Ten Ton Hammer Headlines

Early Access Sold Out

Machail — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:40:39 -0400

Funcom has sold out of spots for the early access program scheduled for Saturday, May 17th. Rumors abound as to why and how, but as of the posting of this article, no further information has been provided.

See the announcement here.

WAAAGH!'s Syp interviews Warhammer Conflict

Brokain — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:45:33 -0400

So tell me... what first interested you in smashin' stunties over da head?

Over at Waaagh!, the enigmatic Syp and his Inquisition are at it again. This time they sit down with Wrenn from Warhammer Conflict and talk about some of the things that drew him to Warhammer, a little about his experiences in MMO's and PvP, and what his take on this whole Warhammer Online thing is. It's an interesting look into the WAR community that is building up around the game. You can check it out here.

Warhammer Online Progress Report at IGN

Brokain — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:33:39 -0400

Seriously. Can't ... wait... to... play...

The folks over at IGN have put forth an interesting read for everyone. During Monday's Spring Break event in San Francisco where EA Mythic was showing off their much anticipated Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning game, IGN's Charles Onyett sat down with EA Mythic Content Director Dustin Bales. They discussed a new dungeon they're working on, a little about RvR, and what the next focus of beta will be. It's a good read you'll want to check out.

Interview with Tracy Bush

Morvelaira — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:28:57 -0400

And you thought those folio skills were only good for movies!

The Austin American Statesman got an interview with Tracy Bush, audio director for NCSoft's North American headquarters. Ever wonder where some of the neat sounds in Tabula Rasa came from? Find out!

Tracy Bush strides into his cramped office with a frying pan in one hand and an electric razor in the other.

"Let me show you something," he says as he turns on the razor, scraping it against the bottom of a Teflon frying pan.

Zzzwwwaaa. It's a whining, metallic sound, like a cross between a mower and chainsaw. But Bush hears something else.

"If you take the same sound and pitch it down a couple of octaves, suddenly you've got this huge, great (alien space) ship exhaust sound," Bush said. "All from stuff you'd find around the house."

Read the rest of the interview here.

SOE Podcast 35 is Here!

Morvelaira — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:21:25 -0400

Hear it straight from ION2008!

The offical SOE Podcast number 35 is here! Yay!

Hear from Linda “Brasse” Carlson from thebrasse.com, we also would like to re-release our interview with Laralyn McWilliams from the Free Realms team. We chat about our ION Conference trip and EQII’s Update 45. Jason Ryan’s news gives us all of the info from many of the SOE titles unfortunately this Podcast some of the info is a tad out dated…! Ashlanne loses her gamer card stick to the forums to find out how you can help her get it back

To listen in, check out Station.com.

New Bosses for Voyage Century Online

Morvelaira — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:34:01 -0400

Bringing you your daily VCO Update.

Voyage Century Online is releasing information about three new bosses in the game.

Bosses are divided into three Levels. Low and middle Level bosses will be refreshed at the Eur-African Outer Coast. While high Level bosses will be refreshed at the Afro-Asian Outer Coast.
Only three BOSS generators to generate bosses at each of the three different Levels are added this time. Each generator will randomly generate a BOSS whenever the refresh requirement is met.

For the full information, please visit Voyage Century's main site.

Vanguard Monster Project: Archmagi Murgar

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:35:06 -0400

Another Scary Monster

The exploration of Trickster's Haven is almost complete. Or is it? Within the caverns of Trickster's Haven lies a hidden portal to the Cyclops Palace filled with riches and horrors alike. This week, Dalmarus brings you Archmagi Murgar, a Cyclops of untold power. Has your group got what it takes to take this behemoth down and claim his riches?

Vanguard Monster Project: Archmagi Murgar

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Scenarios - Grovad Caverns & Reikland Hills

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:33:28 -0400

Sunscreen and Bug Spray Not Required

Remember back before video games when "outside" and "sun" were things we loved as kids? Remember when we'd all go to this "outside" place and play games like Capture the Flag and King of the Hill? Remember how fun it was to knock your friends down the hill or drive them into the dirt so you could grab the flag? Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning remembers, and it wants you to relive all your childhood memories--just without the grass stains, bloody noses, and chigger bites--and add a little more death, destruction, and biting (nobody likes a biter!).

Yes, WAR has released a new set of scenarios and these classic childhood games have been given new life... that actually mean something this time. So instead of pounding little Billy's head for no reason, you're earning points for it. So quit kicking young Sally down the hill and come take a look at what WAR has in store with the Grovad Caverns and Reikland Hills Scenarios!

When you enter this Scenario, you can head straight to the Bridge or flank left and right. The Broken Bridge is a flat, open location that is readily assaulted from all angles. Of all the capture locations in this Scenario, it is the hardest one to hold. To the sides are the Mill and Factory. Each has a main path that leads to the flag, but there is also a tunnel that leads to them. Use the tunnels to approach from the back and take these locations by surprise!

