cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="border: 0px solid ; width: 620px; height: 271px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77893">
Santa is a universal symbol of the holiday season. It
doesn't really matter whether you gather 'round a Christmas tree, or
light the Hanukkah menorah, or warm your hands and your spirits beside
the Yule log, the jolly fat man with the white beard and the red suit
is everywhere, on every corner, belting out a cheery, "Ho ho ho!" and
bidding childen to share their deepest holiday gift desires with him,
whether
they're wishing for something as simple as a teddy bear, as
technological as a new iPhone, or as sentimental as world peace.
(Although, show us a kid who wishes for world peace and we'll show you
a kid who's never been exposed to the joys of an Xbox 360.)



This year, Ten Ton Hammer asked our developer friends, all big kids at
heart, to whisper their fondest wishes into ol' St. Nick's ear...MMOG
style. Their Letters to Santa range from heartfelt to hilarious, so
peer over Santa's shoulder and take a look at their Christmas lists.
Have they been naughty or nice? Only Santa knows! Click the links below
or click through each page to see what devs are asking for.


MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">

Aion (NCSoft)



Our friends at NCSoft, developers of href="http://tentonhammer.com/aion">Aion, passed
along a letter from Tutty, every newcomer to Atreia's favorite porgus.
Tutty's requests are simple ones. We hope Santa finds his way to Atreia
on time to warn Tutty about those creatures around the campfire, though.


cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,



My name is Tutty, and I'm just a Porgus, but Master Pernos says I'm
very special. I've been good all year. Will you visit me
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 300px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77909"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 300px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77909">

Tutty
roasting on an open fire.

and bring me
gifts?
Visit
me in Atreia! It's a nice place. We don't have elves in our world, and
you'd probably find that refreshing. Likewise no reindeer. I overheard
the Daevas talking, though, and I hear we do "flying slay" better than
anyone.




I'm a simple
Porgus, but I don't want to be a pig! I want others to have some nice
things so here is my holiday wish list:

style="font-style: italic;">

  • “Take a number” ticket dispensers for Master
    Pernos and all the other people of Atreia who walk around with glowing
    arrows above their heads
  • Snuggies for all the angry, feral people near
    the North Pole of Atreia
  • A star to decorate the top of Daminu’s head
    with. Nothing says Christmas like a decorated Elim!
  • A beard trimmer for everyone who has beards
    like you Santa
  • More visits from that giant bunny that makes
    volcanoes
  • Videos of people playing music on a big piano
  • Peace on Atreia

I don't want
to be a greedy Porgus, so that's the end of my list. I want Master
Pernos to be surprised when you visit, so I'm going to sneak away with
this letter when his back is turned.

style="font-style: italic;">


Hopefully
I'll find a mailbox and be back before he knows I'm gone. Maybe the
creatures by that campfire over there can show me the way…

style="font-style: italic;">


Sincerely,
style="font-style: italic;">


Tutty
the Porgus




P.S. Watch
out for the Shugos here in Atreia—they’re not going to like you giving
things away for free. I think their hearts are two sizes too small.



More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">


Atlantica Online / WonderKing Online (Ndoors)

The fine folks over at NDOORS, developers of href="http://tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1303">Atlantica
Online and
WonderKing
Online
, have some demands for the jolly fat man. If
 the milk and cookies don't win Santa over, maybe this form
of...persuasion will.




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">


Hi Santa,
it’s been a very long time. We here at Ndoors have been
incredibly nice, and we have been nice every year, but you never seem
to drop by. We wait all night and have cookies and milk waiting for
you, but you never show up. Perhaps it’s not right to make a Wish List,
because that is not how we get things done around here. Therefore, we
now have a list of demands we would like to make. Consider this a
declaration of war upon the North Pole if our demands are not met.

style="font-style: italic;">

  1. We want users from every MMORPG on Earth to
    come play WonderKing and/or Atlantica. (We will settle for 6 out of the
    7 continents. Antarctica will remain
    under your control. You can’t fool us with this imaginary location
    called the “North Pole”. We know you live somewhere in Antarctica.)
  2. We want all your elves to be working in our
    office. Their nimble, quick
    thinking, cheerful nature will brighten up our office and increase
    efficiency – that is until we make them work 23 hour shifts. I’m sure
    you already do that. How else would you get gifts for EVERY SINGLE
    CHILD ON THE PLANET?
  3. We want brand new computers for our office. And
    really comfy chairs. Our backs hurt.
  4. We want you to come to Ndoors so we can get
    your autograph.

