Loading... Cartoon Violence

Welcome to the 1,062nd Edition of Loading...

Loading... is the premier daily MMORPG news and commentary newsletter, only from Ten Ton Hammer.

Of all television series (with the possible exception of Stargate, and we won't get into that), many cartoon IPs seem like the most natural material for an MMO. Assets are cheap to produce, the setting is established, many have global appeal, abd there's enough preexisting content to make season after season of shows. But, building on today's opinion piece from our resident Comic Book Guy, Tony "RadarX" Jones, why haven't we seen more cartoon MMOs, and what shows would make great MMOs? That's the topic of today's Loading, plus BioWare weighs in on beta testing, we get an update from Carbine Studios, we deliver two new giveaways just for you, and have over 11 new guides and articles for your perusal in Loading... Cartoon Violence.

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The Pulse

You vote with what you view at Ten Ton Hammer, and the result is the Ten Ton Pulse (What is Pulse?).

Here's today's top 5 Pulse results for today:

World of Warcraft EverQuest 2 Age of Conan Warhammer Online (UP 2) Vanguard: Saga of Heroes

Biggest Movers in the Top 20 today :

Lego Universe (UP 31 to #12) Asheron's Call (UP 29 to #16) Ultima Online (UP 28 to #14)

Loading... Daily

Among such mysteries as why Strongbad emails stopped at 200 and whether they teach the plural form in ESOL courses is this: why don't we see more cartoon IP MMOGs? This was the topic of Tony "RadarX" Jones's latest article, and Tony does a great job of pointing out the global appeal of cartoons. The success of FusionFall shows that cartoon characters can make the transition from the TV to the online game, and he cites for cartoon IPs that have plenty of open-world hooks. The best example is The Simpsons, whose twenty year history already has a pedigree of video games dating back to the NES, but Tony points out that GI Joe would have been a natural choice for the PvP possibilities.

Better yet, cartoon characters and environments are naturally more "asset light" than the photorealistic graphics used in, say, Aion. That should make for faster production time from concept to play session and, given the right set of artists, more variety and customizability since it's easier to produce items, hairstyles, etc. I was among those that were bothered when The Simpsons feature length film used shader effects for the characters - I much preferred the matte jaundiced-looking characters I'd grown up with. You can already create your own Simpsons avatar at http://www.simpsonsmovie.com.

What The Simpsons, Looney Tunes, and Family Guy lack is a central conflict, something to justify your existence in-game and keep you playing after the novelty wears off. GI Joe accomplishes this in spades, not just with the plot but with the action itself. Anyone who grew up in that more innocent television era can recall that you couldn't watch an action show before 9pm - be it A-Team, MacGyver, or the Hasselhoffian Knight Rider, GI Joe or Transformers - and see anyone actually get killed. Lots of fighting yes, lasting fatalities no, and that really describes just about every MMORPG.

But maybe you don't need a central conflict to make a world people want to visit. If you're creating a cartoon MMO, you're probably not going after the hardcore audience bent on an item-driven power fix anyway. Something light and enjoyable, suitable for just about all ages, that more than pays for itself in box costs - another Guild Wars perhaps? - might be just what the MMO market needs.

What cartoons would make great MMOs? Why haven't we seen more cartoon IP-based online games? Share your thoughts in the Loading... forum, or send me an email!

Shayalyn's Epic Thread of the Day

From our WAR: General Discussion forum

Finally cancelled account

It's
not quite a rage quit (which, I'll admit, are fun to watch), but
Beerkeg, formerly one of our community's staunchest defenders of
Warhammer Online, has nixed his subscription.

"I have tried to defend this game from the haters and the negatives, have
tried to point out anything that could be used to counteract the faults
of the game," he says, "but after seeing a BW do 400k damage at rank 27 with 0
deaths and 34 killing blows in a Tor Anroc scenario, I have come to the
conclusion that RvR in WAR is just plain pathetic."

Are things horribly unbalanced? Are scenarios borked? Not everyone agrees in this epic thread. Head over to share your thoughts on the current state of Warhammer Online.

==============================
Awesome Quote from the Epic Thread

"All
technical issues aside for a moment, I think it must be said that the
game is only going to be as good or as bad as the players behind the
toons. Remember, everything is relative to who you are sharing server
time with. If you see someone kicking ass it is because the guy is
grouped with people who understand what is going on and how to play WAR
properly in whatever setting they are playing. WAR is not a solo player
game, after all."

- CHEWNIE01
==============================

Have you spotted an Epic Thread on our forums? Tell us!

11 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 105 in April! 492 in 2009!

