Welcome to the 1,184th edition of Loading...
Loading... is the premier daily MMORPG news, coverage, and
commentary newsletter, only from Ten Ton Hammer.
One of the more interesting products I've had the pleasure of
reviewing lately wasn't a game at all. Gunnar Optiks has created a line
of glasses for gamers, complete with stylish and functional designs
said to reduce eyestrain for those who spend countless hours in front
of a computer.Using my prescription glasses and a pair of similarly
shaped and tinted shooting glasses for reference, we'll examine
Gunnar's claims in today's Loading... Sight for Sore Eyes.
The Pulse
You vote with what you view at Ten Ton Hammer, and the
result is the Ten Ton Pulse (
href="http://www.gunnars.com/" target="_blank">What
is The Pulse?).
Here's today's top 5 Pulse results: href="http://www.gunnars.com/">
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/41"
target="_blank">World of Warcraft - Dungeons
& Dragons Online - href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/254">Aion href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/254">
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/43">EVE
Online (UP 3) -
EverQuest
2 (down 1)
Biggest movers this week:
-
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2216">DUST
514 (UP 89 to #14) -
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/117">Star
Trek Online (UP 30 to #11) -
Dragon
Age: Origins (down 6 to #18)
MMO Releases
-
8/25
- CrimeCraft
(release date) - 9/1 -
Champions
Online (release date) - 9/9
- Dungeons
& Dragons Online Unlimited (release date) - 9/15
- Runes
of Magic "The Elven Prophecy" (expansion) - 9/22 -
Fallen
Earth (release date) -
9/22
- Aion
(release date) - 10/8
- Cities
XL (release date)
Releases
- 11/3
- Dragon Age:
Origins (release date) - 12/1
- LotRO:
Siege of Mirkwood (release date)
- 12/2
- DOFUS 2.0
(release date)
- Early 2010
- APB
Important
Dates
- 10/23 - 10/24
- Hero-Con
brought to you today by Runes of Magic. href="http://affiliate.account.frogster-america.com/tentonhammerus/ROM-US/en/">Click
here to explore the best free-to-play MMORPG - Runes of
Magic:
The Elven Prophecy. Join now and create the ultimate fantasy hero.
Loading... Daily
Gunnar Optiks
has developed a
line of "digital performance eyewear" designed to reduce eyestrain when
viewing a computer screen over long periods of time. Since I've been
known to view a computer screen for long periods of time, I picked up a
pair at PAX 2009 just to have, but also possibly for a review. This
review, in fact. Note to the
href="http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/173175/yes_even_you_may_be_covered_by_ftc_paid_endorser_rule.html">FCC
- I paid real money, no like-kind
consideration was given for a future review, nor did I like the product
so much I bought the company. Still, I wasn't disappointed. The glasses
are as
href="http://www.gunnaroptiks.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=16">stylish
as anything you'd buy for twice the price at a high-end
sunglasses boutique, and they're suitable for other "low blink"
applications like night driving. But how and why do they reduce
eyestrain?
Sifting
through the robust marketing on the site, you'll start to see what
makes these glasses unique. The lens material, spiffily dubbed diAMIX,
is a proprietary polymer said to be tougher and have better light
transmission properties than the polycarbonate lenses commonly found in
prescription eyewear.
Lens
tints and coatings filter out the harsh
blues and upper portions of the color spectrum your monitor is likely
pouring into your eyes right now. But even if you opt not to go with
the amber tint (best for monitor viewing, I was told) and go with
crystal clear lenses, you'll still benefit from the wraparound "lens
geometry" - which studies and fancy graphs have shown to increase
moisture retention in
the eye by creating a "microclimate" that traps in humidity and limits
"evaporative air currents." The lens geometry on some models is said to
be tuned to the average distance a person sits from a computer screen,
too.
That's
a bit of the marketing spin, and I'll admit that the demo was
compelling enough for me to drop $75 on the product. I like the freedom
of wearing contacts (though Gunnar has a prescription program too).
Also, I had some alternative uses in mind. So, let's see how the Gunnar
lenses measured up for me, and keep in mind that your mileage may very.
Since PAX, I've had occasion to try out my
href="http://www.gunnaroptiks.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=4">Metallic
Marleys
through dozens of levels of Aion and Champions Online and plenty of EVE
Online too, plus night drives aplenty, on several long flights, and for
a few dozen miles jogging and biking in eye-drying chilly
weather. On average, under normal wear, I can get
about
seven hours out of my contacts before my eyes dry out to a noticeable
degree. My highly subjective proof that the Gunnar glasses do what they
say is that I can get another 2.5 to 3 hours out of my contacts while
wearing the glasses for long intervals, and I prefer contacts
and
Gunnars for long periods of computer work and gaming to my scrips. The
amber color tint is fairly mild and doesn't mess with the game's colors
nearly as much as you'd think, and the clarity of the small text so
common in MMORPG UIs is a little clearer and resolved, especially on
smaller screens.
So the Gunnar Optiks glasses compare favorably
to my prescription glasses on style, wearing comfort, and clarity. But
maybe I could get some of the same benefits. To try it out, I have a
pair of amber tinted wraparound polycarbonate safety glasses that I use
for shooting. Right off the bat, it was clear that the materials in the
Gunnar glasses were much clearer and distortion-free than the
polycarbonates. Through the one session I gamed with ballistic
protection, I didn't get the same moisture benefit despite a fairly
similar geometry, probably due to excessive blinking causes by
lower-quality vision. It seems like Gunnar is definitely onto something
by combining quality materials with good design.
Nothing beats
some occasional rest for your eyes, but if you have trouble with dry
eyes in front of a computer screen (like me, and especially during
allergy season), I'd recommend giving these glasses a try. I'd probably
have paid $20-$30 more for the style and functionality, and am
seriously considering taking them up on their prescription program.