To make sure
your understand the gravity of the situation, we have
taken the liberty of holding your gift bag as hostage. The following
picture is evidence.



style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; width: 300px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77908"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 300px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77908">

Dashing
through the snow!



You WILL
have a Merry Christmas if you meet these demands. If not,
prepare for PvP… MMO style. Here's a preview of what we're capable of:

style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; width: 550px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77907"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 550px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77907">

Hellish
firepower unleashed!



You have
until the 25th.




Vengefully
yours,




Ndoors
Interactive – WonderKing, Atlantica Online

style="font-style: italic;">
Nam
Kim, A.K.A Game Master JustWondering.





More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Champions Online (Cryptic Studios)

Champions Online
Executive Producer, Bill Roper, doesn't want much, just some of that
stuff Jim Croce once wished he could save in a bottle 'til eternity
passes away. (Time, you whipersnappers! Time!)




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">


First of
all, let me say that I’m a huge fan. I’m inspired by the fact that even
though you have a very hard line with splitting your global community
into subjective, unilaterally decided upon categories like Naughty and
Nice, everyone seems to genuinely love what you do.

style="font-style: italic;">


I’ve asked
for lots of different things in the past. I know you never brought me
that personal gold farmer, or made sure that
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 300px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/69813"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 300px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/69813">

Perhaps
saving time in a bottle looks something like this....

movie
sequels don’t suck, but I’m hoping this year you can dig deep into that
big bag of yours and find just one little thing for me. It isn’t much,
really, and you can even just stuff it in a stocking if coming all the
way down the chimney is too much work.

style="font-style: italic;">


Time. I
think we’d all like just a little more, please. Time to get that last
feature in, to get another run through QA, to polish based on beta
feedback, to get that marketing campaign into full swing, to continue
to improve the game once it’s out, to see our friends and family, to
sleep. We don’t need that much time, Santa. Just enough to get done
what needs getting done.




I know time
is money, on my side, and if it was in a bottle it could be saved ‘til
eternity passes away – so if what I’m asking is too much, how about
just some of that mojo or elf dust or whatever it is that lets you get
around the world in one night? We could at least shave off some
distribution time that way and get a few more days on the manufacturing
end.




But, if it’s
like last year, I’ll probably just get “Saint Nicked” again this year
(LOL). See you at the “Hey, I was expecting the best gift ever and all
I got was this stupid lump of coal” convention in Vegas this summer!

style="font-style: italic;">


Bill
Roper, Executive Producer for Champions Online





More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



CrimeCraft (Vogster Entertainment)

Kevin Balentine, Senior Community Manager for href="http://tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1012">CrimeCraft,
has a few simple Christmas wishes for Santa, including some extra
special skills. (But Kev, won't your superspecial dev powers do?) He
also has a message of thankfulness and peace (no, not really!) for the
Australian Classification Board.




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa Claus,
style="font-style: italic;">


I know
you’re busy this time of year separating out that naughty and nice
list, but just so you know, I’ve been all right this year. I don’t know
if you’re still making deliveries to New Jersey, but I thought I would
pass on a few requests just in case.

style="font-style: italic;">


What would I
like for Christmas 2009? A few things come to mind … better shooter
skills for one. I’m tired of getting killed over and over again by
players in MY game. I should be gunning fools down like a gangster …
oh, I just got headshot again. Santa, if I could get FPS skills for
Christmas I would be the happiest community manager EVER!

style="font-style: italic;">
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 300px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/66586"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 300px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/66586">

Maybe
this is where the coal is stored.



By the way,
I saw someone running around in game named S4tan_Claws and I was
wondering if that was you. Just in case, sorry about jacking those loot
boxes out from under you.

style="font-style: italic;">


I want to
close this letter by letting you know a few of the things my co-workers
at Vogster and I are thankful for:

style="font-style: italic;">


We’re very
thankful that we are officially banned in Australia. There’s a country
that could learn a thing or two about adults and videogames. We won’t
compromise our vision to get rated. (Please send the Australian
Classification Board lots of coal this year!
)
style="font-style: italic;">


We’re also
thankful for our all of our dedicated players and our partners
throughout the industry!




