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is the premier daily
MMOG news and commentary
newsletter, only from Ten Ton Hammer.

Welcome
to the 1,353rd
edition
of Loading...

Friday is traditionally the day for bad news (no doubt to take advantage of the memory cleansing effects of the weekend). Before we dive deep into the E3 hype, previews, and coverage next week, let's take a look at which of your favorite or most anticipated MMOGs won't be making an appearance at E3 and why their skipping North America's biggest video and computer games lovefest. The best of what you won't see at E3 2010 (and why) in Loading... E3 2010 No-Shows.

cellspacing="0" width="100%">

The
Pulse

You vote with what you
view at Ten Ton Hammer, and the
result
is the Ten Ton Pulse ( href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/thepulse/">What
is The Pulse?).

Today's
top 5 Pulse results this week:

  1. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow">World
    of Warcraft
  2. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/eq2">EverQuest II
  3. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/aoc">Age of Conan
  4. The Lord of the Rings Online (UP 1)
  5. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/ddo">Dungeons and
    Dragons Online (UP 2)

Biggest
movers today
:

  1. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2461">Need for Speed World

    -
    UP 52 to #18
  2. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/fallenearth">Fallen Earth

    - UP 9 to
    #16
  3. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/287">Free Realms

    - UP 9 to #19
size="-1">Recent Releases
  • size="-1">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)
  • size="-1">5/11
    - Age
    of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer
    size="-1">
    (expansion)
  • size="-1">5/26
    - EVE
    Online: Tyrannis
    size="-1">
    (expansion)
  • size="-1">5/27
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2422">Craft
    of Gods size="-1">
    (release)
  • size="-1">6/9
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1004">Mortal
    Online size="-1">
    (release)

size="-1">Upcoming
Releases

  • size="-1">June
    29,
    2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/998"
    target="_blank">APB
    (US release- July 2 in UK, EU)
  • size="-1">July
    13, 2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1801"
    target="_blank">Mytheon
    (release)

  • size="-1">July
    20,
    2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2461"
    target="_blank">Need
    for Speed World (release)
  • size="-1">TBA
    2010
    - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2079"
    target="_blank">Final
    Fantasy XIV size="-1">



size="-1">Upcoming
Events

  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">6/15 -
    6/17 - href="http://www.e3expo.com/" target="_blank">E3
    Expo
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">6/25 -
    6/27 - href="http://www.lfgexpo.com/" target="_blank">Looking
    for Group
    Expo
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">7/22 -
    7/25 - href="http://www.comic-con.org/" target="_blank">Comic-Con
    International
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">8/5 -
    8/8 - href="http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/" target="_blank">SOE
    Fan Faire 2010
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">9/3 -
    9/6 - href="http://www.dragoncon.org/" target="_blank">DragonCon
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;">10/22 -
    10/23 - href="http://us.blizzard.com/blizzcon/?rhtml=y" target="_blank">BlizzCon
  • size="-1"> style="font-weight: bold;"> 3/24
    -
    3/26 (2011)- href="http://fanfest.eveonline.com/" target="_blank">CCP
    FanFest



Loading... Daily

The circus is coming to town in Los Angeles for Electronics Entertainment Expo 2010. Last year's show was a manageable size, so of course the show had to bloat outward and follow its increasingly historical boom / bust cycle. I knew that this year's show would be larger and more ridiculous when I started getting spam emails advertising discount booth babes from modeling agencies (there's so much wrong with that that I'm not sure where to start), and we have dozens upon dozens of appointments booked for MMOGs alone.

Friday is traditionally the day to publish bad news, and if the announcement of the SpongeBob Squarepants MMOG wasn't enough for you, today we're looking at who won't be at E3 2010. First up: Guild Wars 2. The game has garnered incredible interest in recent months, and today's Introduction to Traits article and Warrior Reveal is just the latest high point in what I think is a brilliant promotional / informational run in the making from ArenaNet and NCSoft. It's brilliant in terms of the amount and quality of the information that they're putting out there, but also in how they're leveraging the original game to promote the sequel.

GW2 and all the NCSoft titles (City of Heroes, Aion, et al) won't be at E3, because as ANet publicist Chris Lye noted, "E3 could steal a page from gamescom, which is a combination of a civilized business/industry area and a showy exhibit hall that’s open to consumers. If they did that, E3 would be a no-brainer in my book." I couldn't agree more. Press needs room to work and conduct serious interviews in relative peace and quiet, business development folks need privacy, and fans need room to play and have fun, and neglecting any segment really limits the show's effectiveness. That said, E3 might just be too big to miss.

Aside from perhaps DC Universe Online (we're not quite sure what SOE will have for us at E3 2010, but we have a feeling it might be huge), the superhero MMOGs won't be represented at E3 either, since Cryptic Studios won't have a floor presence at E3 and indeed seems to be in a bit of a marketing limbo after Champions Online's latest expansion and Star Trek Online. Another surprise is Funcom, who's opting to wait until GamesCom to show more about The Secret World and Age of Conan. Like AoC and Champions Online, EVE Online just released a major expansion and CCP isn't looking to have a public presence at E3 either. This is all pretty interesting, because E3 used to dictate launch and expansion cycles in the MMO space, and that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

Add to this list just about every launched MMOG except The Lord of the Rings Online, which will be making its free-to-play transition later this year (Turbine promises us big things from the Warner Bros. booth at this year's E3). Launched MMOGs hardly ever make an appearance at trade shows, which are incredibly expensive and necessarily forward-facing.

