Welcome to the 1,135th Edition of Loading...

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

Leipzig's Games Convention Online closed down yesterday and we'll bring you the highs and the lows (but mostly the lows) from the premier European games conference of yesteryear. More bad news for The Agency fans, as two of the game's top devs pull out to form their own studio, and on a brighter front, is Blizzard becoming more open and transparent about dealing with ongoing player concerns? It's all in today's Loading... Defection at The Agency.

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Loading... Daily

Games Convention, one of our favorite shows of yesteryear, wrapped up yesterday in Leipzig, a shadow of its former glory. The only MMO-related story we could find so far was a predictably snide Kotaku piece on a PvP MMO called Project S by Korean portal Gamigo. The old GC (now rechristined "Games Convention Online") can still draw a crowd, with a reported 28,000 in attendance by the halfway point.

Not to write Leipzig GC's epitaph - we loved the area, the people, and especially the food and the beer. Leipzig Messe, architecturally modeled on the crystal palace expo centers of world fair fame and not to mention absolutely frickin' huge, was more than adequate. The logistics of the area was not. With many of the hotels a painful $120 cab ride away (or typically hours away by shuttle), the after-hours downtown melange where half of a con's business is typically done, never materialized. Heavyweights like EA and Activision Blizzard opted to go with GamesCom in a more pricey (but more centralized) Cologne. Taking a cue from E3 Santa Monica in 2006, we usually don't attend conventions the first year after a venue change, but we'll be watching closely and saving our pfennigs for next year.

Gamespot (thanks Ralsu!) is reporting that Matt Wilson and John Smith have left The Agency's dev team at SOE Seattle to create a new studio, Detenator Games. It's been almost a month since Detonator's formation, but since Detenator is targeted at mobile and casual games, the new studio is off our radar screen. Matt Wilson was especially well known as a figurehead for both Mythica and The Agency, and this explains his no-show at E3 2009 and seems to indicate that he's much better at launching studios than releasing games. In any case, Detonator's focus on asset-light games will allow Wilson to stay out of the limelight until the studio-creation mood strikes him again. Despite the tacit vote of no-confidence by the Detonator devs, SOE insists that the beat goes on for The Agency, which was just starting to seem convincing at E3 2009.

Amid rumors that World of Warcraft subscriptions have fallen sharply in recent (mostly due to the licensing limbo that WoW in China currently face, to be fair), is Blizzard coming out of its shell a bit regarding WoW's latest hotbutton issue: busy world servers and full instances, especially on the EU side? WoW.com seems to think so, and notes that recent forum posts give players a rare glimpse, albeit a small one, into back-end decision making.

Let's hear from you: Should we make Euro games conferences more of a priority? Still hoping for a concrete launch windo and more from The Agency? Do you want more openness from Blizzard, or would you rather they continue their time-honored ways of secret sorcery? Stop by the Loading... forum, or feel free to email me..

Shayalyn's Epic Thread of the Day



From our Warhammer Online News and Announcements Forum:

WAR's "The Wild Hunt" Event Coming Soon



...but players want fixes more than content or a Mac client.

Imagine you were building some elaborate structure, like a skyscraper, in stages. Rumors circulate that the substandard work was done on the foundation, but you continue to build new floors with trendy new architectural and design features. Could you get new tenants to move in without addressing or dispelling those unfavorable rumors?

Mythic claims that the live team continues to fix class balance issues as they arise, but many remain unconvinced. A few of the malcontents stopped by our WAR forums to jeer the latest live event announcement. Can Mythic do anything at this point to reclaim the trust of many dissatisfied PvPers?



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Awesome Quotes from the Epic Thread



"Let me get this straight. They made a live event. This new zone is only going to be around for the duration of the live event, and this it goes poof? If this event goes away forever like the last two did, then I think they could have put their resources to better use by fixing stuff, or I dunno... giving us back the cut cities." - kitsunegirl

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

6 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 6 in August! 866 in 2009!

New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today

• Bringing MMOs to Consoles - A Discussion with Turbine
  At this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Ten Ton Hammer's Cody “Micajah” Bye sat down with Henrik Strandberg, Executive Director of Product Development for Turbine, to first discuss his company's achievements with revitalizing the Dungeons and Dragons Online franchise and then exploring the hurdles and advantages when creating an MMO for the console market. The discussion is frank and genuine, so if you're interested in learning more about the future of DDO and Turbine's console MMO, keep reading.
• Builds and Roles in Champions Online
  Unlike traditional MMOGs, characters in Champions Online need not conform to rigidly defined classes, or perhaps more importantly, the standard roles typically associated with a class-based system. As you progress and unlock new powers, talents and advantages, you’re free to pick and choose exactly what path your character will ultimately follow.
• Perfect World International - New Dev Journal: Flying Mounts
  While flying mounts are becoming more commonplace in MMOGs, Perfect World International sets itself apart from the crowd by allowing players to enter aerial combat while flying high on their Flying Swords, Beasts or Wings. In a new dev journal, project manager Jon Belliss discusses how players can earn and use a flying mount of their very own in PWI.
• World of Warcraft - PvP Basics for the Druid
  Believe it or not WoW started out as a PvP centric game. As the game has evolved it has been relegated to feeling almost like a mini-game. With Wrath of the Lich King Blizzard reintroduced world PvP to the game with the addition of Wintergrasp and added a new battleground with a world PvP feel in Strand of the Ancients. With more focus being brought back towards PvP it's time to take a look at the finer points of PvP. Join Medawky as he breaks down what to expect and how to thrive in this updated version of his World of Warcraft player vs player guide.
• World of Warcraft Shaman Guide: Gems and Enchants for Your Shaman
  That hard work you put in to gear up your shaman whether it be grinding out faction rewards, questing, 5 man instances, or the many hours you put in with PvE raiding. Now it's time to enhance your gear with gems and enchants. Don't be a noob and run around Dalaran with naked purple gear! Join Russell as he guides you through World of Warcraft Shaman Guide Gems and Enchants.
• LOTRO From Past to Present – A Look at the Books 9-11
  The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) has received a lot of new content, mechanics, and features since it's launch. This can make returning players feel like newbs all over again as they readjust and try to learn all the new content and changes that have been introduced to the game. This week Ten Ton Hammer examines the content introduced with Books 9 through 11 in the first of a series of articles aimed at bringing new and returning players up to speed on all the LOTRO content.

Hottest Content:

1. Bringing MMOs to Consoles - A Discussion with Turbine
2. Builds and Roles in Champions Online
3. EVE Online - Sins of a Solar Spymaster #22 - The Seven Types of Spy
4. Champions Online: Nemesis and Omega Interview with Bill Roper
5. LOTRO From Past to Present – A Look at the Books 9-11
6. DC Universe Online Hands-On PvP Preview from Comic-Con '09
7. Star Wars: The Old Republic Comic-Con Interview - Exploring the Expanded Universe
8. World of Warcraft - PvP Basics for the Druid
9. Picking Up Cool Perks in Champions Online
10. World of Warcraft: The Ultimate Guide to Ulduar's Bosses: Razorscale
    

Thanks for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!

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