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Scenarios - Grovad Caverns & Reikland Hills

Age of Conan Demonologist Class Portal

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:32:41 -0400

Practical Demonkeeping

The Age of Conan class portals continue to expand! Today we add a home demonologists can refer to for quick access to spell lists, class quests, and of course, an exclusive high level screenshot.

Age of Conan Demonologist Class Portal

WoW: Priest Guide: Equipment Update

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:31:22 -0400

There's More to it Than Style

Gear and equipment choices are complicated for any class or situation, but even more so for a Priest asPriests have two main roles and several different requirements, all of which drastically change the gear they'll be looking for. In today's update Byron "Messiah" Mudry looks at the numerous options open to a Priest and lays out some guidelines for choosing the best gear.

As a Priest the stats you require don't really vary on your build all that much, although the balance between the stats changes. The two main builds for a Priest are a Healing build (either based on Holy or Discipline) or a Shadow build for damage or PvP. As a Healing priest your main stats in order of importance are going to be Intelligence, Spirit and Stamina. While if you are a shadow priest you are going to pull aggro once in a while and need to take a few more hits, therefore the stats you want in priority are Intelligence, Stamina and Spirit.

WoW: Priest Guide: Equipment Update

AoC Comic: Lost In Hyboria - "Skilled Warriors"

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:30:19 -0400

In Which Martuk Hides a Whoopsie...

Lost In Hyboria, Ten Ton Hammer's very own Age of Conan comic, is back with its 9th incarnation. Our heroes now find themselves at the mercy of a mysterious female traveler who has kindly offered her assistance so long as they help her find her father first. But it seems things might get dirty before the end of this new quest...

Lost In Hyboria - "Skilled Warriors"

AoC Video Emotes Guide

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:26:30 -0400

I Get So Emotional, Baby!

Age of Conan Hyborian Adventures is just under a week away from live play and Ten Ton Hammer is rolling out the content. In every MMORPG the emotes play an important part for many roleplayers and players in general. They allow a level of fun, immersion, and amusement for many people. This week Martuk has put together a Video Emotes Guide that will allow you to preview each of the emotes within AoC and even provide you with a list of their commands.

Age of Conan Hyborian Adventures has a large assortment of emotes for players to have fun with. To make learning these emotes easier Ten Ton Hammer has established an emotes video guide for you to become familiar with these fun little emotes in-game. We have listed the commands for each emote below and attached a short video to each to give you a preview of them. Just click below to view your chosen emote. You can also pull up a shortcut list in-game by typing /emote and pressing Tab two times.

AoC Video Emotes Guide

LotRO: In The Shadow of Angmar: Guide to the North Downs

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:25:04 -0400

Go Forth and...Be Heroic!

The North Downs is a huge area found between Bree-Land and Angmar. Full of orcs, wargs and other servants of the enemy, along with many of the Free People desperately fighting for their lives, this is the place for a hero to shine!

Hidden between Nan Amlug and Kingsfell, these ruins are now home to the forces of man in the North Downs. A major stopping area, there are not only crafting areas, all the types of merchants, and a vault, but also the faction 'Ranger of Esteldin' is here.

In The Shadow of Angmar: Guide to the North Downs

Ten Ton Hammer Reviews Flyff

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:23:26 -0400

Should You Take a Flying Leap?

Free to play games seem to be popping out of the woodwork, but some have been around for a bit. Fly for Fun (more commonly known as Flyff) is an imported game from Gala-Net. In this game, players can not only fly, but also fight against the dread Masquerpets and other enemies while in the air. Ten Ton Hammer's Amber "Aurael" Weldon has delved into the world of Flyff to bring you our Flyff - Official Review.

The ultimate reason that many players want to try this game is so that they can fly. Flying in Flyff is quite entertaining. You gain the flying skill at level 20 and must then purchase a broom or a board to fly on. These are reasonably priced and shouldn’t be hard to find. The station master will instruct you on the controls and allow you to purchase your first broom or board. The controls are a bit tricky to master and airborne combat is unlike anything I’ve seen in any game.

Ten Ton Hammer Reviews Flyff

Gaia Online Panel NY Comic Con Part II

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:22:19 -0400

Heads Up, Gaia Online Fans!

Currently the Gaia MMOG is in the alpha phase of beta. The closed beta will consist of Gaia's own current player base and will begin sometime this summer. The title of this game has not yet been released, but we think it's coming soon. The MMOG is going to be very well integrated with Gaia Online and the developer's want this addition to be seamless. There are many really cool things about this MMOG so Gaia fans have much to look forward too.