So what the heck are we going to see at E3? SWTOR, Copernicus, Rift, Tera Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Jumpgate Evolution, Black Prophecy, LEGO Universe, End of Nations, Need for Speed World, the Warhammer 40k MMO (!), and SOE's lineup, for starters. Don't miss next week's Loading... as we'll be previewing our live coverage from this year's E3 2010 (live coverage starts Tuesday). In the meantime, what do you think about this year's E3 No-Shows? Sound off in the Loading... forums, and have a great weekend!


Shayalyn's Epic Thread of
the Day

From our Articles, News & Events Discussion Forum


SpongeBob Squarepants the MMOG Announced

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Even if you're not absorbant and yellow and porous, it looks like you
may be able to if you live in China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Southeast
Asia, or India. (And if the free-to-play SpongeBob MMOG has player
housing with an available pineapple option). Alas, so far it looks like
Westerners won't be invading Bikini Bottom any time soon. Voice your grave disappointment and righteous outrage!

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

Awesome Quotes from the
Epic Thread


"lolwut?"

- kitsunegirl
==============================



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


New
and Exclusive Content
Today at Ten Ton Hammer

6 Ten Ton Hammer features today! 36 Ten Ton Hammer
features
in June! 626
in 2010!

MEDIA

New Allods Online Screenshots Offer a Peek at Upcoming Expansion
http://www.tentonhammer.com/allods/previews/revelations-of-gipat
 
Allods
Online is preparing its expansion, Revelation of
Gipat, for release in summer, 2010. The crew over at gPotato has
sent us a few new screenshots and a little story preview of what the
new content holds for players. Can you unravel the mystery of the Gipat
Allod and become the Chosen One? Check out the latest release for more.


FEATURES & GUIDES

Tour of Norrath - Finding Where to Level in EQ2
http://www.tentonhammer.com/eq2/guides/leveling

With
so many zones in EverQuest II's land of Norrath these days it is easy
to lose track of where you should be playing at any given level. Easy
travel and loads of new zones and content make adventuring even more
fun and rewarding if you know just where to go. Come take our tour of
Norrath and get one EQ2 veteran's advice on where you should be
leveling for each tier.

An Introduction to Traits in Guild Wars 2

http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/features/previews/traits

Creating
interesting builds for our characters to utilize in combat is an
integral piece of the much larger puzzle of character development in
MMOGs. While many titles don’t stray too far from offering players a
handful of predefined paths to choose from, developers ArenaNet aim to
take the concept of builds to a whole new level in Guild Wars 2. One of
the many tools in their arsenal, traits, was revealed this week and
could very well be the peanut butter to your skill bar’s jelly when it
comes to build creation. Ten Ton Hammer offers up some insights as to
what traits are all about.

A Detailed Look at the Guild Wars 2 Warrior Reveal
http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/features/previews/warrior-reveal

Warriors
are awesome in Guild Wars and will be even more awesome in Guild Wars 2
according the recent Warrior reveal by ArenaNet. Wondering what all of
it means for the upcoming Warrior profession? Rely on Ten Ton Hammer to
bring you the full details of the reveal, analyze what it all means, and provide an awe
inspiring video of the Warrior in action.

STO: Starship Basics – Deflector Dishes
http://www.tentonhammer.com/sto/features/guides/starship-basics-deflector-dishes

Starship
combat is the heart of Star Trek Online, but the game does not clearly
define what makes a good starship as opposed to a bad one. What does a
deflector dish do anyway? How many types are there? Can I watch Bajoran
mud wrestling on it? (The answer is no, but you can ask Ensign Pulver
for bootlegs.) Fret not, cadets, for your friends at Ten Ton Hammer are
here to help.

WoW Shaman Talent Preview Analysis
http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/features/previews/shaman-talent-preview

The
Blizzard curtains have opened and revealed several classes pending
talent trees for Cataclysm. One of those classes shown is the mighty
master of elements, the Shaman. Join us as Byron “Messiah” Mudry walks
you through the major changes in each of the talent trees and what they
may end up meaning to you as a Shaman.

Today's
Hottest Articles, Guides, and Features

  1. An Introduction to Traits in Guild Wars 2
  2. A Detailed Look at the Guild Wars 2 Warrior Reveal
  3. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/apb/video/mmo-in-apb">Putting
    the MMO in APB
    - An Exclusive Video Interview with APB's Josh Howard
  4. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/features/previews/cataclysm-talents-rogue-druid-priest-shaman">World
    of Warcraft: Cataclysm
    Talent
    Preview for Rogue, Druid, Priest and Shaman
  5. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/nfsw/interviews/gaudechon-jun-2010">MMOtoring
    Along - A Need for Speed World
    Q&A with EA
    Black Box
  6. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/features/editorials/recent-gameplay-reveals">Analysis
    of Recent Guild Wars 2
    Gameplay Reveals
  7. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/eve/guides/business/optimize">Four
    Tips For Optimizing Your Business In EVE
    Online
  8. New Allods Online Screenshots Offer a Peek at Upcoming Expansion
  9. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/reviews/alpha-protocol">Alpha
    Protocol
    (PC) Review
  10. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/sto/features/editorials/looking-ahead-to-season-two">STO:
    Looking Ahead to Season Two

Thanks
for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!

- Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle and
the Ten Ton Hammer team

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

About The Author

Jeff joined the Ten Ton Hammer team in 2004 covering EverQuest II, and he's had his hands on just about every PC online and multiplayer game he could since.

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