Loading... Of Deadbeats and Happy Endings

Welcome to the 908th Edition of Loading...

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Daily Column

Loading... putting the 'player' in multiplayer.

First, the Ten Ton Pulse, your finger on the beating heart of the MMOG industry.

If the Top 10 isn't enough, we also show the Top 20 and Top 50 lists as well, available to everyone on our homepage. (What is Pulse?)

Warhammer Online - 200 BPM World of Warcraft - 84 BPM Age of Conan - 34 BPM EVE Online - 30 BPM Tabula Rasa - 9 BPM Lord of the Rings Online - 6 BPM Everquest II - 5 BPM Atlantica - 4 BPM Vanguard - 4 BPM Lineage II - 3 BPM

EVE Online made a huge leap in the Ten Ton Pulse yesterday. If you haven't tried it yet, you should. The game certainly isn't for everyone, but those that like it, love it.

Those that don't like it, really don't like it. Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, the Johnny Knoxville of Internet jackassery is one that finds the game, let's say, unappealing. Ben is the gentleman responsible for 'Zero Punctuation', the most recent episode of which covers none other than EVE Online. Many of you have probably watched ZP at some point or another, asking yourselves did he really just spew out 27 curse words in a single four-minute stint? It's not that Ben isn't funny. He is. He's astonishingly clever at times, but then he'll drop in the F-bomb for good measure and well, it ruins it.

I'm a big fan of grade three humour of which Ben is a master. He works words like 'underpants' into his schtick. He probably has a room full of poop jokes. He compares MMOG battles to kicking each other in the shins. What a perfect analogy.

"It basically comes down to who started the battle with the biggest boots." - Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw

You can visit his site, Fullyramblomatic.com where he lists most everything he has ever done. You'll be entertained, but keep the speakers on low or the boss may wonder what the f-bomb you are doing. You've been warned.

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I have no pockets, or eyes.

I have received no less than five e-mails from the Nevrax development team. They are the folks who created Saga of Ryzom, reneged on their bills and now have reopened Saga of Ryzom. It comes as no surprise that the Nevrax.com website is still gone. I'm sure they would love people to think that they disappeared forever into a hole someplace. I know I'd like to think that. If the hole was filling with water and snakes I'd be even happier. Their wit and guile apparently took a lunch break however when they put up this account creation page, which has the Nevrax domain in it. For some reason known only to them they sent me this picture, which is apparently a shot of their CFO showing us that he doesn't have any pockets and therefore has no money.

There aren't too many companies in our space that fail to pay for the advertising that they contract to purchase. The ones that reneg are mostly mom and pop outfits. One in particular comes to mind. They owe a small amount of money, have promised that payment was sent numerous times, but nothing ever arrived. They did have enough money to fire up a new company though. I won't tell you what it is just yet, but I can tell you that it has about as much chance of being successful as if they had decided to become cobblers or chimney sweeps. The industry that they entered is in decline in every way possible way. Big players are dropping out, selling their assets as fast as the shareholders will let them, but the genius behind Mom and Pop 101 is going to make it a 'big success'. I'll name names as soon as the big bosses here turn their backs, or go on vacation. Then again, I'm pretty sure that they don't read this column anyway.

This has been a negative column, so let's move on to happier endings.

Those of you that enjoyed the recent Warhammer Online cinematic need to jump over to ZBrushCentral.com and check out the contributions to the trailer. Keep clicking through the pages of comments. There are some incredible pieces of art/modeling there that deserve to be seen.

Those of you with artistic talent might want to enter the Stargate Worlds Avatar contest.

Having a rough day or perhaps you just had a MMOG epiphany? Let it all out in the Loading Forums. Do you feel the need to contact me personally with naughty pictures or derogatory comments? Here's my E-mail.

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Ten Ton Hammer Epic Thread of the Day [Thanks Karen Hertzberg]


Sometimes they're funny; sometimes they're foolish; sometimes they're flaming;
sometimes they're cool. Whatever this one happens to be, it's
our Epic Thread of the Day.

====================
From our WoW: General Discussion Forum

Level 1-60 in 20 minutes

Okay,
maybe it's not the most epic of epic threads, but it's interesting,
nonetheless. TheShad0w found a video showing a player exploiting
Blizzard's Recruit-a-Friend program to level a character from 1-60 at
lightning speed. Is the system fubar; or does it not matter how rapidly
a person levels if they're not attaining the gear and skills they need
to succeed in the process?

Awesome Quote from the Epic Thread:

"Yes, you can get to 60 that quickly, and that is all well and good, but it does not mean you know how to play your toon." - Miralyn
====================

Do you have a favorite Epic Thread? Let us know!

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14 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 52 in September! 2246 in 2008!

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

Leipzig GCDC 2008

Images/Video

World of Warcraft: WotLK Walkthrough Video - The Nexus Aion: The Territories of Aion Video Aion: The Classes of Aion Video Kickster Online: Leipzig GCDC Trailer Exteel: New Trailer - The Clash of the Robots Wonderland Online: Exclusive Screenshots Neosteam: New Screenshots

Guides

Age of Conan: Hyborian Hints and Tips Age of Conan: Herald of Xotli Spell List Update World of Warcraft: Previewing the Death Knight, Part 4 Warhammer Online: Chaos Zealot Guide Warhammer Online: Warrior Priest Abilities Warhammer Online: Goblin Shaman Guide Vanguard: Armor Project - Var Enchanted Armor

Hot Content - Or, what I took a fancy to

Top 5 Reasons Gamers are attracted to WAR Exclusive Jeff Hickman WAR Blog at PAX- #3 The Hickman Leaveth Exclusive Jeff Hickman WAR Blog at PAX - #2 The Hickman Invades Exclusive Jeff Hickman WAR Blog at PAX - #1 The Hickman Returns Diablo 3: Video Interview with Lead Designer Jay Wilson Earthrise: PvP Interview from Leipzig GCDC 08 Leipzig GCDC 2008 Vanguard: Can PvP survive? State of the MMOG Nation - A Frenzy of Negativity

Real World News

Alcohol deemed a factor in double-decker deaths

Stupidity factor may also have played into this equation

Aussie girls warned playing didgeridoo could cause infertility

Side effects also include attracting the Chupacabra and Bigfoot to your home 8-ft mechanical ape stolen from Maine store

Owner last seen wandering the streets asking people if they had "seen his monkey"

Thanks as always for visiting TenTonHammer.com.

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