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Loading... Daily MMOG News
Updated Weekdays Ten Ton Hammer is proud to bring you the first and longest-running daily Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG) news and entertainment newsletter. Loading... features the latest MMOG news, information, opinion and rumors, plus our forum thread of the day and hard-to-believe real world news.
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Loading... Live Vooncast
Updated Tuesdays Loading... Live is a weekly Voon live podcast featuring developers and prominent personalities from around the MMORPG industry. Each episode will feature this week in MMO news, questions and insightful, commentary from Ten Ton Hammer personalities and guests, and a special live segment in which we take advantage of Vivox's Voon technology so that you too can participate!
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Sins of a Solar Spymaster
Updated Mondays Sins of a Solar Spymaster is a chronicle of the lurid misdeeds of madmen and sinners run amok in a galaxy without justice. Goonswarm's The Mittani provides an overview of the idiocies, hijinks, sting operations, scams, heists, and hilarity that is often only hinted at in the mainstream of EVE Online gameplay. He tells the tales only known to a hidden few - for posterity's sake or for propaganda, take your pick.
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Latest Opinions, Editorials, and Columns

Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood Beta Impressions
Lifting the veil of the NDA
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Posted on Wed, November 18, 2009 by Medawky
Lifting the veil of the NDA
The holiday season comes earlier and earlier each year as lights are strung up and store shelves flooded with merchandise and decorations. Some gamers are preparing for an early Christmas as...
Aion Weekly Newsletter - Aion Meets RMT
How much RMT can ruin a game?
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Posted on Tue, November 17, 2009 by Savanja
How much RMT can ruin a game?
RMT and item shops have hit most major games in the genre and we are seeing our first trickle of it in Aion with the new Holiday Ascension Pack being offered this winter. I think many can agree...
- Aion
15 Years of MMO Memories
Ten Ton Hammer staff and members share some of their favorite MMO stories
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Posted on Tue, November 17, 2009 by B. de la Durantaye
Ten Ton Hammer staff and members share some of their favorite MMO stories
With EverQuest 2 and World of Warcraft celebrating their fifth anniversaries this month, we asked our team and members of our community to share some of tales they've accumulated during their...
Runes of Magic - First Impressions
A first journey into the land of Taborea
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Posted on Thu, November 12, 2009 by ZeroMerc
A first journey into the land of Taborea
Runes of Magic is a free to play MMO that is new to the market. We sent out ZeroMerc to check out the game, play a few classes and give us his first impressions of this latest installment into...
- Runes of Magic
WoW Editorial - Class Discrimination
Is discrimination really alive and well in WoW?
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Posted on Tue, November 10, 2009 by Messiah
Is discrimination really alive and well in WoW?
In the World of Warcraft there is a huge number of classes, these are further divided up into more sub-classes through the talent system. With all the various types of characters out there, are...
- World of Warcraft
- Wrath of the Lich King
Aion Pick Up Group Boot Camp
Get the rules of PUG survival before the next time you go out looking for group
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Posted on Mon, November 9, 2009 by Savanja
Get the rules of PUG survival before the next time you go out looking for group
Love them or hate them, at one time or another everyone needs a pick up group. Not only can they be frustrating, but they can cost us time, soul healing costs, and occasionally our sanity if we...
- Aion
Champions Online : Blood Moon Hands On Impressions
A review of CO's Blood Moon holiday event
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Posted on Thu, November 5, 2009 by mattlow
A review of CO's Blood Moon holiday event
With the Blood Moon event for Champions Online well underway, Ten Ton Hammer reviews the good and bad of Cryptic’s first holiday themed event. In addition, the Blood Moon event also represents...
- Champions Online
World of Warcraft Patch 3.3 Preview
The most ambitious WoW patch since 3.0
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Posted on Wed, November 4, 2009 by Medawky
The most ambitious WoW patch since 3.0
Another patch Tuesday is rapidly approaching the World of Warcraft, as guilds scramble to complete Trial of the Grand Crusader and notch a few more achievements before the new content hits. The...
Trick or Treat - Halloween Event Overload
You get to dress up!
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Posted on Wed, November 4, 2009 by Medawky
You get to dress up!
The holiday season is in full swing and the kick off event, Halloween, is in the books. With most games offering an in game celebration, or some candles and a lore lesson if you play...
An MMO Evolution: Connecting Players to the Story
Exploring the importance of story in today’s MMOGs
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Posted on Wed, November 4, 2009 by Dalmarus
Exploring the importance of story in today’s MMOGs

