Loading...
is the premier daily MMOG newsletter, only from Ten
Ton Hammer!

Welcome
to the 1,369th
edition
of Loading...

Every year more and more MMOGs prepare to launch and we, as
players, are caught up in a torrent of hype and excitement. Which games
should we be looking forward to, and which will disappoint? Today we
take a look at how to avoid disappointment in href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/loading/2010/jul/6">Loading...
How to Pick a Cherry.

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/e3/2010"> src="http://images.tentonhammer.com/misc/Loading/e32010.gif"
alt="E3 2010"
longdesc="http://images.tentonhammer.com/misc/Loading/e32010.gif"
height="90" width="210">

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 this week:

1. World
   of Warcraft
2. EverQuest
   II
3. Vanguard:
   Saga of Heroes
4. Age
   of Conan
5. Dungeons
   and
   Dragons Online

Biggest
movers today:

1. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/284">The
   Agency
   
   -
   UP 12 to #17
2. Fallen
   Earth
   
   - UP 12 to #19
3. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/860">Champions
   Online
   
   - down
   6 to
   #18

• 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"
  target="_blank">City
  of Heroes - Issue 17: Dark Mirror
  (content
  update)
• 5/11
  - Age
  of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer
  (expansion)
• 5/26
  - EVE
  Online: Tyrannis
  (expansion)
• 5/27
  - Craft
  of Gods
  (release)
• 6/9
  - Mortal
  Online
  (release)
• 6/29
  - target="_blank">APB
  (release)

• July
  13, 2010 - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1801"
  target="_blank">Mytheon
  (release)
  
  
• July
  20,
  2010 - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2461"
  target="_blank">Need
  for Speed World (release)
• August
  17, 2010 - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/140">City
  of Heroes: Going Rogue (release)
• 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;">7/22 -
  7/25 - target="_blank">Comic-Con
  International
• 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
  
  
  

Loading... Daily

As we frantically ran from appointment to appointment at this year's
GDC and E3 something became obvious to our event coverage team. There's
a hell of a lot of MMOGs to cover this year. And more are coming. Our
inboxes are filling up with more and more press releases and
announcements that we almost need assistants of our own just to sort
through the email. And that's not counting the vast amount of emails we
get from the seventy billion Eastern free-to-play games that slapped on
a loose translation and are trying to penetrate the Western market.



Yup, there's a lot to cover. And there's a lot that looks great.
Conversely, as MMOG players we've become accustomed to disappointment
over the years as few titles have been able to satisfy our thirst the
way we expected them to. So which games should we be looking forward
to, and which are bound to disappoint?



Well instead of listing all the upcoming MMOGs and giving my opinion
(which would amount to little anyway since we all have our own
opinions), let's take a look at some signs as to which games stand a
chance of living up to the hype.

1. Who is the
   Publisher?
   
   Every game has a developer and a publisher. Sometimes they're the same,
   but usually they're different companies. Yes, the developer is
   important too, but the developer is always going to have faith in their
   game. They're biased. If a game is able to pick up a reputable
   publisher though, it means that someone believes the game stands to
   make a profit. Publishers are the world's professionals when it comes
   to spotting a potential winner. The better the reputation the publisher
   has to publish a good game, the better the chances the upcoming title
   is a winner.
2. Hook or
   Gimmick?
   
   Every game has at least one element that is used to try to sell the
   game. It's usually something that is unique to that game. It would
   include stuff like flying mounts, an all-new combat system, wings for
   your character, or a talking pet that follows you around. The question
   we need to ask is: is this something I would enjoy day after day, or
   would it get old after an hour? If the hook doesn't have lasting
   appeal, it's a gimmick. If there is no hook, the game has less of a
   chance of making a large penetration in today's market.
3. Development
   Time
   
   Simple. How long has the game taken to develop? If it got mashed
   together and thrown out the door in a year, expect bugs and lots of
   them. Don't expect a fully detailed rich world. In other words, expect
   a flop. This number can be adjusted up or down too, depending on the
   platform the game is being developed for, but for the purpose of this
   article, we'll stick to PC MMOGs only.
4. Marketing Hype
   
   Some may say "ignore the hype," but that's not good advice. I
   say "observe the hype." If a game has a genious marketing team, it
   means they have some solid cash going into the game. This is a good
   thing as it will often imply that they have the money to see things
   out. There's nothing more disappointing than a game setting its bar too
   high, running out of money and either putting out a half-finished game,
   or cancelling entirely. The other aspect to the marketing hype is the
   player buzz. If a lot of players have latched on to the idea, then
   opening day and the weeks to come are going to be busy. This period of
   time is crucial for a game. If a large segment of those players stick
   to the game, it will only grow. If we see a mass exodus, the game will
   never recover fully. So, observe the hype, but try not to get
   swept away lest your expectations become too unrealistic.
5. Genre
   
