com/blizzcon/?rhtml=y" target="_blank">BlizzCon -
style="font-weight: bold;"> 3/24
-
3/26 (2011) - target="_blank">CCP
FanFest
Be
sure to check out all of
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcomic-con/2010">Ten
Ton Hammer's San Diego Comic-Con 2010 event coverage!
Loading... Daily
Browsing the cash shops in various games, there's always something in
the back of my mind. Where does the information go that I type into the
store before it gets to its final destination? Often, deliveries are
instant, so how does the payment information go from my hands to the
game company, and more importantly, how safe is it? With more accounts
getting compromised daily in popular games like
style="font-style: italic;">World of Warcraft,
it can be a little frightening to think that the individuals who are
able to get account information that easily may, in all likelihood, be
able to get any other information that transpires within the game
easily.
These thoughts cross the minds of developers too when they're looking
to add a cash shop in game. It's not just about security. Other things
that need to be considered are efficiency: how fast can the transaction
take place? Payment methods: how can we offer easy payment options to
our customers? Functionality: What kinds of tools are available for us
to easily add a customized shop with search options, sorting,
popularity charts and other functions?
It's a real issue and even just a few years ago the answer was not an
easy one. Developers were trying to figure out ways to incorporate
microtransactions into their games by themselves. This posed additional
developing delays as all of the above considerations are not something
that could quickly be resolved. Extra development time was needed, and
above all, the idea was still relatively new so there weren't many
examples to draw ideas and solutions from.
Enter Live Gamer.
As early entrepreneurs to the Western microtransaction market, Live
Gamer assembled full-featured solutions for any cash shop needs.
Security, efficiency, functionality. The company soon started working
closely with some major developers that were at the front of the
microtransaction race; companies like Sony Online Entertainment.
A little more time passed, and Live Gamer made their mark by providing
for the needs of their clients, and their clients' clients. Soon
thereafter, it become one of the only solutions that became trusted by
the industry professionals. In light of that, we've seen some pretty
big announcements over the past couple of weeks. First,
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/86961">THQ signed up
with Live Gamer for their upcoming MMOG,
style="font-style: italic;">Company of Heroes Online.
THQ Executive Vice President, Martin Good, stated the reason was that
the solution was the most complete platform for integrating a virtual
economy.
Then, a couple days later,
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/87047">RealNetworks'
GameHouse division announced they'd be following suit and
signed on with the company. Yesterday we learned that video game giant
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/87257">EA has also
employed the services of Live Gamer.
It all makes sense from an industrial point of view. As
microtransactions rocket forward and are estimated to grow to a seven
billion dollar market by 2015 more companies are venturing into the
idea and companies like Live Gamer are offering easily integrated
solutions. It's possible we haven't seen this kind of initiative and
foresight in quite some time when it comes to video game growth. Kinda'
makes me wish I had thought of the idea myself.
The good news for us gamers? We can relax a bit more now when we know
how microtransactions are being processed. If the games we play use a
trusted solution we can be relatively confident that our
transactions are in safe hands.
Thoughts? Let me know on the forums.
Shayalyn's Epic Thread of
the Day
From our
href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4">/OOC
(Off-Topic) forum
Comic-Con
vs Fred Phelps
Kitsunegirl said this so well that I'ma let her take the mic:
"Remember Fred Phelps and his minions at the
Westboro Baptist Church? You know the group that makes even loony
Christians look sane? The ones who give Christians everywhere a bad
name by protesting the burials of fallen US soldiers? Well, it seems
the deep end of insanity wasnt enough for his group of sickos, so they
dived into the Marianas Trench as they protested Comic-Con."
- kitsunegirl
And
Comic-Con fought back. Hilarity ensues. (And yes, I never could figure
out magnets, either. They're unholy.) Go ahead! It's not too late to
wave your own
href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=52544">virtual
anti-protest sign.
==============================
Awesome Quotes from the
Epic Thread
"The good for humanity that they do is bringing to light just
how ridiculous the anti-gay movement really is. "
-
href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showpost.php?p=437441&postcount=6">Thansal
==============================
New
and Exclusive Content
Today at Ten Ton Hammer
10 new and exlcusive Ten Ton Hammer
features
today! 89 Ten Ton Hammer
features
in July! 801
in 2010!
TEN TON HAMMER PODCAST
Ten Ton Hammer Live Episode 17 - Nexon's Chris Gyselinck Talks
Vindictus
http://www.tentonhammer.com/podcasts/live/17
This
week on Ten Ton Hammer Live, the boys are thrust headlong into one of
the coolest games they've seen in awhile and interview one of the
Producers, CHRIS GYSELINCK, of Nexon's Vindictus. Chris gives us the
low down on the story, the gameplay, and the amazing mechanics behind
the fighting and spell casting. Wait til you hear about the golems!
