Welcome to the 756th Edition of Loading...

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Daily Column

Loading... It's like opening the shrinkwrap on a new game every morning.

The good folks at Codemasters are hiring and asked me to pass on the job information to you.

"We need people who:

• Have excellent customer service skills
• Have strong online gaming experience
• Are fluent in English, German or French (preferably a native speaker)
• Have the desire to join a fast-paced, exciting and highly dynamic team

Codemasters Online is currently recruiting English, French or German speaking Game Masters to work at our Germany-based support site in Dusseldorf.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide high quality online support for one or more of our leading MMO titles
• Resolve customer enquiries via the in-game ticket system or external support tools
• Respond to customer requests in a professional, polite and timely manner
• Moderate the community forums and provide assistance to players where necessary

If this sounds like the kind of thing you'd like to do then in the first instance please send us your CV along with a covering letter to our GM recruitment inbox at [email protected]"

I know that we have some talented people on staff here at Ten Ton Hammer, but even so, I'm always amazed at how much exclusive content we create about the MMOG industry. So far this month we have produced 238 exclusive pieces of content. That is more than most of the biggest game news and content sites produce about all genres, not to mention more than most MMOG sites produce in a year. Imagine if they somehow get me to contribute as well... We might have one extra piece of useful information per month!

I promise that Loading... today won't be that useful piece of the content puzzle.

Loading... readers knocked around the good and the bad of Age of Conan PvP last week, which leads well into a game I have been trying out recently, Savage 2.

S2 isn't a MMOG. It's more of a FPS/RTS hybrid game where players battle over resources and against other players to win. It has fantasy roots, but the similarity to MMOGs ends there. That said, the PvP is different than anything I've come across in a true MMOG. It isn't better. It is just different. I would call it 'frantic'. The pace is fast and players can spawn as any one of 20 different classes depending upon which faction they chose at the game's start.

S2 has more than its share of problems, but it does provide 'twitch' PVP to 20+ players at once. Age of Conan also promises twitch PvP. I'm sure that something can be learned from Savage 2, if only to correct the flaws that are currently in play.

You can download the demo of Savage 2 and try it for five hours. I'd be thrilled to hear what some of you think about this title and how it could lend some ideas to MMOG PvP.

Hit the Loading... forums and start an argument.

Do you feel the need to contact me personally with naughty pictures? Here's my E-mail.

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12 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 238 so far in January! 238 so far in 2008!

New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today

• Age of Conan: FAQ Updated
• Age of Conan: The Revolutionary Real Combat of Age of Conan
• Dungeons and Dragons Online: Module 6 Video Developer Diary
• EverQuest 2: Thuuga Quest Line Guide
• Jumpgate Evolution: Exclusive Images Round #2
• Lord of the Rings Online: Trollshaws Quests Guide Part 2
• Lord of the Rings Online: Cooking Profession Tier 1 and 2 Products Description List
• Pirates of the Burning Sea: Review
• Vanguard: Conspiracy Flavor of the Month
• Webkinz: Bathroom Guide Part 1 - The Sink and Toilet
• World of Warcraft: U.I. Mod Updates - Bongos2
• World of Warcraft: Extended Rogue Guide

Hot Content - Or, what I took a fancy to

1. Pirates of the Burning Sea: Review
2. Jumpgate Evolution: Exclusive Images Round #2
3. Age of Conan: The Revolutionary Real Combat of Age of Conan
4. Dungeon Runners: Loot a Ten Ton Hammer - Download the Client
5. Age of Conan: Hands-On Preview - Sanctum of the Burning Souls [Video] [Premium Video]
6. Age of Conan: Funcom Site Tour #1 - Motion Capture Studio [Video] [Premium Video]
7. Age of Conan: Hands-On with the Demonologist in the Sanctum of Burning Souls
8. EverQuest 2: 21 Gaming Terms You Never Knew You Knew - Coyote Humour
9. Age of Conan: Prestige Classes / Class Merger Announcement Video
10. Legends of Norrath: Events Interview With Game Designer Chuck Kallenbach

MMOG News And Improved

• China Passes Policy To Discourage Foreign MMOGs
  Virtual tanks, coming to a MMOG near you.
• Rumour: World of Warcraft Mobile In Development
  Now you can go AFK in Alterac Valley on your cell phone.

Need More? Look no further for all of the headlines.

Real World News

• Japanese Girl's Letter Returned 15 Years Later... By Fish [Thanks Karen]

  Some say message in a bottle. Some say litter.

• Hay Presto! Farmer Unveils the 'illegal' Castle He Had Hid Behind Hay [Thanks Matt]

  Eventually uncovered by 'Big Bad Wolf'

Thanks as always for visiting TenTonHammer.com

- John "Boomjack" Hoskin and the Ten Ton Hammer Team