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Daily Column
New MMOG Articles at TenTonHammer Today
Hot Content
Real World News - You Can't Make This Up
1. Daily Column
Ryan Shwayder, previously a community relations manager on EverQuest 2 and now a Game Designer/Community Relations Manager at 38 Studios posted an idea that seems so simple, so logical, so much common-sense that of course it is the one thing that most MMOGs lack.
"Make a great game first. One of the fallacies in MMO design is that you need to start with all the other games in the genre as a baseline, then work your way from there. This is not true. You need to first try to make a great game. Make sure the game is fun"
Make a great game first. Forget about how expansive the world is, or if you have 16 races and 37 classes, or what intellectual property you are going to prop the franchise up against, make a great game.
If you haven't read A Theory of Fun by Raph Koster I suggest you pick it up. You can literally blow through this book in an afternoon, yet many of you will learn something.
Most gamers don't know what a game is. They play them for hours and hours, but they can't tell you what keeps them playing or what brings them back. Message forums are filled with ranting, drooling, heavy-typers who whine and moan about every change to a game that remotely affects them. They retch wisdom found normally only in proximity drunk-tanks or Rosie O'Donnell. Some examples:
This is an OUTRAGE
Can You Play WoW From Africa?
The Wii is a success, not because it is a technologically superior console to the PS3 or XBox 360, but because the games that it can play are both accessible to a wide audience and enjoyable. World of Warcraft took accessibility in MMOGs to a new level and reaped the rewards. Blizzard built a game that a person with a three-year-old computer can play. They built a game that was easy enough for a first-time to embrace, yet complex enough that raiders were forced to plan well to defeat the end-game.
Fun, it may be impossible to define properly, but when a development team gets it right, the gaming world beats a path to their virtual dungeon door.
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2. New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today
Blog: Starcraft MMO - Races
"With rumors of a Starcraft MMO bouncing around the 'net, Micajah examines the details of such a game. In his blog, Micajah will analyze numerous foundations of a Starcraft MMO, starting with the game's playable races."
Gaming On A Budget: Customizing Your Gaming Experience
"In an effort to promote the longevity of your games, Micajah suggests that users download, implement, and even create mods for their favorite MMO or single-player RPG. By implementing these mods, tools, or other free add ons, players can greatly extend the life of their games. Read on, to see what Micajah suggests and the best way to find the add on you're looking for."
Dungeons and Dragons Online: The Siren
"The Siren build is a tried and true sorcerer/bard with excellent skills in crowd control spells, a mainstay of arcane casting. See the new Siren build, revamped for Mod 4 by Perryc!"
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes - Recovering Corpses And Tombstones
"Okay, so you're dead. Your body is lying broken on Telon's terrain. And maybe a few monsters are camping over your corpse and you need to get your (former) self to a safe location so you can recover your gear or get a resurrection. How's this accomplished? This week's Tuesday's Tips reveals all...and before rigor mortis sets in!"
Warhammer Online: Interview With Josh Drescher, Senior Designer
"Warhammer Online is on the MMO community's "watch list" and has been for a few years now. In response to the publicly announced delay and to see if anything new was surfacing, Ten Ton Hammer sent the intrepid Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle to uncover the latest news on the game and what direction the EA Mythic team was headed for the next few months. Jeff tracked down Josh Drescher, Senior Designer for EA Mythic, and asked him the questions that are perched on everyone's mind. Enjoy the interview!"
World of Warcraft: U.I. And Performance
"Each week we feature a sizzlin hot (or other randomly named) tip that helps you get things done quicker, faster, and/or easier in World of Warcraft<. this week tip is all about how u.i. mods and your computers performance are intertwined. if you one of our rss readers viewing through the archives click more... to see rest article>
3. Hot Content
EverQuest 2: The Rebirth of Neriak
Lord of the Rings Online: Guide For Veteran MMO Players
Tabula Rasa: Closed Beta Begins
Colony Studios: Interview With Mike Wallis, CEO
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes - Ten Ton Monster Project
4. Real World News
Woman To Give Birth To 17th Child
Brought to you by Arkansas and husband named Jim Bob.
Woman Sues Sydney Rail For Lost Leg
Sometimes these write themselves.
Election In France Is Over
Final tally: 730 cars set afire, 592 people arrested.
Thanks as always for visiting TenTonHammer.com
John "Boomjack" Hoskin