The importance of story in an MMOG is different for every gamer. Some like feeling as though tales within a game have been custom crafted for them, while others are content with an overall...
Aion: Downtime by Design
Creating community through quality time.
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Posted on Fri, October 30, 2009 by Medeor
Creating community through quality time.
In the era of slackers it is surprising that there might be a backlash to doing nothing. All kidding aside, downtime is one of those nebulous and often misunderstood ideas in gaming. Aion includes...
- Aion
World Of Warcraft: Nostalgia Content - Bringing the Past Back to Life
Is Onyxia just the begining?
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Posted on Wed, October 28, 2009 by Medawky
Is Onyxia just the begining?
We have all the heard the phrase "back in my day we used to..." and while most of us roll our eyes at the old timer as they wax nostalgic about walking uphill in the snow both ways, many of us...
- World of Warcraft
Aion: Leveling the Classes
Note that it doesn’t say balancing the classes?
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Posted on Tue, October 27, 2009 by Medeor
Note that it doesn’t say balancing the classes?
Getting to max level is the goal of an MMOG, right? If that’s the case players have to consider whether to race to the finish line with a class they enjoy along the way or simply tolerate. Aion...
- Aion
EVE Online: Exploring the New Player Experience
New EVE Online players get a helping hand.
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Posted on Tue, October 27, 2009 by Dalmarus
New EVE Online players get a helping hand.

An enigma in a world where MMOGs are shifting towards easy accessibility, EVE Online has continued to grow despite its devilish learning curve. The days of being thrown completely into the...
- EVE Online
The Art of Grouping in Champions Online
How to not be Nigel Wortswallowington.
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Posted on Thu, October 22, 2009 by JoBildo
How to not be Nigel Wortswallowington.
Cryptic’s Champions Online is a hectic-paced game. There’s no doubt about that. And amid all the chaos on your screen, you might find it hard to organize and keep up with your fellow heroes...
- Champions Online
Champions Online : Crafting - Worthwhile or Worthless?
A Critical Analysis of Crafting in Champions Online
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Posted on Tue, October 20, 2009 by mattlow
A Critical Analysis of Crafting in Champions Online
Crafting has become an integral part of MMOGs in the last few years. Hated and beloved, Crafting is here to stay. Some games do it better than others. Our question is how does crafting in...
- Champions Online
Aion Fair Play: Be Cheat Free and the Best
Be more competitive by knowing the rules and playing within them
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Posted on Tue, October 20, 2009 by Savanja
Be more competitive by knowing the rules and playing within them
With the recent mass bans in Aion, many players are left questioning what earns a ban and how they can avoid breaking the rules without losing their competitive edge. Find out what NCsoft...
- Aion
Aion: Speed Leveling or Sauntering
Max level or min gumption, Aion caters to all.
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Posted on Tue, October 20, 2009 by Medeor
Max level or min gumption, Aion caters to all.
The bulk of MMOs hitting the market are so concerned with making a great first impression that the games die off in the mid-level content and may or may not ship with any relevant end-game...
- Aion
Editorial – Which World of Warcraft Class makes the best Tank?
How does your class stack up as a tank?
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Posted on Mon, October 19, 2009 by Messiah
How does your class stack up as a tank?
When you group in the World of Warcraft there are three sets of characters: Tanks, Healers, and DPS. They are listed in that order, as that is the order of importance in any group. Without a...
- World of Warcraft
- Wrath of the Lich King
Popularity Oversurge
Stroke your e-peen like you mean it!
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Posted on Mon, October 19, 2009 by Mem
Stroke your e-peen like you mean it!
Get ready to stroke your e-peen, show off your welfare epics and otherwise claim your dominance over the other hordes of World of Warcraft players. This week Mem takes a look at those players...
- World of Warcraft