Loading... NCSoft Answers

Welcome to the 1,118th Edition of Loading...

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

It's a question that has haunted gamers the world over (or at least outside the US) since time immemorial: why do games launch on different days in different countries? NCSoft confirmed that the Aion Collector's Edition was in fact starting to sell out in some areas, in particular the UK, and NCSoft PR director Ryan James took the opportunity to share what his knowledge about the staggered launch of games around the globe. Tune in to Loading... NCSoft Answers to see what he and NCSoft have to say,and check out a new and exclusive Aion Spiritmaster interview, a new look at Age of Conan, and the latest Sins of a Solar Spymaster as well.

Humorist writer Coyote's wit and wisdom comes at you every day at Ten Ton Hammer with It's All Geek to Me. Today's topic: Hero or Villain - which are YOU?

The Pulse

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

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

World of Warcraft EverQuest 2 Age of Conan EVE Online Aion

Biggest Movers today :

All Points Bulletin (UP 54 to #15) Star Wars: The Old Republic (down 2 to #13) EverQuest (down 2 to #16) Recent MMO Releases 6/24 - Age of Conan Update 5: Gangs of Tarantia 6/25 - WAR "Land of the Dead" 6/30 - City of Heroes Issue 15: Anniversary 6/30 - Lord of the Rings Online Book 8 7/7 - Darkfall Player Housing Expansion

Important Dates

7/13 - Darkfall NA launch 7/17 - 7/19- Aion Beta Weekend 7/23 - 7/26 - San Diego Comic Con '09 Upcoming Releases Late July - FFXI "Moogle Kupo d'Etat" Addon (release date) 8/25 - CrimeCraft (release date) 9/1 - Champions Online (release date) 9/22 - Aion (release date) Early 2010 - APB

Loading... Daily

With apologies for another brief pre-boarding Loading... coming at you courtesy of airport wifi, it looks as if we can finally put one of my pet issues to rest. I never liked the fact that games seem to launch earlier in the United States and Canada than at various points around the globe - mostly because it lends to this fictive "America first" gestalt that I really don't think exists anymore in the average American, if it ever did.

NCSoft PR Director Ryan James got hold of my comments from the June 24th Loading... and had this to say:

"The staggered launch dates have nothing to do with “lingual, legal, and customs barriers, differing cultural boundaries for content, and mounds of nonsensical red tape to cut through”. They have everything to do with retailer processes and supply chains. US retailers ship new games on Tuesdays, and EU retailers ship on Fridays (some on Thursdays). This timing is true of almost every major game release including Halo, GTA, etc.

"That said, retail is a tough business, and consistent, quality execution at the store level is very hard. It is extremely challenging for retailers to do something outside their normal process, which is why almost all games ship on slightly different dates in NA and in EU."

I stand corrected, thanks Ryan. Now that you mention it, who picked New Everything Tuesday for us NA types? Unlike shelf milk and wooden shoes, this is one European custom that makes total sense. Share your thoughts in the Loading... forum, or feel free to email me!

Shayalyn's Epic Thread of the Day

From our AoC: News & Announcements forum

Funcom Launches Reevaluation Campaign

Won't you give Conan a second chance? Please! Think of the decapitated....

Funcom
wants you to give Age of Conan a second look. If you're one of the many
people who' though that AoC was fun for the first 20 or so levels and
then quickly lost its charm, you might like to know that not only are
many current players saying that AoC has changed for the better, but
you can  reeactivate your account for two weeks for free to find
out for yourself if they're right.

Will you give AoC another 14 days to win you over? Talk about it in our AoC forum.

==============================
Awesome Quotes from the Epic Thread

"Well, so far I've played up to lvl 7 entering the Tortuga area at max settings
(minus DX10) and the game is running very smooth. I forgot just
how beautiful this game was."

- OneEyeRed
==============================

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

8 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today 37 in July! 802 in 2009!

New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today

Exclusive Articles:

Aion Class Interview - The Spiritmaster
Aion Associate Producer Lani Blazier is back to talk with Ten Ton Hammer about another fabulous Aion class. In this interview we get the details on the mage pet class, the Spiritmaster. Find out how these elemental masters wield their magic and how they fare against the creatures of the world and against players in PvP! Age of Conan 2009 Update Tour, Part One
In our first of a three part series, we explore the dungeon of Xibaluku and some updates to the player cities. Also covered are the updates to items and their affect on players, and some more general notes as to what's new. We've taken video of the AoC DirectX 10 client, and you can find all the notes and the video right here exclusively at Ten Ton Hammer. EVE Online Sins of a Solar Spymaster #19: Hacking in New Eden - Myth and Reality
For the latest edition of Sins of a Solar Spymaster, the Mittani sets out to separate fact from fiction as examines the phenomenon behind one of EVE Online ’s mythical beasts – the dreaded hacker. Who are these strange creatures that seemingly slip through null sec space undetected yet are so often considered the root of all wrong-doing in New Eden? Aion Warrior - Gladiator Skills for Level 1-19
The Aion Warrior is a formidable foe on the battlefield and with an assortment of melee skills aimed at defensive mitigation and offensive damage, the warrior is a versatile class in combat. However, the warrior really starts to shine after they reach ascension. At that time they get to choose their main class as a Templar or Gladiator. This week we have put together a list of the warrior's skills through level 9 and the first 19 levels of skills for the gladiator. Take a look at what lies ahead for this tank-based class in Aion. World of Warcraft: The Diminishing Hunter
In the World of Warcraft universe there are times when certin classes seem to dwindle away. This week Mem takes a look at the steady decline of the numbers of the Hunter class. World of Warcraft - Professions for the Priest
Professions can play a big part in World of Warcraft, allowing more player interaction and a way to make extra money through the Auction House. But which professions should one pick? A good question and one that Yadiera answers in her guide Professions for the Priest. Choosing 5 primary professions that will be most beneficial to the priest class, Alchemy, Enchanting, Inscription, Jewelcrafting and Tailoring. She also talks about the benefits of each of these professions allowing you to compare which profession you may want to pick as a Priest.

Other Goodness

NCsoft Reveals Aion Scout Class Details
Aion has been a hot topic in MMORPG news over the last few months and that isn't about to change anytime soon. This week NCsoft released several new screenshots and details for the Scout class. Players who choose the path of a scout will eventually choose between becoming an Assassin or a Ranger. Today we have details and screenshots for both.

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

Aion Class Interview - The Spiritmaster EVE Online Sins of a Solar Spymaster #19: Hacking in New Eden - Myth and Reality Age of Conan 2009 Update Tour, Part One An Intro to All Points Bulletin (APB) with Chris "Ulric" Dye Aion Flight Facts Champions Online Power Set Interview - Dual Blades, Single Blade, Fighting Claws and Unarmed World of Warcraft - Comparing Raid Gear Aion Class Preview: The Gladiator World of Warcraft - Patch 3.2 Rogue Axes Preview Aion Class Preview - The Chanter

Thanks for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!

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