by Jeff Woleslagle on Oct 11, 2011
Thanks for taking some time out of your day to read this column. I truly appreciate it. If you happen to use Twitter, you can follow me @BoomjackTTH. I rarely use Facebook, but I do occasionally post gaming related tidbits on Google+ where you can find me under my real moniker John Hoskin.
I apologize for the lack of updates last week. I was flying half-way across creation and back dealing with the advertising side of this industry.
Fortunately, I’m back, doing a much more enjoyable aspect of my job this morning, writing this column.
A generation of human beings lost a great mind while I was flying around the world. Steve Jobs, a visionary and creative thinker will be missed by every industry that uses a computer. His impact on our world, especially those of us who rely on computers was ground-breaking.
If you have time, watch the video that I have linked above. It will give you a very personal glimpse into the mind of a man that many of you will now never be fortunate enough to meet.
Our dedicated Premium Member prize team is giving away some DC Universe prizes this week. It may not be Diablo III beta keys like a week ago, but who else gives you a DC Universe cape? Seriously, why don’t I get cool stuff like that? It would petrify my wife, but I’d wear that cape around the house to tease the kids. Here’s the DC Universe Superhero Prize Packif you are interested in entering.
Thanks to everyone who has supported TenTonHammer.com as a Premium Member. It costs a small fortune, literally to run this network each month. Your support makes a difference.
Small fortunes may also be made from a vanity pet that Blizzard is introducing to World of Warcraft. David explains his take on WoW Allowing Gold Selling, but I thought it was important enough that I also share my thoughts on the subject.
In a nutshell, Blizzard is going to let a pet that can be purchased through their online store with real money be sold on the auction house for virtual gold.
This isn’t the first time in MMOG history that something like this has been condoned by a developer. EVE players have long sold Game Time Cards for ISK (the virtual currency in EVE).
On the surface, it seems tame enough. A player with lots of gold in the game can use some of it to purchase a vanity pet that has no effect on gameplay. The player with real money and no gold can acquire some gold without grinding, using professions or any of the other in-game methods of acquiring currency.
Given the glut of gold in the current WoW economy it is unlikely to have a dramatic effect on the auction house, but it does give players with more real world funds an advantage. They can spend more time doing what they enjoy and less time “working” for gold in-game. They will be able to bid on items that they previously could not bid on, winning them over someone who built their gold bank account through in-game means.
How many people will actually pay for one of these pets is uncertain and how long the market for them will last is even more unclear, but at least for a short window of opportunity, there will be advantages to be had for someone.
What are your thoughts on this issue? Would we have even believed this was not an April Fool’s joke just two years ago?
That’s it for today. Thanks again for reading and as always, may your dreams be big and your worries be small. “
As always, you can contact me a number of ways:
Until we meet again,
John “Boomjack” Hoskin
Each week we clean out our closets and give some nifty swag to our premium members. This week's loot is a DC Universe Super Hero Prize Pack that will help you flex your superpowers. We'll ship the following stuff to one lucky winner:
DC Universe Online Batman hat DC Universe Online Superman hat DCUO cape (yes, really) DCUO bumper sticker
Imagine your delight when you open a box from Ten Ton Hammer containing this steaming pile of...well, never mind.
We know you want to enter. (If anything, you need to own a cape.) If you're a premium member, you can just give us your deets below. (And if you can't see the form, get help here. If you've entered a previous Bunch of Crap contest don't worry--you're already entered in this one.
If you're not one of the cool kids yet, become a premium member and the world could be your Hefty bag!