Loading... The Search for the Holy Grail

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Posted Tue, Nov 17, 2009 by B. de la Durantaye

Welcome to the 1,210th edition of Loading...

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

The search for the ultimate MMOG has become almost crusade-like for thousands of gamers. A lot of these gamers come from earlier times, with fond memories of experiences that have happened a decade ago. The real question becomes, is the search all for naught, or will there be a happy ending? We explore the possibilities in Loading... The Search for the Holy Grail.

The Pulse

You vote with what you view at Ten Ton Hammer, and the result is the Ten Ton Pulse (What is The Pulse?).

Here's today's top 5 Pulse results:

Biggest movers over the past week:

Dragon Age Origins (DOWN 5 to #9)
Star Trek Online (DOWN 3 to #13)
Torchlight (DOWN 3 to #16)

Recent Releases

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)
11/3 - Dragon Age: Origins (release date)
11/10 - Final Fantasy XI Ultimate Collection (release date)

Upcoming Releases

12/1 - LotRO: Siege of Mirkwood (expansion)
12/1 - EVE Online: Dominion (expansion)
12/2 - DOFUS 2.0 (release date)
12/15 - EverQuest: Underfoot (expansion)
2/2 - Star Trek Online (release date)
Early 2010 - APB
Feb. 2010 - EverQuest 2: Sentinel's Fate (expansion)

Loading... Daily

Last week, we asked our premium members to share some of their fondest MMO experiences. Submissions came in both through the thread, and via email, and it also got the Ten Ton Hammer staff talking.

Several of us on staff play many, if not most MMOGs that are released. It's part of the job description, at least for the editor staff (our community site staff is pretty dedicated to their game). We're not alone, either. More and more, we see a very large segment of our readers doing the same thing. I see it in my personal guild as well. We don't stick with any one game for very long any more, and we're always trying out the newest title, and seeing how it stacks up against the rest. In fact, Medawky approached me the other day, and told me it was funny to watch our guild forums. It's a very clear pattern of mention game, curiosity posts, we start playing, flurry of posting, crafting and grouping starts, and boom, everything stops, and we move on to the next game. And, while my band of brothers and sisters do have some games we will always love, and go back to frequently (namely EverQuest 2), Medawky isn't wrong. We do hop games a lot, and I don't know if it will ever end.

Don't look at me with judgment in your eyes! Many of you do it too. And, it's not a bad thing. Trying out new games is very important. Getting a proper feel for a game, and acknowledging its strengths and weaknesses, is fundamental to growth in the industry. I'm not talking about the people that play for 5 hours over 2 weeks and then go back to whatever it was they were playing before. I'm talking about really sinking your teeth into a game, leveling up to at least mid-range, if not max level, trying out the new mechanics, taking part in all of the varied game play you can from crafting to solo to group to raid to whatever else the game offers, and then making your call from there. Most won't do that. A lot will come into a game with a prejudice, and then start their "victory" posts about how a game sucks after they level up solo to level 7. But, to the people who actually give a game a fair shot, and allow themselves to have fun (and make no mistake - EVERY game has at least some fun to it), I salute you.

So, back to the topic at hand, there is an elite few who will give all of these games a fair shot. These people are what I refer to as the grail hunters. Their search for the Atlantis of MMOs helps drive the genre to new heights, and evolution. And their motivation often comes from memories of a better time. They've witnessed first-hand how deeply a game can affect their lives, and long for another game to touch them the way they once did. Perhaps some of these memories may be seen through rose colored glasses, but that doesn't change the drive and thirst for something better. And if it weren't for these crusaders, we would all still be playing (or not playing) a very watered down, bland sort of MMOG. Far too many are content with the lackluster products that have launched in the past, or the mega-games that capitalize off progressive devco's innovation. Even these mega-games would be pretty dry if it weren't for the thrill seekers pushing for new ideas which, in turn, has developing companies coming up with new, insightful, and exciting evolutionary additions to the genre as a whole. They simply take those ideas that other companies have developed and slap them into their game, earning the praise of millions as if it was their own design.

The grail hunters are wise to this though. They've played the games, so they know where the ideas have come from, and where credit is due. And while some of the titles may have some greatness to them, the hunt continues, because to these hunters, the grail is still out there. There's still always going to be more that can be done to bring back some of the magic of the times of yore.

So will we ever find the Holy Grail? Who knows? Possibly, but I dare say, probably not. But really, that's not what's important. The search itself is the important thing, as it's that search and passionate drive that contributes greatly to the success of the industry. Tell me I'm wrong in the forums.

Shayalyn's Epic Thread of the Day

From our PC & Console (Non-MMO) Games forum

Dragon Age Origins...Origins

What's your point of origin in Dragon Age Origins? Kitsunegirl has played through several starting areas, and she definitely has her favorite. What's yours? This active thread bids you to share and discuss one of the hottest single-player game launches of the season in our PC & Console (Non-MMO) Games forum.

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Awesome Quotes from the Epic Thread

"I've uh.... almost gathered all the armies, and have played 20+ hours of gameplay. Human Noble. I <3 this game."

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

5 new Ten Ton Hammer MMOG features today! 62 in November! 3,034 in 2009!

New Exclusives Today at Ten Ton Hammer

Global Agenda Medic Class Q&A with Exec. Producer Todd Harris
So far Global Agenda’s Recon and Assault classes have defied our expectations, but is the Medic class more than a healbot or ball-and-chain for the shock troops? As it turns out, the highly versatile Medic has a tools of both regeneration and destruction at hand and can be a formidable opponent, even solo. Join Todd Harris and Ten Ton Hammer for a candid review of the Medic’s capabilities in our Ten Ton Hammer exclusive Global Agenda Medic class Q&A!

New Features

Alganon – Breaking Out of the MMOG Mold in Open Beta
Tired of being a copycat of every other player you see running around in your game of choice? How about being fed up with being expected to use the same play style day after day after eternally dragging day? If you answered yes to either question, then listen up folks because Alganon may be the cure for your gaming woes. Join Eric “Dalmarus” Campbell as he dives into the game and makes more than one unexpected discovery.

New Guides

Aion Alchemy Guide 100-199
Now that Alchemy 101 is over, we take it to the next level in our next Aion Alchemy guide. Or next 100 levels, I guess. New opportunities for greatness and more importantly profit open up in this range. We get you to 199 with a minimum of effort in our guide to tier 2 of Alchemy, 100-199!
Champions Online : Melee Tank Build Guide
Creating a build for Champions Online can be difficult with the insane number of choices a player has. Fortunately for you, your friends at Ten Ton Hammer are here to provide a quick guide for a melee-style tank build for your superhero meat shield.
Runes of Magic - The Scout: Beginners Guide
Do you like to have at least three ways out of every situation? The Scout is the tactical ranged class in Runes of Magic. A class that will best serve you the further away you are from the fight. So... with out further ado join ZeroMerc in the Scouts guide

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