Gaia Online Panel NY Comic Con Part II

Shaiya Online: An Interview with Producer Joshua Sell

Shayalyn — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:20:45 -0400

Those Korean MMOG Developers are Indeed Prolific!

Compared to our Korean counterparts, the MMOG market in North America is fairly stagnant. With only a few MMOGs released a year, we don't receive the awe-inspiring number of products that the Koreans get to try out every 12 months. That's been changing, however, as more and more publishers are bringing Korean MMOGs to North America, and the latest of those products is Shaiya Online. To learn more about the product, Ten Ton Hammer's Cody "Micajah" Bye asked a number of questions to Joshua Sell, Shaiya's North American producer, who answered with a eagerness only displayed by those developers who love their game. Take a look - you won't be disappointed!

Ten Ton Hammer: On the official website for Shaiya, it's mentioned that there are Easy, Normal, Hard, and Ultimate mode characters in the game. What's the difference between the four difficulty settings? How does it affect the gameplay?

Joshua: Excellent question! This is one of the big mechanics of the game that differentiate Shaiya from all other MMOGs. The different modes provide a unique experience within the world of Shaiya. Each difficulty increase provides more stats, new special skills, and access to better quality equipment at the cost of slower leveling.

Shaiya Online: An Interview with Producer Joshua Sell

Warhammer Online Sceanrios: Grovod Caverns and Reikland Hills

Brokain — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:23:34 -0400

You may have the flag, but I've got your brains on my sword, so who really wins here?

Remember back before video games when "outside" and "sun" were things we loved as kids? Remember when we'd all go to this "outside" place and play games like "Capture the Flag" and "King of the Hill"? Remember how fun it was to knock your friends down the hill or drive them into the dirt so you could grab the flag? Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning remembers, and it wants you to relive all your childhood memories, just without the grass stains, bloody noses, and chigger bites and add a little more death, destruction, and biting (nobody likes a biter!)! Yes, WAR has released a new set of scenarios and these classic childhood games have been given new life! So quit kicking little billy around and worry about the flag later. Right now, come take a look at what WAR has in store with the Grovad Caverns and Reikland Hills Scenarios!

Savanja Joins the Ten Ton Hammer: Age of Conan Community Staff

Machail — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:17:37 -0400

Please join us in welcoming Savanja to our community as our newest Age of Conan Community Manager. Savanja comes to us from the Ten Ton Hammer: EverQuest 2 site, and brings a load of experience with her. We're very lucky to have her with us on Age of Conan!

Savanja is the typical, run-of-the-mill gamer girl who was lucky enough to be around for the birth and growth of the MMORPG craze. She found her passion for online roleplaying games with Ultima Online and has gone on to enjoy countless other titles, primarily making her home in EverQuest I, Dark Age of Camelot, and EverQuest II.

Having been a writer by hobby for many years, Savanja managed to land a position with Ten Ton Hammer a few years ago. She happily spent her free time supporting the EQ2 community, writing editorials, and pounding out helpful guides for the Ten Ton Hammer EverQuest II website.

Like any dedicated gamer, she follows her passion to whatever game strikes her fancy and she has been successfully lured into Hyboria by the rich lore and stimulating gameplay found in the Age of Conan. She hopes to enjoy many long years being a part of the AoC community and looks forward to getting to know all of the AoC Ten Ton Hammer fans and readers.

Age of Conan Demonologist Class Portal

Machail — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:07:08 -0400

The Age of Conan class portals continue! Today we add a home for demonologists to refer to for quick access to spell lists, class quests, and of course, an exclusive high level screenshot.

Check out the Demonologist Class Portal here.

Priest Guide: Equipment Update

Messiah — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:58:42 -0400

What is best for a Priest

Gear and equipment choices are complicated for any class or situation. As a Priest though they are extremely complicated as you have two main roles and several different requirements, all of which drastically change the gear that you will be looking for. In today's update Byron "Messiah" Mudry looks at the numerous options open to a Priest and lays out some guidelines for choosing the best gear.

As a Priest the stats you require don't really vary on your build all that much, although the balance between the stats changes. The two main builds for a Priest are a Healing build (either based on Holy or Discipline) or a Shadow build for damage or PvP. As a Healing priest your main stats in order of importance are going to be Intelligence, Spirit and Stamina. While if you are a shadow priest you are going to pull aggro once in a while and need to take a few more hits, therefore the stats you want in priority are Intelligence, Stamina and Spirit.

You can find all the details in the updated Priest Guide: Equipment Section and comment in our forums here.

Lost In Hyboria - "Skilled Warriors"

JoBildo — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:55:48 -0400

Lost In Hyboria, Ten Ton Hammer's very own Age of Conan comic, is back with its 9th incarnation! Our heroes now find themselves at the mercy of a mysterious female traveler who has kindly offered her assistance so long as they help her find her father first. But it seems might get dirty before the end of this new quest...

