Welcome to the 745th Edition of Loading...

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Daily Column [Graciously sponsored this week by Shay's Treehouse.]

Loading... It's like a day off work to game with your pals.

How pathetic is it that the highest sponsorship bid this week is from a Ten Ton Hammer staff member? Be that as it may, congratulations Shay! Do you see what I did there? Your game, guild, dog, bat, cat, rat, etc. could be the sponsor next week. Make it happen. Real-time-strategy players will need to pass customs to enter. No build orders. No micro-management during battles. We'll be x-raying your luggage. This is the land of MMOGs.

CES is is over. The Taj Mahal of technology has swept through Las Vegas faster than a Curt Schilling pitch past Cody's nose. Fortunately for you, it was Cody throwing the knucklers and Curt delivering the answers in our exclusive CES: Curt Shilling Interview - [Regular Version], [Premium - Full Length Version]. This is a fantastic interview. I'm not just saying that because we created it, though of course I would. Curt talks passionately about the design process, the 38 Studios team, his EverQuest days and why it is such a blessing to be part of this industry. Go, listen, watch.

When our public relations staff aren't out cajoling developers they are creating giveaways for you! Congratulations to our Pirates of the Burning Sea contest winners.

• BamBam (Premium Member)
• Hurikhan (Premium Member)
• yain77

"These three won a PotBS pre-order simply by reading our site and entering an email address. Two of them have already claimed their prizes and have the early access keys to start playing. Early access is a big deal, too. Pre-order boxes give players the advantage of starting early, allow them to level up to 20 before launch day, include a CD with 60 minutes of PotBS music, and give players in-game bonuses in the form of a parrot and a special sword!" - Danny "Ralsu" Gourley

Our department of bestowments will be announcing more swag giveaways next week!  

I have had a number (three or four) e-mails over the last couple of weeks from gamers who play Dungeons and Dragons Online, EverQuest, Anarchy Online and the like. Some were angry. Some were frustrated. Some were simply questioning why I don't discuss those titles in my column. The short and simple answer is that I have so few readers who play those games that it isn't a very efficient use of my limited time. To give you an example, if I ruminate on why World of Warcraft will not move to a micro-transactions model I receive hundreds of emails and this column receives hundreds of thousands of visits. If I take the same subject matter for a stroll down Dungeons and Dragons lane there isn't even a measurable blip. In essence, I'm the opposite of the government. I give the people what they want based on how many want it. This column is democracy! (Except voting as many times as you like is not only condoned, it is encouraged.)

So there you have it. I'll do my best to pick up on the biggest stories from the more fringe communities, and better perhaps, I'll try to include them more often as the Loading... community discusses game design, mechanics and the future. Has anyone seen the flux capacitor?

Do you feel the need to contact me? Your wish is my command. Forums or E-mail - The choice is yours!

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18 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 116 so far in January! 116 so far in 2008!

New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today

• CES: Curt Shilling Interview - [Regular Version], [Premium - Full Length Version]
• EverQuest 2: Updated Armour Guide
• Lord of the Rings Online: North Downs Quest Guide - Esteldin and Othrikar Part 2
• Lord of the Rings Online: Resource Gathering Update - Scholar Nodes
• Pirates of the Burning Sea Preview
• Requiem Bloodymare: First Set of Screenshots
• StarGate Worlds: A Post-Trailer Interview With The Team
• Tabula Rasa: Target of Opportunity - Torden Incline
• Tabula Rasa: Guide to Baylor Base
• Ten Ton Wiki: Ramayan 3392, RAN Online, Realm Fighter, Record of Lunia War
• Ten Ton Wiki: Perfect World, Pirate King Online, Pirates CSG Online, Project V.I.L.E.
• Vanguard: Newsletter - There Can Be Only One
• Warhammer Online: Updated FAQ - Release Questions
• Webkinz: Arcade Game Guide - Quizzy's Word Challenge
• World of Warcraft: Database Receives Complete Redesign
• World of Warcraft: Priest Guide - Healing Priests
• World of Warcraft: Roleplaying Guide Updated
• World of Warcraft: U.I. Mod Updates - DamageMeters and TitanPanel

Hot Content - Or, what I took a fancy to

1. CES: Curt Shilling Interview - [Regular Version], [Premium - Full Length Version]
2. StarGate Worlds: A Post-Trailer Interview With The Team
3. CES: Age of Conan Zone Preview Video - Fields of the Dead
4. ION Game Conference: Interview With Director, Peter Freese
5. CES: Age of Conan - Collector's Edition Details Revealed
6. CES: The Agency Gameplay Demo

MMOG News And Improved

• World of Warcraft Introduces BlizzCast
  Because you don't already spend enough time on WoW related activities.
• Rumour: World of Warcraft Headed To Consoles
  Of course, at BlizzCON they said, "We aren't planning on going to consoles".

Need More? Look no further.

Real World News

• McDonald's Boss: 'Games To Blame For Childhood Obesity'
  That's right kids, stop eating your games!!!
• German Man Throws Christmas Tree and Self Out Of Window
  Rule #1: Let go.
• Children Poisoned By Mercury Given As Toy
  Webkinz - Check! XBox 360 - Check! Jar of Mercury.....

Thanks as always for visiting TenTonHammer.com

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