There's even a thirty-day
satisfaction guarantee
to limit your risk if your experience is different than mine. And,
unlike sunglasses, you're far less likely to accidentally grind these
glasses into your car seat or leave them at a restaurant.
Tried
Gunnar Optiks before, perhaps at a games shot? Have problems with dry
eyes while gaming and found another way to solve the problem? Have your
say in the
href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=47015">Loading...
forums and have a great weekend!
Shayalyn's Epic Thread of
the Day
From our href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6">Articles,
News and Events Discussion forum
href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=46969">Windows
7, gaming, and why you should care
In
the past, when my techy husband wasn't around to give me computer
advice, I've fired up MSN Messenger and hunted down my co-worker, Eric
"Dalmarus" Campbell, to beg his assistance. This is because I know
that, by virtue of his techy "day job," Eric knows his stuff.
And, since Eric is so knowledgeable, who better to write up an
article
looking at Windows 7 and gaming? The article has spawned a great
discussion in our forum. If you're wondering whether to upgrade, or if
Vista shook your faith in all things Microsoft, check out what our
community has to say about Windows 7, then href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=46969">join
in the discussion.
==============================
Awesome Quotes from the
Epic Thread
"lol yeah. I always
laugh at the
ppl that say Vista sucks. The only people that think it sucks are the
ones who shouldn't own a computer anyway since they clearly don't know
anything about it. It's a far superior OS to XP, hands down."
- revolution77
"WTF are you smoking
because I would like some of it. IT guys hate Vista
and my wife works for a high security government position and her IT
guys won't touch; Micronuts can't give it to them for free. The only
thing it's far superior at is giving people a migraine headache. Screw
DX10 and Vista they can keep it."
-OneEyeRed
==============================
Have you spotted an Epic Thread on our forums? href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=32559">Tell
us!
8 new Ten Ton Hammer MMOG features today! 49
in October! 1,097 in
2009!
Today's New Features & Guides
-
Aion: First
Impressions href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75321/">
http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75321/
Aion
has been out for several weeks now.
Still haven't decided whether to give NCSoft's latest a try? Sepharious
offers his first impressions.
-
Aion
Newsletter - The Daeva Weekly #4 href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75343">
http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75343
Whether
you quest for your experience or you kill for it, how Aion dishes out
that experience can become very important. This week's word on the
street is that the Korean servers will be seeing a major boost to quest
XP. How does this effect NA and EU servers, and how do players feel
about it? Find out in this week's newsletter!
-
Editorial -
Top Five (or so) Surprises in Aion href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75342/">
http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75342/
Aion
does not revolutionize the way we play MMOGs, but in its own way Aion
smoothes some of the rough edges of an aging market recipe. Learning
from predecessors and contemporaries alike, Aion adds in some much
needed components to set itself apart. Today we review some of those style="font-style: italic;">Aha! game mechanics
that bring a little something different to
the players of Aion.
-
Champions
Online - Supergroup Showcase: The Kinship href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75350">
http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75350
The
strongest heroes in Champions Online often need a hand, and that's why
there are Supergroups. We here at Ten Ton Hammer understand the
importance of player communities in online games, and that's why we've
chosen to showcase a different Supergroup every couple of weeks. This
week we delve into what makes The Kinship tick.
-
Aion Maps:
Pandaemonium and Sanctum href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75317/">
http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75317/
Aion's
biggest cities may have everything you need, but you can only use it if
you can find it! Save yourself some time and check out these
Pandaemonium and Sanctum maps provided by one of our helpful community
members. The labeled and color coded maps will help you find
your
way around town so that you can get back into the action faster and
more prepared.
-
Final Fantasy XIV Screens and Concepts
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/tid/2303">
http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/tid/2303
Japanese
mega-developer Square Enix has released some new media for their
upcoming MMOG, Final Fantasy XIV. The game is being developed for the
PS3 and PC and promises to be as immersive as its predecessors. Set in
the all new world of Eorzea, the game promises all the scenic beauty
and lush landscapes fans of the series have come to expect.
-
Aion Newsletter - The Daeva Weekly #4
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75343">
http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75343
Whether
you quest for your experience or you kill for it, how Aion dishes out
that experience can become very important. This week's word on the
street is that the Korean servers will be seeing a major boost to quest
XP. How does this effect NA and EU servers, and how do players feel
about it? Find out in this week's newsletter!
-
WoW: Reputation Portal
http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/guides/reputation
We've
got a new reputation portal out there for you to find all of our
excellent reputation guides at. As if that wasn't enough, we've also
got our "Gaining Favor" guide updated with new facts. If you need to
gain reputation then our reputation portal will be your first step to
leveling up your rep for the items, the achievements, or enchants.
We've even got class by class guides to what reputations can get you
for you.
Hottest Content:
-
style="font-weight: bold;">Aion: First
Impressions -
style="font-weight: bold;">EVE Online Video
Q&A with GoonSwarm Spymaster 'The Mittani' -
Top
Five (or so) Surprises in Aion href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75342/">
-
Windows
7, Gaming, and Why You Should Care href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75303">
- EVE
Fanfest 2009 - DUST 514 Overview
and Gameplay Video - Ease
of Access - Case Studies
in Accessibility and Popularity -
Editorial
- Moving the
Genre Forward - A Look at Innovative Game Mechanics href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75294">
- Goonswarm's
Darius Johnson at the EVE Alliance Panel -
style="font-weight: bold;">Aion Maps:
Pandaemonium and Sanctum href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/75317/">
-
style="font-weight: bold;">Fallen Earth - First
Impressions
Thanks for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!
- Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle and the Ten Ton Hammer
team