Lost In Hyboria - "Skilled Warriors"

Be sure to talk about this week strip on our forums!

Video Emotes Guide

Martuk — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:50:36 -0400

Age of Conan Hyborian Adventures is just under a week away from live play and Ten Ton Hammer is rolling out the content. In every MMORPG the emotes play an important part for many roleplayers and players in general. They allow a level of fun, immersion, and amusement for many people. This week Martuk has put together a Video Emotes Guide that will allow you to preview each of the emotes within AoC and even provide you with a list of their commands.

Age of Conan Hyborian Adventures has a large assortment of emotes for players to have fun with. To make learning these emotes easier Ten Ton Hammer has established an emotes video guide for you to become familiar with these fun little emotes in-game. We have listed the commands for each emote below and attached a short video to each to give you a preview of them. Just click below to view your chosen emote. You can also pull up a shortcut list in-game by typing /emote and pressing Tab two times.

You can view the full guide here.
Discuss it on our forums.

Revenge of the gamers: World of Warcraft is honing tomorrow's leaders

Messiah — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:13:57 -0400

We All Knew that Guild Leaders are the Best Didn't We?

In what should come as no big surprise to any successful World of Warcraft player, we are great workers and leaders. The surprise is that the general community may finally be recognizing that. This article comes from ComputerWorld and explains how WoW may be training the future leaders in the community industry.

MMORPGs -- massively multiplayer online role-playing games -- like World of Warcraft, Eve and EverQuest may be the best simulators of tomorrow's business environment. So say Byron Reeves, Thomas W. Malone and Tony O'Driscoll in this month's Harvard Business Review. The authors found that these games closely mirror the evolving world of business: distributed decision-making, rapid response, ad hoc teams, and leadership through collaboration rather than authority.

You can read the whole article here.

Patch 2.4.2 Released

Messiah — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:07:46 -0400

Many new class changes!

A new patch was released today, patch 2.4.2. In it there are many changes to the classes, arena points, cool downs on professions and much more! Here is just a small sample:

- Hunter' s Aspect of the Viper: This ability now grants an additional amount of mana each 5 seconds equal to 35% of the hunter’s level.
- Mage's New Teleport/Portal: Theramore and Teleport/Portal:Stonard spells are available at portal trainers in their respective locations. You must be level 35 to learn these new spells.
- All 23-hour profession cooldowns are now 20-hour cooldowns.

You can find the full patch notes here.

Wrath of the Lich King update: The Nexus

Messiah — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:00:06 -0400

More Wrath of the Lich King News

The flood gates seem to have opened as Blizzard is now sharing a lot more WotLK news with everyone. Today that news comes in the form of a whole page about the Nexus.

The dungeons section of the World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King web site has been updated with a new dungeon from the upcoming expansion. Learn more about the blue dragonflight's home base in Northrend, the Nexus.

Check out the new Nexus page now!

The Ramblings of a Bildo - Beta Review

JoBildo — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:38:51 -0400

Our very own JoBildo just can't keep his trap shut about Age of Conan. He's gone and posted a mammoth-sized review of his beta experience on his blog. Check it out!

This is of course a matter of opinion, but for me the action in Funcom’s latest product is the highlight of the game and its genre. Only Tabula Rasa’s hybrid-FPS combat comes anywhere near as exciting and visceral. Some may call it “twitch”, and others will call it “button-mashing”, but these are veiled terms for misunderstanding a complex system that differs from what the industry staple has thus far been.

Read the full review HERE.

Mythos Open Beta Teaser Video

Ralsu — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:25:24 -0400

Open Overworld Promised

Flagship Studios is getting ready to move Mythos, its latest game, into Open Beta. To get gamers excited, the studio released a new Open Beta teaser video promoting the replacement of instanced overworld areas with fully open maps. Of course, Ten Ton Hammer has it for you.

View the Mythos video
Then discuss Mythos in our forums

John Smedley, SOE President Q&A

Ram — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:46:32 -0400

SOE and MMOs Look Long Term.

The Seattle Times interviewed John Smedley as he answers questions on the PotBS, MMO games on the PS3 and the future of MMOs.

Q: Where will MMOs be in 15 years?

A: Right now it's about 85 percent male. I think it's going to be 50-50. You're going to see a lot more big name brands in it, including ones we're building. These games are as big as hit movies are right now.

To read the entire interview, please visit The Seattle Times.

Jumpgate Evolution: Papar-Craft Ships

Ram — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:26:18 -0400

Build Your Favorite Paper-craft Model Jumpgate Ships

Ok what is more fun than this? I mean, how could you irritate your boss anymore then wasting time at work reading news about your favorite games? Build paper-craft ships and throw them around the office that's how!