   It may be obvious, but the genre will have a lot to do with the success
   or failure of a game. More specifically, we need to look at that
   genre's competitors. If it's another high-fantasy MMORPG with an "epic
   struggle between light and dark," it's going to have a considerably
   harder time breaking into the market. There's just so much competition,
   and most of it has had time to mature and develop that getting a piece
   of that pie becomes more about timing and striking when you're most
   likely to capture a large portion of the existing audience. On the
   other hand, you could develop an MMOG about driving a monster truck
   through a trailer park and you'd certainly have unique appeal, but you
   would also be considered quite niche. The sweet spot is something that
   players enjoy, but enough room to add something that isn't abundantly
   available to your game. Bring out its flavor. See hook or gimmick above.

Those five steps should help out in deciding which game to root for.
There's a ton of them coming up, so we all need to narrow them down
ourselves, as most of us won't have a chance to play all of them. Of
course, there are other methods to help weed out the cherries from the
lemons. Let us know your process href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=52215">in
the forums.

Shayalyn's Epic Thread of
the Day

From our href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4">/OOC
(Off-topic) Forum



href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=50848">New
Doctor Who?



We're still talking about the 11th incarnation of Doctor Who,
played by Matt Smith, who replaced the love of my television life,
David Tennant. Do we like him? You'll have to see for yourself. Lately
we're dealing with the rumors that there may be a Doctor Who movie with
a famous American actor playing the role of the Doctor. If pirates are
better than ninjas, it's possible this guy has a chance proving that
the Doctor owns them all, but...why isn't he English? Discover his
identity and href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=50848">discuss!



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

Awesome Quotes from the
Epic Thread



"...he would not be able
to pull off playing the Doctor simply because he's not British. That's
not a dig at the man himself, just that I find English accents done by
Americans to be some what hammy."



- href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showpost.php?p=435745&postcount=56">Beerkeg

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


Have you spotted an Epic Thread on our forums? Tell
us!

New
and Exclusive Content
Today at Ten Ton Hammer

9 Ten Ton Hammer
feature
today! 14 Ten Ton Hammer
features
in July! 732
in 2010!

style="font-weight: bold;">Ten Ton Hammer's StarCraft II
Guide Portal Launches!

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/86478">http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/86478



The long awaited launch of Blizzard Entertainment’s latest entry into
the RTS genre, href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2" target="_blank"> title="http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2">StarCraft II:
Wings of Liberty, is just around the corner. With
what is bound to be one of the biggest PC gaming releases this year, on
July 27th players will embark not only on a whole new single-player
campaign, but an intense multiplayer journey the likes of which we
haven’t seen in years.



Whether you’re a relative newcomer to the StarCraft
multiplayer scene or an old pro from the original game, Ten Ton Hammer
has an assortment of guides to help get you up to speed in the StarCraft
II multiplayer quickly and efficiently. Featuring detailed
stats and strategies on each of the three armies – Protoss, Terran and
Zerg – as well as multiple in-depth guides on the art of expanding,
rushing and scouting, our title="http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2/guides"
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2/guides"
target="_blank"> title="http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2/guides">StarCraft
II Guides portal has all the tips and tricks you’ll
need to dominate the Battle.Net leaderboards later this month.



So without further adieu, we’re proud to bring you title="http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2/guides"
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2/guides"
target="_blank">Ten Ton Hammer’s StarCraft II Guides
portal. We’ll continue to expand our assortment of guides over the
coming weeks, so be sure to let us know if there’s a specific topic
you’d like to see a guide for that isn’t currently listed, and don’t
forget to bookmark us!



INTERVIEWS



Aion – The Divine
Fortress Taken! An Interview with the Elysean Council

http://www.tentonhammer.com/aion/interviews/elysean-council



For
the first time ever on US servers, the Divine Fortress in Aion was
taken. The Elysean Council led over 300 Elyos on the Triniel server on
this massive undertaking. Ten Ton Hammer sat down with the Elysean
Council to get all the details on this monumental achievement.