Thanks for
everything Santa,




- style="font-weight: bold;">- KevinB style="font-style: italic;">




More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)


cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Dofus (Ankama)

Samuel Lorétan, Project Manager and Lead Programer for Ankama Studios,
has a heartfelt wish for reaching out to gamers around the world. Dear
Santa, please deliver! The more gamers in our world the better.




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 100px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77896"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 100px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77896">

Samuel
Lorétan



As a member
of the MMOG developers’ community, I’m happy to say that this year,
once again, our player base has grown more than ever. We spread the joy
of venturing through virtual worlds to so many people! Of course, you
do remember that a few years ago, only a small bunch of young souls
were asking you to provide them with powerful items on Ultima Online.
And some time before that, old geeks wished for more gold on
their local university MUD. Well, we have made some progress since
then. Now, even YOU can be a star in some of our online worlds!

style="font-style: italic;">


This year,
we could only wish for one more collaboration with you. Let’s spread
together the experience of gaming to more

people.
With all our efforts to spread on traditional distribution networks and
on the Internet, there are so many folks we will not be able
to reach without your help. We often forget that we’re working for a
minority, those with a computer, those connected to a network. So for
this Christmas, I wish for more people to have access to our worlds,
for them to get a nice computer and of course, a peaceful environment
to use it in.




Let us
create more dreams for the people out there. Let us put a dream in
everyone’s head! Isn’t that what gaming is meant for?

style="font-style: italic;">


Samuel
Lorétan

style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">
Project
Manager & Lead Programer

style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">
The
DOFUS
Team


Ankama
Studio



style="margin: 10px auto; border-collapse: collapse; width: 500px; text-align: left;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77913"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 500px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77913">

A
festive holiday scene...Dofus style!






More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



EVE Online (CCP)

Páll "CCP Fear" Ívarsson speaks for our friends in Iceland,
CCP Games, developers of EVE
Online
.
Even though there's plenty of geothermal goodness to keep CCP warm on
their "harsh rock" in Reykjavik, CCP Fear has a plan for
turning
up the heat this winter.




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">

Dear Santa
style="font-style: italic;">


In
the cold wintery months of Iceland, one must bear thought to the
fires  sparkling in the living rooms of most abodes, the ideal
place to keep warm on this harsh rock in the North Atlantic. Heat is
very important to me and I have no desire to be cold during the holiday
season, as it makes turns me into a shivering Grinch of a man.

style="font-style: italic;">
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 300px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77895"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 300px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77895">

Iversson
(left) and Nathan Richardsson making merry.



I strive to
be as jolly as you, and with winter upon us I often scheme to retain
heat during the season. As you are undoubtedly
style="font-style: italic;">aware,
internet spaceships come with the unique ability to overheat their
modular systems, increasing their output in times of distress - but
damaging them in the process.  This makes me rather envious of
spaceships that can heat themselves so easily, as my own earth
technology struggles to keep up—even surrounded by all this bountiful
geothermal power.



Santa,
I must ask for your help on the matter. If you provide me with an
soul-warming hearth for my apartment in Reykjavik, I’ll strive to use
all my game designer superpowers to make sure that these vengeful and
spiteful “masses-of-scrap-metal with a thermostats” will remain cool
and docked peacefully in station, keeping your flight route free of
pirates and ensuring the safe passage of your precious cargo throughout
the holiday season. As you know, capsuleers are the ingenious and
combative type, so you should probably attach at least two warp core
stabilizers to your sleigh before undocking.

style="font-style: italic;">


Much obliged,
style="font-style: italic;">


Páll
"CCP Fear" Ívarsson





More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Fallen Earth

Lee Hammock, lead game designer for Fallen Earth, has a number of
wishes for Santa. Which ones would you
grant?




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 250px; font-style: italic;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77892"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 250px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77892">

Lee
Hammock with his epic pipe.



This
year for Christmas, as I have been ever so good, I would like a set of
goggles to turn off my game designer eye. Unfortunately these days I
cannot play a video game, particularly MMOs, without looking at it
through the angle of trying to figure out what the designer’s goal was,
how they were working to achieve it, how I would do it, etc. This
questioning attitude is as bad, if not worse, than being a cynic and
sucks the fun out of playing games very quickly. This is not to say I
could do better, but instead that I want to not care to consider if I
could.




And more
hours in the day.




