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

All roads may lead to Rome, but that's only because Rome was where many of western civilization's most cherished stories began. Outside of the sci-fi side of things, who can imagine a broader canvas than a time where mythology and reality were intertwined in men's hearts and minds and the known world was there for the taking?

Nevertheless, a few of us went to the Perpetual booth expecting nothing more than a ho-hum cookie cutter fantasy MMO experience. Gods & Heroes absolutely blew us away, and it wasn't just the gorgeous graphics. (The convincing animations, by the way, were done entirely by hand). The game's "action combat" system delivers the same first-person ferocity we know and love, but "minions"- the 5-per-player "intelligent" pet system- adds a distinctly strategic touch to combat. It's a little like equipping all your alts from all your other MMOs, training them, and leading them into battle beside you. Beyond the strategic overtones, combat gets downright epic when you and five buddies (with 40 minions in tow) take on a horde of Samnites, war elephants, and a Cyclops in pitched battle, using positional moves like trips and throws.

Nowadays it's fashionable to make combat faster or more complicated; Gods & Heroes actually makes combat more interesting. All in a fantastic ancient backdrop that would have left Virgil and Bulfinch speechless. Grats to Perpetual/SOE's Gods & Heroes for winning Ten Ton Hammer's Best of Show award for E3 2006!

Take a sci-fi MMO, and throw out all the combat elements. PvP, PvE, weapons, melee & ranged training, damage and death - all gone. Chuck the standard semi-photo realistic graphics in favor of a comic book / graphic novel bent. And while you're at it, make the game entirely about interaction with other players and NPCs (who, by the way, have their own personalities and agendas) as you craft materials to repair the artificial world around you. That's Seed in a nutshell; a just-released game which is, no doubt, one of the most unique MMOs we've ever seen.

There are no paths-of-least-resistance in Seed, no fodder for powergamers or overachievers, and you won't check your personality at the login screen. Instead, you'll find a vibrant community of "seedlings" who embrace a friendly, inclusive style of roleplay. Hats off to Runestone who have indeed created, in the words of Lead Programmer Nis Haller Baggensen, a game "with everything for somebody rather then something for everyone." You might dismiss it as highly experiemental, we think it's... strangely compelling.

Think of the longest-running sci-fi television series and you're likely to blurt out "Star Trek: TNG." Nope, Stargate SG-1 has outlasted Picard and the rest of the "Next Generation" cast by three seasons- spawning one, possibly two, successful spinoffs - and is still going strong. Small wonder that Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment picked up the Stargate license plus a small army of proven developer talent for its freshman MMO effort.

The universe according to Stargate offers a host of MMO-friendly motifs and mechanics, the intricate storyline and faction system, quick-travel mechanic, and squad-based combat to name three. It's no wonder gamers worldwide are jazzed about Stargate Worlds, even though the game's still a good two years away.

Though Pirates of the Burning Sea lacks a publisher, the game doesn't lack much else. Well, other than a release date; but stow your Duke Nukem Forever comparisons matey, this one will be done when it's done right - to paraphrase programmer Kevin Maginn. We're just glad to see that this is one genuinely new MMO concept that won't be launched prematurely due to a dwindling budget.

And what a concept it is. Think EVE Online's novel "every ship has a purpose" ideal meets 18th century naval combat in the bellicose Atlantic Ocean, from the Caribbean all the way to the Spanish Main. Fly the black flag as a pirate or become a letter of marque for England, France, or Spain; go first-person and attack ports and plantations that are up for grabs in PotBS's unique PvP system. Every ship-to-ship combat encounter spawns a special instance, and a battle flag is placed on the map so others can join in. Combat is all about speed, positioning, and exploiting enemy vulnerabilities through ammo choice, etc., just like during the Age of Sail. And, oh, did we mention- dancing shiphands? If you've ever wanted to climb into the buckled shoes of Jack Aubrey or Horatio Hornblower, Flying Labs will soon offer the entire package - complete with powdered wig and peg leg.