FEATURED EDITORIAL



Microcosms: Mo' Beta
Blues - Why Free-to-Play is Better Than Beta Play

http://www.tentonhammer.com/microcosms/2010/july/26



Beta
testing is all the rage these days--several new AAA titles and one
highly anticipated expansion rolled out the first of their exclusive
invites recently and most everyone wants in--but it beta testing all
its cracked up to be? When the test servers go down and the content
goes live, will we be any better off for our hours invested? Jason
“Medawky” Bolton doesn’t think beta testing is all its cracked up to
be, and has the perfect solution for the beta test blues. Join us this
week in Microcosms to find what the doctor is prescribing.



The Ruby Sanctum Opens
for Raiders, Cataclysm Beta Invites Go Out - WoW Weekly Report

http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/newsletter/issue74



The
WoW Weekly Report is our newsletter dedicated to giving you a
wrap-up
of the previous week in news, stories, and more. This week we take a
look the opening of the Ruby Sanctum to raiders, the Real ID system,
and of course the opening of the Cataclysm Beta. 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.



FEATURES & GUIDES



What's Up With Americans
In EVE Online

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/eve/guides/politics/americans_eve">http://www.tentonhammer.com/eve/guides/politics/americans_eve



In
celebration of the local holiday this past weekend, Space Junkie has
taken a look at the changing role of players from the United States in
EVE Online, and examined some of the problems confronting U.S.-led
organizations trying to make it big in the political landscape of EVE.



Bar Fights and Pretty
Hats - Guild Wars 2 Weekly Report

http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/features/newsletter/issue-6




The
Guild Wars 2 Weekly Report is out this week with a recap of the
previous week's events. Last week we were introduced to Activities in
Guild Wars 2, got a look at Humanity in the future, and much more.
Don't fall behind on GW2 news, check out the GW2 Weekly Report.



StarCraft II - Zerg
Combat Units In-Depth Stats and Strategy

http://www.tentonhammer.com/starcraft2/guides/zerg-combat



If
there is one unit that defines the Zerg, the Zergling is it. Highly
mobile and deadly at all stages of the game, and the origin of the
oft-referenced 'Zerg Rush'. In StarCraft II though, there is another
unit that can be used in all-out rush tactics--the new Roach! We cover
the stats and strategies used with both of these key early units to
make your Zerg openings fearsome!



WoW Machinima Review - We
Are the Horde

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/reviews/machinima/we-are-horde">http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/reviews/machinima/we-are-horde



Who
doesn’t love a good WoW machinima filled with Horde pride? I know I do!
With a title like We Are the Horde one would assume that this is
exactly the kind of thing that this video will be full of. However, as
we all know you can’t judge a book by its cover.



WoW - The World of
Summercraft

http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/editorials/summercraft



It’s
that time of year again, school is out for all our youth and it’s time
for them to get outdoors and explore. Far from our traditional past
though where exploring the outdoors included activities like bike
riding, swimming, camping, playing catch, and more, many of today’s
youth end up spending their summers exploring the outdoors online.
About the only camping that goes on over the summer now is waiting on
that rare spawn, and that isn’t quite the same as the camping that
involves toasting marshmallows. Join Byron “Messiah” Mudry as he
discusses how World of Warcraft has become the new summer camp for kids.

Today's
Hottest Articles, Guides, and Features

1. Ten
   Ton Hammer's StarCraft II
   Guide Portal
2. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/aion/interviews/elysean-council"> style="font-weight: bold;">Aion – The Divine
   Fortress Taken! An Interview with the Elysean Council
3. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/dcuo/yanagi-interview">Sock!
   Pow! Bam! DC
   Universe
   Online – An
   Interview with Senior Producer Wes Yanagi
4. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/features/previews/humans">The
   Races of Guild Wars 2:
   Humans
5. style="font-weight: bold;">DC Universe Online's Senior
   Producer Wes Yanagi on Ten Ton Hammer Live Episode 13 href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/giveaways/nfsw">
6. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/guides/apb/symbol-designer">APB:
   Spotlight on the Symbol Designer
   
7. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/sherwood-dungeon/interview">Exclusive
   Interview With Creator of
   Sherwood Dungeon href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/sherwood-dungeon/interview">
   
   
8. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/e3/2010/company-of-heroes-interview">Introducing
   href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/e3/2010/company-of-heroes-interview">Company
   of Heroes Online href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/events/e3/2010/company-of-heroes-interview">
   - A Video Q&A with Producer Greg Wilson
9. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/guides/instances/ruby-sanctum"> style="font-weight: bold;">WoW Ruby
   Sanctum
   Guide
   
10. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/guides/apb/10-tips-for-noobs"> style="font-weight: bold;">APB for
    Dummies
    - 10 Tips & Tricks to Help Get You Started
    

Thanks
for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!

- Benjamin J. de la Durantaye and the Ten Ton Hammer Team.