And more
days in the week. Especially the weeks before deadlines.

style="font-style: italic;">


And a pony.
style="font-style: italic;">


And a
Post-Apocalyptic Radio Holiday Special.

style="font-style: italic;">


And a
Wasteland News Holiday Edition.

style="font-style: italic;">


And to get
Two Skinnee J’s back together and not more of this five show reunion
tour crap. New album or nothing.

style="font-style: italic;">


And a new
pipe. The beard demands it.

style="font-style: italic;">


And
for our FE players, all coal they get—at least salvaged coal since they
can use that shit to make steel. Who doesn’t like steel? Not that any
of our players would be naughty.

style="font-style: italic;">


That’s about
it.




Oh
yeah, watch out for the kitty litter next to the fire place. We don’t
use the fireplace so it works for us, but yeah, that could end up messy.

style="font-style: italic;">


Lee




style="margin: 10px auto; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 554px; text-align: left;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77914"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 550px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77914">

Somehow
we're not sure we trust these gifts.




More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Gamepot

Gamepot introduced the free-to-play MMOG href="http://tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2265">Bright
Shadow
in November of this year. Misty Wyrick, Operations Staff for Gamepot,
offers up a Christmas list fit for a gamer (completely with epic
loots), and reminds St. Nick not to skimp. Preach it, Misty!




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">


How
are you? Play any good games lately? I bet you get ultra beta access,
since you bring everyone their video games for Christmas! 
2009
has been exciting, lots of good games have come out. Even some from
here at Gamepot. *waves* Hi Bright Shadow and Mir 2!

style="font-style: italic;">


Now,
let’s get down to business. I've been good this year, so it's time for
you to pay up, fat man. >:] Those cookies aren't cheap!

style="font-style: italic;">


-All the new
consoles.


A
lot of new consoles are out now, and I need to work on my collection.
Keepin' up with the times, ya know! Throwing in some of those latest
games for them wouldn't hurt either. Don't skimp!

style="font-style: italic;">


-New Gaming
Keyboard


>_>
Soda got spilled on my last one... I blame Canada. (No offense Canada.
Hey, call me later.)




-Epic Loots.


Uh, duh?
style="font-style: italic;">


-Bug Spray
style="font-style: italic;">
You
know...to get rid of the bugs...

style="font-style: italic;">


-A snow day.
style="font-style: italic;">
I
know this is tough, but Southern California would TOTALLY freak out if
you did this. Makings of a ROFLMAO moment. Besides, I'm sure some of
the guys and gals in the industry out here could use the vacation (to
stay home for the day and play games, of course).

style="font-style: italic;">


-Less QQ
more PewPew.




And maybe
you can throw something like "world peace" in there, I suppose.
>_>




I guess
that's it. And hey! Watch out for that eggnog! No drinking and flying!
(Same goes for you, stop light nose!)

style="font-style: italic;">


Happy
holidays from Gamepot USA! Rockin' this year and those to come!

style="font-style: italic;">


Regards,
style="font-style: italic;">


Misty
Wyrick


Operations
Staff, Gamepot (USA)



style="margin: 10px auto; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 554px; text-align: left;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77915"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 550px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77915">

C'mon,
admit it--this looks kinda fun.






More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Global Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)

Todd Harris of Hi-Rez Studios, developers of href="http://tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/926">Global
Agenda,
penned this heartfelt missive to the Big Guy. Although Santa is clearly
an elf sympathizer, we're certain he'll understand and hear Todd's
plea. Maybe.




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);">
style="font-style: italic;"> style="width: 533px; height: 640px;" alt="Dear Santa Letter"
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77917">


style="margin: 10px auto; border-collapse: collapse; width: 550px; text-align: left;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77916"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 550px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77916">

Holiday
greetings...Global Agenda style!




More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



ijji.com

Joseph Amper, Marketing Coordinator for game portal  href="http://www.ijji.com/">ijji.com,
offers some selfless Christmas wishes for both good community and good
journalism in the MMOG space, and one more self-centered wish for
coffee (although, we can see that wish providing benefits to humanity
as a whole).