Creativity is something that our Jumpgate fans are well known for and we are very pleased to share with you, one fan's dedication to the Jumpgate Universe. Bingofuel has created a series of downloadable models of paper-craft Jumpgate Ships. Free downloads are available of various models. They're not only fun but super cool too!

Have fun building ships at Jumpgate Evolution.

WoW: WotLK - New Dungeon Preview

Ram — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:15:30 -0400

The Nexus!

Located in the Borean Tundra this is the home of the Blue Dagonflight and Malygos. Am I the only one who remembers a zone not too long ago called The Nexus from a similar game in this genre? I also could never remember which direction The Bazaar was. Maybe I'm directionally challenged. I don't know. Anyway, The new Nexus webpage has all the information about the Nexus war. What are you waiting for?

The dungeons section of the World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King web site has been updated with a new dungeon from the upcoming expansion. Learn more about the blue dragonflight's home base in Northrend, the Nexus.

Check out the new Nexus page at WoW:WotLK.

Everquest 2: Game Update 45 is Live

Ram — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:46:39 -0400

A Prophet Returns

The latest update for EQ2 is full of goodies. Satisfy your sweet tooth below.

EverQuest® II game update #45, titled "A Prophet Returns," brings a Prophet from The Plane of Power to Norrath to help confront a ravaging plague in a new, story-based live event. In addition to the return of the Prophet, the game update will bring tradeskill revamps and multiple ways for players to obtain achievement experience from quests far beneath their level.

Game Update #45 features:

* Players will receive four more character bank slots to work with, as well as obtaining the ability to see their shared alternate-alignment bank slots.

* Players can exchange coins and items from one character to another, even across good and evil alignments.

* Players can increase their achievement point total as grey quests level 10 and above will now award achievement experience.

* Cures for priests will see changes to help when dealing with diseases, physical ailments, magical afflictions and elemental scourges. All four priest single-target cure spells will funnel to one all-purpose cure.

* Coercers will receive many new changes for their possession spells and abilities. The possession spells will allow Coercers to harness their pet's essence for better control.

A total overhaul to weapon crafting will lead to significant changes for master crafted weapons.

For more details, please visit Everquest 2.

AoC: New Video Released

Ram — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:30:35 -0400

Femme Fatale

Check out how dangerous and deadly the women of Hyboria can be in this new video clip.

To view the video, please visit AoC.

Fury League Prize List Breakdown

Ram — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:16:35 -0400

2,000 individual cash prizes to be won.

Fury League lays out the money. $25,000 in prizes. Will you cash in?

Brisbane, Australia, May 12 2008. Auran Games, creators of the new free to play skill-based online competition “Fury League” (www.FuryLeague.com), today announced the breakdown of the $25,000 in cash prizes that will be won over the next few weeks.

“We have established Fury League to be more like a sport than a traditional computer game,” said Tony Hilliam, Auran CEO. “We want to encourage friendly rivalry and competition between players on a weekly basis rather than opting for larger more infrequent prizes that reward only the top few players. Fury League will offer Ladders with prizes every single week and to kick things off we are starting with two Cash Ladders with 1,000 individual prizes per Ladder.”

“We have created 10 prize brackets ensuring players at every skill level have a great chance of winning a prize,” said Cameron McNeil, Fury Lead Designer. “It is also a great incentive to play a little more to get into a higher prize bracket. The prizes range from $250 for the 8 winners in the top bracket, down to $5 for the 288 winners in the 10th bracket. I don’t know of any other totally free to enter competition that has offered this many prizes, and we are looking forward to seeing thousands of players in game in the coming weeks.”

“Even a player in 70th place will earn $25 cash,” said Hilliam, “Chances are if he came 70th in the first week, he could repeat that performance and win another $25 the next week. Of course just like my weekly Saturday golf game, it’s not really the money that counts, but rather the bragging rights amongst your mates that is more important.”

Entry into the special Fury League “Cash Ladders” is totally free and conditions of entry can be found at www.FuryLeague.com. The first Cash Ladder will kick off May 20 with players competing in 8 v 8 team Vortex. The second will begin on May 27 with players competing in the 4 v 4 Elimination game type.

A minimum of 2,000 players completing at least 10 games each prior to the commencement of the first Ladder period is required to justify the prize pool. Insufficient entries will result in either postponement or cancellation of the Ladders. Players can create their free account or log on to their old Fury account before May 20 to ensure a good level of competition for the cash prizes.

All players begin with all abilities and 10,000 Fury Gold to spend on the armor of their choice, so it is a level playing field from the very start.

For more, please visit Fury League.

Lineage II: Fantasy Isle

Ram — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:48:48 -0400

"Da plane. Da plane."

Lineage 2 adds an island of fun. Relax, kick back and enjoy. I leave you with, "My dear guests! I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome... to Fantasy Island!"