This and more on the last new Ten Ton Hammer Live until September!
REVIEW
Disciples 3: Renaissance (PC)
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/reviews/disciples-3">http://www.tentonhammer.com/reviews/disciples-3
The
Disciples franchise is a series of turn-based fantasy strategy games
with RPG elements. While not as well known as some similar franchises
it has achieved a cult following, particularly with the release of
Disciples 2 in 2002. Mattlow takes the newly released Disciples 3
through it paces and reports on the good the bad and the ugly.
DEV DIARY
Heroes in the Sky Dev Diary #1: Plane Types
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/heroes-in-the-sky/dev-diaries/plane-types">http://www.tentonhammer.com/heroes-in-the-sky/dev-diaries/plane-types
In
any good dogfight in the sky you need a wide assortment of planes for
players to enjoy. This week Heroes in the Sky Community Manager GM Rico
has written up a new developer diary detailing the more than 100
available aircrafts with which players can shoot each other down,
and how players are already working up strategies for the
various
aircraft in GamesCampus' upcoming MMOTPS (Massively Multiplayer Online
Third Person Shooter). You can check out GM Rico's full developer diary
here at Ten Ton Hammer. Be sure to grab one of our
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/giveaways/his-cbt">Heroes
in the Sky beta keys while supplies last.
FEATURES & GUIDES
Microcosms: Blowing in the Wind A Look at the Free-to-Play
Community.
http://www.tentonhammer.com/microcosms/2010/july/30
With
games of nearly every conceivable style and players from every corner
of the globe, free-to-play gaming is easily the most dynamic group in
all of MMOG land. While we may be separated by different games and
different languages, chances are we have a lot in common. Forging a
community of free-to-play gamers may be the best way to recognize these
similarities, but can such a diverse group come together? Join Jason
Medawky Bolton as he ponders the best way to unite the free-to-play
community in this weeks Microcosms.
WoW Cataclysm - A Whole New World
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/editorials/world-changed-cata">http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/editorials/world-changed-cata
Deathwing
has wrought destruction across Azeroth, the tensions between Horde and
Alliance have erupted into full out war, and the world we know has been
forever changed. Classic zones that were once familiar have been remade
into places that are almost unrecognizable. Which zones were hit the
hardest and what kind of changes can you expect to see?
WoW Weekly Report - The Underwater Zone of Vashj'ir and More
Goblin and Worgen Coverage
http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/newsletter/issue77
The
WoW Weekly Report is our newsletter dedicated to giving you a
wrap-up of the previous week in news, stories, and more. We take a look
at both of the new character races coming in Cataclysm, the Worgen and
Goblins, as well as the changes in the Horde capitol of Orgrimmar.
We'll also take a peek at the new underwater zone called
Vashj'ir.
In addition to all our network content check out all the news regarding
World of Warcraft so you don't miss a thing. All this and more in our
WoW Weekly Report every Tuesday.
Today's
Hottest Articles, Guides, and Features
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/dc-universe-online/trailer/blur">DC
Universe href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/dc-universe-online/trailer/blur">
Online Blur Trailer from San Diego
Comic-Con 2010 href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcc2010/lego-universe/video-interview">
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcc2010/lego-universe/video-interview">Exclusive
LEGO Universe Video Interview on
Factions, Reputation and More! -
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcc2010/reckoning-preview">Kingdoms
of Amalur: Reckoning href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcc2010/reckoning-preview">
From 38 Studios Unveiled - Ten
Ton Hammer Live Episode 17 - Nexon's Chris Gyselinck Talks
Vindictus - Disciples
3: Renaissance (PC) Review -
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcc2010/tera/glyph-preview">A
Preview of href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcc2010/tera/glyph-preview">TERA href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcc2010/tera/glyph-preview">'s
New UI, Glyph System and More
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/sdcc2010/DCUO-Legend-Play">SOE
Unveils Legend Play for DC
Universe Online
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2/guides/beta-changes">StarCraft
II - The Evolution from Beta to
Launch -
Episode
16 - Paiz and Boyer from
Dungeons & Dragons
Online:
Eberron Unlimited href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/podcasts/live/16">
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/lego-universe/gnarled-forest-preview/july2010">First
Impressions: Exploring
LEGO Universes Gnarled
Forest
Thanks
for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!
- Benjamin J. de la Durantaye and the Ten Ton Hammer team