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">

Dear Santa,



How are
you?  I heard you were making room for a virtual goods
division in your workshop. Amazing how you’re never
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 24px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77891"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 250px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77891">

Joesph
Amper

behind the
times…




This is my
wish list for Christmas:



  • I
    wish ego-stroking players would grief less and spend more time making
    friends.  I also wish that people on the receiving end of
    grief
    would try harder not to let it ruin their days. 
  • I wish certain journalists and other industry
    professionals would dig a
    little deeper when judging microtransaction-based games – these games
    have actually come a long way in the past couple of years.  I
    read the
    same misconceptions over and over, and then I read articles with good
    ideas for game balance that are already implemented in plenty of games.
  • I wish MMO gamers could understand how much so
    many community managers,
    GMs, and support people really care about making their experience a
    good one – all it takes is one bad egg to ruin that image.
  • I wish that those community managers, GMs, and
    support people who don’t care about their communities would GTFO.
  • I wish there was a coffee drink called “Joey,”
    that is a 16-ounce iced
    mocha latte with an extra shot of espresso and one measure each of
    chocolate and white chocolate, so I would never ever have to repeat
    that ever again.



Sincerely,
style="font-style: italic;">


Joseph
Amper


Marketing
Coordinator

style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">
ijji.com

style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">



More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Jack Emmert (Cryptic Studios)

When
we read this letter to Santa, we know that Jack Emmert, C.O.O. of
Cryptic Studios, understands the needs of gamers and speaks for us all.
Can we get an amen...or how about a hearty "Ho ho ho!"?




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,



I’d
really like some MMORPG’s to come out that are different, unique. It’s
been awhile, but we haven’t had anything to shake things up. Seems like
there’s been a lot of cookie cutter games. Sure, different genres are
nice, but I’d really like some game mechanics that are just wild and
off the wall. Admittedly, I think we’ve got something cooking already
here at Cryptic with Star Trek Online, but I’d love to see more of it.



And
I can’t wait to see MMORPG’s on my consoles! I’ve written you letters
in the past about this, but it seems that it’s finally going to come
true.



I can’t wait for the color tablet reader. I think the
Kindle is great (my wife liked hers last year), but until I can read my
comics on them, I don’t think I’ll be making the switch.



I know
that these won’t be out in time, but I’m very excited for the Warhammer
40K tyranid codex that’s out in January. If you can find your way to
sneak anything under the tree early…I won’t tell if you don’t!



By
the way, instead of cookies, I’ve got another little gift for you: a
Star Trek Online beta code! Best thing ever. Shame it won’t be out in
time for your big day, but you can get it for Mrs. Claus at Valentine’s
Day.



Jack Emmert,
COO Cryptic Studios





More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">

Lord of the Rings Online (Turbine)

It's
probably not reasonable to ask Santa for the big ticket items
like
peace on earth, which means something on a slightly smaller scale will
have to suffice. Brian "Zombie Columbus" Aloisio, Game Systems Designer
for Lord of the
Rings Online
, understands this, and his
letter reflects that understanding eloquently.




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">


As
an MMO developer, I’ve become a rather cynical person.  It is
par
for the course; you need thick skin and a dark sense of
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 24px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77897"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 250px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77897">

You
can't go wrong with a nickname like Zombie Columbus. For real.


humor.  I say this so
you’ll know that when I hear people ask for “Peace on Earth” for
Christmas, I’m well aware of how corny and perhaps insincere it
sounds.  People who ask for things for other people rub me the
wrong way.  It just doesn’t feel right, and I question their
motives.  Yet, we all have to live in the world, so asking for
it
to be a better place is good for yourself as well.  But I
digress.




For
Christmas, I want peace in the MMO space.  I want everyone to
realize that there are many people with many different
tastes.  A
game that is perfect for one person, can be bad for another. 
This
does not make the game good or bad, or either person more correct then
the other.  I want players to realize that developers do their
best with the resources they have and that not all of their requests
are reasonable. I want developers to realize that players
each
have their own definition of fun and that talking to them is
worthwhile.  I want the haters to stop hating, then fanbois to
chill out, and for everyone to realize they have more in common than
they thought.




 That
and an RTS MMO.




Brian
“Zombie Columbus” Aloisio
style="font-style: italic;">




More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Runes of Magic (Frogster)

Christopher
"Icarii"  Ducrest swears he's on the Good List--who are we to
question him? After all, his letter provided some valuable ideas for
our own wish lists. (Well, with the exception, maybe, of the whole
anti-puppy thing.)


cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">December 10, 2009
style="font-style: italic;">


Santa Claus
style="font-style: italic;">
The North
Pole




Dear Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">


It
has been  quite a crazy year. Honestly, for the most part, I
have
been a good boy. Though, there was that time in Cabo....

style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 304px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77890"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 300px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77890">

Icarii
may not like puppies, but other than that we're sure he's a swell guy.
See?