Tuesday 13th May - Brighton, UK/... Lineage II enjoys its reputation as one of the most hardcore player vs. player (PvP) massively multiplayer online games in the market today, and its die-hard community reflects this in many ways. New players are coming to the game in greater numbers and enjoy the unrestrained gameplay and intense battles, and our recently released 4th Anniversary Edition box awards the loyalty of our long-term veterans with discounted player services. When our passionate players and clans aren’t involved in long-term castle sieges or fortress battles, what do they do to wind down or just want to have some fun?

That’s what Fantasy Isle is for. We recently added the island to the game as a place for players to explore, socialize, and have some fun. Fantasy Isle is a peace zone, where there is no fighting, except in special areas (like the Underground Coliseum), so all characters can enjoy it without worrying about being stabbed in the back (or worse). It’s essentially a giant amusement park.

The first thing you’ll notice upon arrival is that the Isle is completely different from the rest of the lands of Aden and Elmore. The environment is frequently bright and alive with color, featuring a beautiful town, lush fields of grass, jungles, hills and many other interesting places. As you can imagine, Fantasy Isle is not a small reef of land, but a huge island, steeped in its own mysteries and places to visit. The local people and creatures are all rather small and cute, and fit within the happy themes of the island.

In March we held an event to formally open Fantasy Isle, which we called the “Bunny Money” event. Players could travel to the island and hunt for pieces of various treasure sacks, which would contain various random goodies we were giving away. With a special skill you could discover all sorts of treasure chests, featuring Rabbit Transformation Scrolls and a special magic eye that let you see even more hidden treasure chests. This two-week event gave the players a chance to explore the wonders of the island while scrounging for some great stuff, including S-grade armor and shadow Agathion bracelets.

The opening of the island is just the start of what’s coming. For the release of Hellbound two new features were added to Fantasy Isle: the Underground Coliseum and the Monster Parade. Featuring a new type of team-battle PvP (essentially team deathmatch), the Underground Coliseum pits teams of players against each other in a series of matches—the team with the most accumulated kills wins. The winning team moves on to the next match, while the losing one has to sit out or enter in another series. Each team has to consist of at least seven players, and there are four different coliseums, split up by level, and one coliseum for players of all levels. Players can access the coliseums from Fantasy Isle, offering up another fun diversion from the normal style of play (or PvP) that regular Lineage II players know.

The Monster Parade occurs four times a day and is a procession of each type of NPC in the game, making its way through the play area of the Isle. Players will be able to see the wide variety of NPCs throughout Aden and Elmore in one place. Some of the participating monsters and NPCs will also show up at the performance area on Fantasy Isle, where they may partake in some special performances, including circus acts and even talent shows.

Of course, that’s just the beginning of what we have in store for Fantasy Isle, not the end. The Isle lets us hold large special events that all players can enjoy at once in one area, which also is a big plus for us. Bunny Money was just the beginning, and shows a fraction of what we’ll be able to do. Also, to keep with the amusement park-style theme, we’re looking to integrate all sorts of mini-games on the island, to keep the area fun, fresh and vibrant. When you’re on Fantasy Isle, we want you to relax and have some stress-free fun.

For more, please visit Lineage II.

Angels Online New Marriage System Screens

Ralsu — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:49:18 -0400

Have a Virtual Spouse

Skyunion Co., Ltd. is giving gamers a chance to wed virtually in their game called Angels Online. The free-to-play game features pets, crafting, and adventure. Ten Ton Hammer's Karen "Shayalyn" Hertzberg recently interviewed Dica Huang, Product Manager of Angels Online. Read the interview to learn more about the game. In the meantime, enjoy these screens of the marriage system and the official press release from Skyunion Co., Ltd.

Since the Marriage System has been released, it has become the hottest topic among AO players.

View the Angels Online screens
Discuss Angels Online in our forums

1 Million + People Sign Up for AoC Beta

Morvelaira — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:29:08 -0400

Stress test indeed.

Funcom has announed that more than one million people have signed up for open beta of Age of Conan, and that there have been more than five million unique hits to their website.

Durham, USA – May 13, 2008 – Funcom and Eidos are proud to confirm some of the impressive figures powering the Age of Conan launch, and the two companies are happy to reveal that the Age of Conan Beta has passed 1 million sign-ups! As one of the most anticipated MMO’s ever, the 1 million mark confirms the amazing interest in the game.

“Funcom has not been able to find any higher beta numbers for MMOs in the western world,” said Morten Larssen, VP of Funcom Sales and Marketing. “We believe it represents the largest ever beta sign-up figure in the history of the genre.”

You can check out the full press release at Funcom's main site.

PotBS Play 1.4 on Testbed!

