MMO news, guides, reviews, features, interviews and more at Ten Ton Hammer

The Fanta Girls: Coming to an MMO Near You
A new Nielson survey, sponsored by Activision, found that in-game activision works. Not only that, but gamers seem to enjoy seeing the ads in games like Anarchy Online. I guess its like when cowboys used to write about how glad they were to see a train pass by; a little slice of civilization.

Research results also found that, contrary to the assumption that highly pervasive ads would detract from the game play and frustrate gamers, a majority of study participants said that when the product is relevant to the game, advertising enhances the experience. Underscoring relevance, the study revealed that the vast majority of gamers who recalled a product in a game felt it fit the game they were playing. Moreover, a much higher percentage of gamers changed their opinion of the product positively versus negatively after having played the game.

Now, how are they going to get Viagra ads into fantasy MMOs? Town crier? Broadsheet notices? Check out the results of the Activision / Nielson survey on in-game ads at the Activision investor's site!

Dear Santa,
All I Want For Christmas Is To Play Auto Assault!
GameSpy's Allen "Delsyn"
Rausch got to sit with the MMOs Project Lead Scott Brown and discuss some specifics.
They also have some cool pictures for you to drool over. Your Welcome!

People crave distinctiveness. Once you get past simple utility, all of a
product's subsequent features inevitably descend to the realm of "fashion
statement." The things we wear and drive and eat and utilize in our daily
lives aren't just useful items, but actually say something about us -- the
way we feel about ourselves and the way we wish to be perceived by the world.
A Lexus won't travel any faster than a Toyota Camry in the middle of rush-hour
freeway traffic, and a PC outfitted with glowing lights and neon won't make
someone a better Counter-Strike player, but people still spend beaucoup bucks
on such accoutrements as if it would.

Read
It All
Stop By TTH's Auto Assault Community
Site
Here's
Some More Stuff On The Game Done By TTH
 

I have super powers! I can fly! I choose to wear tights?
WorthPlaying has posted their City of Villains review, taking a look at the recently released NCSoft title.

" ...there are some conclusions that I can draw, based on extensive experience in the Massively Multiplayer genre, and on previous experience with City of Heroes (also somewhat limited). I think it unfortunate that many gamers who may have played City of Heroes will judge CoV unfairly based upon the reputation of it predecessor. I played CoH for several weeks and came away with what seemed to be a common opinion of the experience; it is a terrific, appealing idea, with beautifully crafted environments. The title had perhaps the single best character-generation system that was practically a game in itself, and the product as a whole was easy to learn and fun to play. However, CoH seriously lacked any significant content with little or no end game; in short, the game was boring. You can only put the beat-down on so many bad guys before it gets tedious. "

• TTH First Impressions of City of Villains
• Other City of Villains News

News Flash: MMO Gamers like Star Trek!
In one of the biggest porkbarrel market research studies ever conducted, Perpetual Entertainment has indeed found that there is a market for their 2-year-out take on the Star Trek universe.

This just in: massively multiplayer online role-playing game players are interested in a Star Trek MMORPG. That's the not-so-shocking conclusion of a market study conducted by Nielsen Media Research and Perpetual Entertainment, developer of the forthcoming PC MMORPG, Star Trek Online.

Check out the earthshattering Nielson survey results at Gamespot.
Do you have a lifelong aspiration to join in a Vulcan mindmeld with an major MMO developer?

• Read some older STO news- and/or...

• Head over to the shiny new Star Trek Online site