On the top of my wish
list Santa, I would like a Zelda-themed MMO. Please oh please pull some
strings at Nintendo and convince them to make it!



My
girlfriend also wants a puppy, I don't. If you could just happen to
drop the puppy off somewhere else I would be forever thankful. Better
yet, make HelloPuppy Online and we can call it a done deal.



I
would really like to see more MMO themed clothing lines. With the
amazing artists that this industry has, it would be cool to see some
more branded items from those talented guys and girls.



My mouse has been bad lately and what better way to punish it than by
getting me the new href="http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-mice/razer-naga/">Razer
Naga.



While
you're digging through your goody bag Santa, please pull out an intern
who knows how to make a good cup of coffee. The last one you gave me
breaks down all the time, runs late and never replaces the toilet paper
in the company restroom. This has led to some interesting adventures.



The
last item on my wish list is the virtual mount converter. I have too
many in-game mounts and I need a car...bad. You've got a reindeer with
a glowing red nose so I know this can be done somehow. If you can, I
would like the new Nissan 350Z. At this point I'll take it in any
color...even pink.




On the good
list – check it!




-Icarii




More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Star Trek Online (Cryptic Studios)

What
did Star Trek Online Producer, Craig Zinkievich, get for the holidays?
Elf grief--'nuf said. And you thought those were just incredibly short
Romulans, didn't you? Read it and weep, my friends.




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;"> style="font-style: italic;">Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">


Oh-ho,
and where has the time gone my rotund and jolly friend? Is it December
already? A yearly list you desire and a list you shall have, you adept
distributor of wonderful goods! But, before we get down to 2009’s
“wishing,” perhaps we could take a moment to follow-up on our previous
communication?

style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 304px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77918"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 300px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77918">

Not
a tribble, but just as troublesome./em>



I
really – truly – do so appreciate the excitement and passion that your
indentured elves have brought into the Star Trek Online Beta. And I
certainly do not regret sending them invites. Oh, no. Certainly not!
But – and it’s an ever-so-small but – could you please politely ask
them to stop griefing players every second of every day?

style="font-style: italic;">


We’ve posted
on the forums. Pleaded, really.

style="font-style: italic;">


We’ve sent
warning e-mails. Demanded, even!

style="font-style: italic;">


We’ve
utilized the awesome power of Customer Service to suspended and / or
ban no less than 26 separate accounts registered with “@northpole” or
“@elvenworkshop” e-mail addresses! Banned! And can you believe it?

style="font-style: italic;">


It doesn’t
work. They won’t stop!




I’m sure
they’re proud of how much Klingon profanity they know – who wouldn’t
be? But, do they have to be so public about it?

style="font-style: italic;">


As
for my Christmas wish... How are you with arranging careers long-term?
I mean, you’re immortal and you’ve somehow managed to maintain a
successful enterprise based in a resource-free wasteland, so you must
have some considerable business talent. If you could just focus that
enterprise savvy onto figuring out how I can never-ever-forever-never
have to executive produce another early February game launch... Yeah,
that’d be swell. Really.




Sure,
it’s a great time of year to launch an MMO and STO is raring to go. But
it’s just after Christmas and I haven’t had the time to focus on all
the gaming I need to do. Me! It’s almost embarrassing how far I
haven’tgotten in Dragon Age. Brutal Legend, Beatles Rock Band,
Uncharted 2, L4D, Spirit Tracks... They’re all just sitting there
calling to me. Whispering secrets. Imploring me. Compelling me. And
what can I do about it? Nothing!

style="font-style: italic;">


Thanks.
style="font-style: italic;">


Craig
Zinkievich, Star Ttrek Online Executive Producer





More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Torchlight (Runic Games)

This year, Runic Games gave us the gift that keeps on giving-- href="http://tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2036">Torchlight.
Now, we're hoping that Santa gives back...at least where Matt Lefferts,
animator for Runic Games, is concerned.