New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today [Thanks Phil Comeau for links and Real World News]

Features

LotRO 2nd Anniversary Giveaway
In the Ten Ton Hammer LOTRO Anniversary Giveaway, you can enter to win a collector's edition of The Lord of the Rings Online. This assemblage of pure awesome in a box contains Volume I: Shadows of Angmar, Volume II: Mines of Moria, 30 days free play, in-game item tokens, collectible map and ring replica, compilation of art and music from the game, and a starter guide. Enter now at Ten Ton Hammer! Exclusive Carbine Studios Game Update Interview with Eric DeMilt
Recently, Ten Ton Hammer’s Cody Bye had a chat with producer Eric DeMilt on his role in the Carbine Studios’ “WoW-sized” MMO project and where everything stands with the upcoming triple-A MMO. Eric talks in-depth about his previous work at Interplay, how working on an MMO compares to single player titles, and Carbine’s focus on quality. Star Wars: The Old Republic Developer Weighs in on Beta Testing
Not wanting to miss our beta series action, the BioWare Austin developers working on Star Wars: The Old Republic sent over their own thoughts on beta testing. Straight from the mind of Co-Studio VP, Richard Vogel, this Q&A gives players a hint of what they might expect from the upcoming SW:TOR beta test. Out of the Box Cartoon MMO Games
Let's face it: most of us who play MMO games are cut from the same cloth growing up on the same cartoons and laughing at inappropriate comments. Could the market be expanded using widely known IP's such as King of the Hill or does it take more than familiarity to draw in a decent audience? We take a look at four cartoons that just might have what it takes to make the grade even if it's on a small scale. Who could pull it off? Take a look inside to find out. Loading... Live #12 Podcast - EQ2 Game Update 51 Dev Chat with Bruce Ferguson
EverQuest 2 Senior Producer Bruce Ferguson joins the twelfth episode of Loading... Live for April 9th, 2009. After our weekly MMO news update, Bruce shares the latest on EverQuest 2 and Game Update 51. We'll learn about how the latest content to hit EverQuest 2, Game Update 51, affected adventuring, crafting, raiding, and gear and get a glimpse of what we can expect with this year's upcoming FanFaire in June. Download or stream the entire show from the Episode 12 Show Notes page (linked). Is Lore-Driven PvP the New Face of Sci-Fi MMOs?
Looking at the sci-fi genre in MMOs, a growing number of games dot the starry PvP skies. While only time will tell if any of them contain enough of the right mystical components or technological gadgetry to propel them into the stratosphere of success, there does seem to be a string of strong efforts being made to steer things in that direction. In his latest love letter to the universe disguised as a weekly sci-fi column, Reuben "Sardu" Waters takes a look at upcoming titles Global Agenda, Earthrise and Fallen Earth, examining ways in which they may very well shape the new face of sci-fi MMOs thanks to a more lore-driven, factional approach to PvP. WoW Zygor's Leveling Guide Reviewed Over the next few weeks, Ten Ton Hammer will be taking a look at several leveling guides. We'll be covering in-game paid leveling guides, as well as some free guides available for use on the internet. Every guide claims to be the fastest and the best, but which one really IS the best, and which ones are just cheap scams? We intend to find out. After we've reviewed them all, we'll have a comparison to see exactly which leveling guide reigns supreme. Today Joe Iuliani takes a look at Zygor's paid leveling guide.

Guides

EVE Online "Balancing the Books" Mission Guide
Another great newbie series of missions in EVE Online is the Balancing the Book series. This group of missions introduces players to salvaging and the basics of industry. With great rewards that range from the simple and much needed ISK to the very helpful (and free!) frigates, this series is really not one you'll want to pass up! We will guide you through every step of the way, offer advice, spell out rewards, and much more in this exclusive guide! LotRO: Your Guide to Playing Sauron's Minion - The Reaver
You've decided healers are a waste of time, ranged combatants are too boring, and now you want a class that will allow you to get up close and personal with your enemy. It's about time. This week, Dalmarus delves into the inner strengths and weaknesses of the Orc Reaver. Built for dealing massive amounts of damage, this is one Creep the Freeps won't want to mess with. WoW Guides - Item Enhancements for the Paladin
Blizzard has provided us many ways to improve our characters and really bring out the best in each of our three talent trees of the Paladin. As we progress into the end game, each point of Stamina, Strength, Intellect or Spell Power becomes critical. To help you wade through the quagmire of choices, we've assembled a handy dandy cheat sheet. WoW Guides - Item Enhancements for the Druid
One of the finer points in the great gear bonanza that is World of Warcraft is item enhancement. Item enhancements come in several forms and are available both for purchase from reputation vendors or from your fellow players in the form of tradeskill items. Some pieces of armor feature gem slots that allow you to socket in extra attributes.

Hot Content - Or, what I took a fancy to:

Star Wars: The Old Republic Developer Weighs in on Beta Testing Exclusive Carbine Studios Game Update Interview with Eric DeMilt LotRO 2nd Anniversary Giveaway Swagdog Giveaway EVE Online: Sins of a Solar Spymaster - Newbies in Space Out of the Box Cartoon IPs for MMO Games Exclusive Alaganon Class Interview #2 - The Ranger Atlantica Online - State of the Game Interview Loading... Live #12 Podcast - EQ2 Game Update 51 Dev Chat with Bruce Ferguson WoW Zygor's Leveling Guide Reviewed

Real World News

Portable toilet arsonist sought

Interesting - what does it pay? Student arrested, may be charged for shooting pigeon

Prosecutors willing to reduce the charges if he fully cooperates. City bus hits and kills man in wheelchair, who was crippled previously by being hit by a city bus

I blame bad karma as the man never saw The Towers of Hanoi, and that's a fractal never forget. (Super Obscure Bonus Wordplay for Programming Geeks!)

Thanks for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!

-Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle and the Ten Ton Hammer team