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I'm confident that most of you would agree that player versus player (PvP) combat in MMOGs could use some freshening up. North American titles have historically been light on PvP, while Asian games have been virtual hunting grounds. At first glance this appears to run contrary to cultural beliefs, but in truth it makes perfect sense.

Ultima Online was a free-for-all player versus player bloodbath. Some players reveled in it, while others were driven away, in many cases to EverQuest which had no PvP at all. UO was a chaotic virtual society that seemed to either entangle or repel a player.

Dark Age of Camelot appeared, a shining beacon in a genre bereft of ordered PvP and changed the way that developers pictured the player versus player environment. It changed the way that they envisioned it. Unfortunately, it didn't much affect the way that they designed it.

EVE Online launched and with it a thread of order was woven through an otherwise chaotic PvP system. Some areas were safer than others, patrolled by virtual police, though nowhere was truly safe if somebody was out to get you.

World of Warcraft put PvP in a comfortable, safe little sandbox, separating it from the player versus environment (PvE) game except for a few rare zones. WoW also allowed players to partake in PvP servers, which were somewhat of a return to the chaotic days of UO. The starting zones were safe, and you couldn't be attacked by your own faction, but otherwise you had to have eyes in the back of your head at all times. Battlegrounds became a means to acquiring equipment and items that otherwise might be out of the reach of players who did not participate in raiding. PvP became another advancement channel for both prestige (ladder rankings) and items.

Age of Conan, due out in May 2008, will give players the choice of playing on a PvP (a free-for-all type server) or a PvE (you choose when to PvP) type server.

"While there are servers for PvP combat anywhere within the game, for the PvE (Player versus Environment) servers, PvP will be available only in the Border Kingdom, Siege play (in the Border Kingdom and defending and attacking world cities), arenas and PvP mini-games, and drunken bar brawls. You can also choose to not participate in PvP at all if that’s your preference." -- Age of Conan FAQ, PvP Section

AoC also includes siege warfare which will take place in the 'Border Kingdoms'.

"This is a region within the game where guilds can build their own keeps. Guilds will be able to combat each other in this area to siege the land and keeps built by other guilds.

Players can build battlekeeps in the Border Kingdom. These are structures that are owned by their guild. Since there are only a few places battlekeeps can be built, other guilds may want to take them away from their owner or destroy them entirely.

Not every guild will have the manpower or ability to build and maintain a battlekeep. However, there are smaller towers within the Border Kingdom which work similarly to battlekeeps. They do not offer the same rewards, but they do give smaller guilds a place to own and strategize their plans." -- Age of Conan FAQ, PvP Section

What's that? You want to see it? Your wish is my command.

There are also drunken bar brawls. I asked Product Manager Erling Ellingsen and Product Director Jørgen Tharaldsen to demonstrate for us while we were in Leipzig this year. They were happy to oblige.

"Bar brawls don’t take into consideration a player’s level or equipment. It’s all about getting drunk and fighting. The drunker you are, the stronger you may be, but the less chance you’ll have of hitting. These brawls come complete with blurred vision." -- Age of Conan FAQ, PvP Section

Age of Conan is a violent game and makes no apologies for it. It also uses a different mechanic for combat than most titles. It is much more of a twitch game than most players will be used to.

So far, it appears that the Funcom team is doing an exemplary job of implementing PvP into what is normally a PvE genre. I'm not a huge PvP fanatic, but I'm excited about this game.

I'm also excited about the fact that Ten Ton Hammer will have an in-game community presence. The details are being worked out, but a Ten Ton Hammer Guild is in the works. Interested? Hopefully we can bring together like-minded individuals in a guild that transcends games making it painless to test out another game knowing that you will have Ten Ton Hammer community members there to join as well. Think of it as the "Mother of all Guilds", except it's filled with people just like you.

Do you PvP? What do you like or dislike? Why? Hit the Loading... forums so somebody can tell you that you are wrong.

Do you feel the need to contact me personally with naughty pictures? Here's my E-mail.

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14 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 212 so far in January! 212 so far in 2008!

New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today

• Age of Conan: Prestige Classes / Class Merger Announcement Video
• Age of Conan: Ten Ton Hammer's AoC FAQ
• Age of Conan: Building Cities Video
• Legends of Norrath: Events Interview With Game Designer Chuck Kallenbach
• Lord of the Rings Online: Developer Showdown 2008
• Lord of the Rings Online: Auction House Price Guide
• Lord of the Rings Online: 21 New Screenshots From The Delving of Fror
• Shining Stars: What Parents Should Know
• Tabula Rasa: Crater Lake Research Facility Guide
• Tabula Rasa: Fort Haroun Part 1
• Tabula Rasa: Guide to Warnet Caverns
• Ten Ton Wiki: Fasaria World 3D, Savage Eden and Secret of the Solstice
• World of Warcraft: Tankadin Guide Update
• World of Warcraft: Patch 2.3.3 Live - Direct Download Available

Hot Content - Or, what I took a fancy to

1. Age of Conan: Prestige Classes / Class Merger Announcement Video
2. Legends of Norrath: Events Interview With Game Designer Chuck Kallenbach
3. Age of Conan: Class and Raid Interview With Designer Evan Michaels
4. Age of Conan: All About Items Interview
5. Age of Conan Community at Ten Ton Hammer Goes Live!
6. EVE Online: Giveaway
7. Lord of the Rings: 10 Screenshots from Book 12
8. Age of Conan: Gaute Godager Shares Age of Conan Vision [Video] [Premium Video]
9. Age of Conan: Crafting in Age of Conan Revealed [Video] [Premium Video]
10. Age of Conan: Interview With Quest Designer Joel Bylos

MMOG News And Improved

• Perpetual Entertainment Responds to Kohnke Suit
• New Pirates of the Burning Sea Devlog
• EVE Online Becomes First MMOG to be Offered Through Steam

Need More? Look no further for all of the headlines.

Real World News

• Three Little Pigs 'too offensive' For Muslims [Thanks Mikes]
  You racist swine!
• Dog-lead Goths 'Hounded Off Bus' [Thanks Mikes]
  I expect that it was 'ruff' on them to be 'shepherded' off the bus.
• Cat Stowaway Makes It Home Again [Thanks Karen]
  Airport security at its best.

Thanks as always for visiting TenTonHammer.com

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