Morvelaira — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:23:10 -0400

It's like an open beta, just for a game you already love.

Pirates of the Burning Sea is inviting and encouraging it's players to check out update 1.4 on it's test server, Testbed.

As you’ve probably seen in Taelorn’s recent devlogs, patch 1.4 has a lot of important changes to careers, especially for Pirates. Now that this patch is ready for testing, my job is to be sure you’re going to like it. We need players like you to play with these new changes and give us feedback before we release them into the live game. If you’ve never played on Testbed before, check out this post for information about how to get started. This month on Testbed, we’re focusing heavily on the new career skills and the early game experience.

For the rest of the information, check out PotBS' main site.

Suggest Panels for SOE Fan Faire!

Morvelaira — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:19:00 -0400

Tell them what YOU want to hear!

SOE is taking suggestions for various panels at the SOE Fan Faire this summer.

Since we have recently announced Fan Faire, I thought it would be a great time to ask the people planning on attending what type of panels that they would like to see. We always have the typical spells, content, and general topics that we cover but we all always open to suggestions! If you have always had an idea that you thought would work into our format please send in your comments.

I would love to see a few of the panels be more interactive. Thoughts???

Go! Make your suggestions at the Station Blog site.

Senior Blizzard VP to Keynote Paris GDC

Morvelaira — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:59:50 -0400

In the Eye of the Blizzard: Keynote with Rob Pardo

Rob Pardo, Senior VP of Game Design at Blizzard (focused heavily on WoW), will be the keynote speaker at the 2008 Paris Game Developers Conference.

Rob Pardo, Blizzard Entertainment's Senior Vice President of Game Design, is confirmed to keynote Paris Game Developers Conference (Paris GDC). In a Q&A style presentation titled “In the Eye of the Blizzard: a Keynote Q&A with Rob Pardo,” Jamil Moledina, Executive Director of GDC Events, will interview Pardo on his inspirations, challenges, and on the next steps at Blizzard Entertainment. Pardo will address Blizzard's lessons learned, the resources unlocked by its success, and the raw talent in evidence in its development team.

You can see the full announcement here.

Age of Conan Breaks One Million Beta Sign Ups

Martuk — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:45:33 -0400

As Age of Conan Hyborian Adventures readies for launch the hype and popularity of the game is showing as over one million users have registered for beta making it the highest of any MMORPG in the western world. To compliment that high number there have also been over five million unique users that have visited the official site, but that's not all. Last week alone the official forums registered over 115,000 posts. Some people questioned if Age of Conan could give World of Warcraft a run for its money, but the interest to do so is certainly there.

Funcom and Eidos are proud to confirm some of the impressive figures powering the Age of Conan launch, and the two companies are happy to reveal that the Age of Conan Beta has passed 1 million sign-ups! As one of the most anticipated MMO’s ever, the 1 million mark confirms the amazing interest in the game.

“Funcom has not been able to find any higher beta numbers for MMOs in the western world,” said Morten Larssen, VP of Funcom Sales and Marketing. “We believe it represents the largest ever beta sign-up figure in the history of the genre.”

You can read Funcom's official announcement on the subject here.
Discuss it on our forums here.

SWG Temple of Exar Kun Video

Morvelaira — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:41:22 -0400

Plumb the depths in this creepy old tomb.

SWG has a peek inside it's Temple of Exar Kun, it's newest heroic encounter.

If you have not yet braved the depths of the Temple of Exar Kun, take a look at the newest heroic encounter in this video! Hear from game designer Travis "Shadowbrak" Hicks as he shares an overview of the fight in the shadowy tomb.

The video can be viewed from here.

New Issue of WAR Frontline out

Brokain — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:28:04 -0400

Es ist hier! Es ist hier! Ich habe dieses gewartet!

No, we haven't gone German... yet. However, with a magazine like this it may not be long in coming. The latest issue of the online WAR magazine Frontline was just released and even if you can't read German, it's still worth taking a look at. Especially one of the articles that gives you some fresh ideas of what to use those pesky World of Warcraft cd's and dvd's for when WAR launches. The pictures are out of this world, and if you're one of those people who still remembers your German from high school? You'll get a lot more WAR info from it. You can check it out here.

NCSoft and Vivox Partner For High-Quality Voice

Morvelaira — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:26:04 -0400

Listen to other players and actually understand them!

NCSoft has partnered with Vivox to provide high-quality voice chat in game for all their games.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — May 13, 2008 — NCsoft Corp. and Vivox today announced a partnership to bring high-quality, full featured voice to the NCsoft player community.

Through this partnership, the NCsoft player community will enjoy market-leading voice chat from Vivox. Players will have the ability to communicate with scalable, full featured voice within and across NCsoft games via an NCsoft branded game communication portal. Vivox will also deliver advanced features such as voice fonts, voice mail and in-and-out of game communication via regular phones and text messages.