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear God of Gift Giving, Saint
o’ Sleighs, Consumer of Cookies, Jinn of Jolliness,
style="font-style: italic;">


This
year has been tight on all of us.  Many, like myself, can’t
make
the trek homeward to dance around the festivus pole with
style="margin: 10px; border-collapse: collapse; float: right; width: 304px;"
border="1">

href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/77894"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 300px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77894">

Matt,
chiling with co-worker Wonder Russell's dog, Falcor.

our
families, but still we
find ways to see the rum and eggnog flow freely.  So this year
I
pray thee, take heart and close consideration upon the ever diligent
inspection of your hallowed list.  Should you find me amongst
the
favored, I have but few things of you to ask…

style="font-style: italic;">

  • A girlfrie… I mean a sweet racecar bed
  • Please make Brutal Legend twice as long and
    twice as METAL
  • Please make motion games less cool, I don’t
    want to have to be good at Kung Fu to actually play my games…
  • Please save the jobs of all the remaining
    people in the game industry
    and find a way for all the people recently let go to form new companies
    and be way cooler than ever dreamed possible.
  • Please help merge facebook, youtube and twitter
    together into YouTwitFace as predicted by Conan O’Brien
  • Help the good folks on The Black Mesa Project
    finally release.
  • Help my mom understand that I’m not a, “Graphic
    Designer.”
  • Let there be an ultimate remake of the Blood
    Omen/Soul Reaver series as one cohesive game, penned by Amy Hennig
  • Help Valve surprise the world with Half-Life 2:
    Episode 3, and HL3 in 2010
  • Coal… because it’s so frickin’ cold in Seattle
    I saw a homeless guy get
    arrested for attempted bank robbery so he could go to jail and be some
    place warm.



May your
deer fly true, and your boots stay dry.

style="font-style: italic;">


Matthew
Pieter Lefferts

style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">
Runic
Games - Animator





More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)



cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">

href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 628px; height: 128px;"
alt="MMO Letters to Santa"
src="http://tentonhammer.com/image/view/77904">



Wonacott Communications (PR Firm)

Last
(alphabetically speaking) but not least, Wonacott Communications had so
much fun gathering letters from clients like Ndoors and ijji.com that
they decided to send a letter to the Big S. themselves. (Please note:
if you happen to be a hot guy interested in an internship with a public
relations firm, you might find yourself wrapped and stuffed under a
Christmas tree. We're just giving fair warning.)




cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="width: 90%; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(59, 70, 86);"> style="font-style: italic;">Dear Santa,
style="font-style: italic;">


We
have been a very good PR agency this year: we worked with awesome
clients so we never had to embellish about how good a game was; we
shared with the player communities; and we played nicely with other
agencies. Here is our wish list for Christmas:

style="font-style: italic;">

  • Assets!  We can always use more assets.
  • WoW amnesia.  This is something we’d
    like you to give the world, on our behalf.  See? 
    We’re selfless, too!
  • A library of every (good) video game ever made
    … you know, for “research.”
  • A hot new intern (preferably a hot GUY intern
    for Racheal).



We
promise to have cookies and Kahlua waiting for you when you deliver our
gifts.  Also, what are your PR needs for 2010?  Can
we send
you our capabilities presentation?

style="font-style: italic;">


Sincerely,
style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">
Wonacott
Communications





More MMO Letters to Santa

cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/2">Aion
    (NCSoft)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/3">Atlantica
    Online / Wonderking Online 
    (NDOORS)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/4">Champions
    Online (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/5">CrimeCraft
    (Vogster Entertainment)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/6">Dofus
    (Ankama)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/7">EVE Online
    (CCP)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/8">Fallen Earth
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/9">Gamepot
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/10">Global
    Agenda (Hi-Rez Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/11">ijji.com
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/12">Jack
    Emmert (Cryptic Studios)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/13">Lord of
    the Rings Online (Turbine)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/14">Runes of
    Magic (Frogster)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/15">STO
    (Cryptic)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/16">Torchlight
    (Runic Games)
  • href="http://tentonhammer.com/node/77903/page/17">Wonacott
    Communications (PR Firm)


Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

About The Author

Karen is H.D.i.C. (Head Druid in Charge) at EQHammer. She likes chocolate chip pancakes, warm hugs, gaming so late that it's early, and rooting things and covering them with bees. Don't read her Ten Ton Hammer column every Tuesday. Or the EQHammer one every Thursday, either.

Comments