"Voice is a significant feature for the ongoing development of the NCsoft community," said Peter Jarvis, vice president of operations at NCsoft North America. "By partnering with Vivox, we will be able to offer our players a commanding set of communication tools that will simplify communications amongst the player base with far reaching options. Vivox is the clear leader in quality, features and operational excellence and we anticipate a successful integration and long-term relationship."

"NCsoft is an industry leader in the advancement of gameplay and engagement of the player community," said Rob Seaver, CEO of Vivox. "They recognize the power of a communication solution that is open to all players and lets them communicate effectively and reliably. Vivox is gratified in this collaboration and we look forward to contributing to the advancement of the NCsoft community."

Age of Conan "Femme Fatale" Video

Machail — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:00:48 -0400

It's no secret that the women of Hyboria can be just as brutal as the men. Funcom emphasizes this by bringing us this all-new video.

Check it out here.

AoC: Guardian Skill/Combo Lists

Shayalyn — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:56:38 -0400

Got Skillz?

Age of Conan Hyborian Adventures is poised for launch and Ten Ton Hammer is continuing to roll out our launh content. This week Martuk brings serves up Guardian skill/combo lists for levels 1-20 and 21-40. Have a peek at what is in store now.

AoC: Guardian Skill/Combo Lists

1-20
21-40

Tabula Rasa: Guide to Soldiers

Shayalyn — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:55:54 -0400

Are You a Good Little Soldier?

The Soldier is the first class in Tabula Rasa's combatant class sub-tree. Soldier classes are the primary combatants, doing the most direct damage on the battlefield. Most soldier abilities are concerned with aggressive, direct damage. Ten Ton Hammer is updating the class guides, starting with the Soldier.

Reflective Armor changes recently have made it efficient against all types of damage. While the armor rating may be lower than what you'd see in higher Tier equipment, the very high regen and ability to reflect back as much as 75% damage can't be overlooked.

Tabula Rasa: Guide to Soldiers

Vanguard Spell List Rebuild Project - Rogue: Level 1 to 25

Shayalyn — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:55:08 -0400

Backstabber Skills - Inquire Within!

Rather than just a standard Spell List Update, Dalmarus has decided to tackle the task of rebuilding the Vanguard: Saga of Heroes spell lists by adding spell icons and more detailed information for each spell.

What class was chosen for some update love this week? The Rogue!

Vanguard Spell List Rebuild Project - Rogue: Level 1 to 25

Age of Conan Guardian Class Portal

Shayalyn — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:53:57 -0400

Quests, Combo Lists, and Even a Screenshot

Continuing the trend of new class portals, today we bring you the Age of Conan Guardian Class Portal. This is the guardian's one-stop-shop for all your guardian needs. From here you'll be able to access quest lists, combo lists, and an exclusive screenshot of high level guardian armor.

Age of Conan Guardian Class Portal

WoW Wrath of the Lich King Video Preview

Shayalyn — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:53:09 -0400

It's That Little Expansion You May Have Heard About...

Ten Ton Hammer has had a sneak peak directly inside the upcoming World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. We've got the inside look at the Howling Fjord, Borean Tundra, Utgarde Keep, the Nexus, and the Shattered Strand. The newest zones in the expansion come to life in our latest video as we explore through the wild new environments with running commentary from Cody "Micajah" Bye giving you the much desired details on these zones. If you're looking to see exactly what Wrath of the Lich King will be like in full motion video then you better get to clicking. Stay tuned here to Ten Ton Hammer as we bring you more from the upcoming Wrath of the Lich King expansion including even more video from inside the game.

WoW Wrath of the Lich King Video Preview

Calling All Angels: An Interview with Angels Online Product Manager Dica Huang

Shayalyn — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:32:53 -0400

I'm No Angel, But...

Okay, so you're not an angel in the real world; you can still play one of the Heavenly host in a virtual world. Angels Online, a free-to-play title by IGG, gives you the opportunity to do just that.

While AO's cutesy graphics and angelic theme may not be for everyone, there's more to this game than meets the eye. Players can participate in PvP league skirmishes, craft, develop a pet with unique traits, and own a mount. The game's recent expansion, called Eden, gives players the opportunity to strive for a level cap of 80.

Q: Can you explain this pet development process?

A: AO’s pet system is quite distinctive. The same pet will have different growth development when growing with different masters. Whenever pets level up, they will give their masters a quick quiz. Their masters’ answers decide the pets’ development direction. It is the masters’ choices to make their pets become either fierce fighter pets or pets possessing dangerous spells. Even the same two fighter pets will have different attributes if they belong to different masters.

If you're in the market for a F2P game with a little more depth read on to see if Angels Online might be worthy of a download.