Stargate Worlds Adds Art While Teal'c Stops By at Ten Ton Hammer

Medeor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:57:48 -0400

Stargate Worlds adding galleries and being starstruck.

With four new images added to the conceptual art gallery, SGW is really pulling out the stops showing off some weaponry and the ever-popular scenery. Check out the information and pictures at the Stargate Worlds Gallery.

Apparently we're not the only ones checking in on the progress of SGW, Christopher Judge (actor playing Teal'c) stopped by this week to meet the team and check out what is happening with the game. Self-confessed gamer, Christopher seems to have smitten the SGW dev team. From the quotes around the studio:

"So yeah. I wouldn't have thought I was the type to get embarrassed and feel like a blushing teenage girl (no offense to blushing teenage girls) when meeting a star like Christopher Judge but apparently I totally am."

"I thought he was pretty awesome, and just a down to earth guy who is fun to be around."

"He was inquisitive, encouraging, and laughed a lot. You got the sense that he was genuine and really enjoyed not just what he does, but what we are doing."

"Our Jaffa Jim P. is taller then SG-1's Jaffa."

"He's a super nice guy and seems SUPER excited about the game... he was very interested in what everyone had to say and show."

"He really brought a feeling of camaraderie everywhere he went, his genuine personality really made him feel like a part of the team."

"Man has style!"

They also grabbed a camera and got some photos with the star. Head over to yet another SGW Gallery and check out Teal'c in real life. This is one of those days when I would like to kick my guidance counselor that laughed when I tried to explain why I wanted to be a game developer. Darn you, I could have met Teal'c!

EVE Chronicles: And to Live in Peace at Ten Ton Hammer

Medeor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:44:48 -0400

EVE Chronicles: And to Live in Peace.

The stories of EVE Online's Chronicles continue to providing engrossing tales from the field. This episode a decorated war general and reviled enemy (all in one guy) is trying to live his later years as an old guy out in the sticks not bothering anyone. Just like Arnold Schwarzenegger's Commando though, the bad guys always come looking because they never forgive. The Gallenteans are back and they are not planning on being too kind to the old Caldari general. In the story we follow Arek and Klar who are hot on the trail of the war general and are tasked with bringing him back alive which is against everyone's wishes. The action begins:

"Arek nodded to Klar, who pulled out a multiburst grenade. The house was on two floors and Klar had hotly argued his ability to accurately toss in a grenade on the second story, but had been voted down by Arek, who claimed to be allergic to having grenades bounce off windowsills and fall on his head.

Arek pulled out his own grenade. He nodded to Klar, clicked it and tossed through the closed window. The sound of the breaking glass pierced the summer day and was echoed from the other farms, where the other agents were doing the same. The two operatives shut their eyes tight. There was a muffled noise and the air was filled with fractured light like a kaleidoscope come to life, so bright that it filtered even through their eyelids. Arek heard Klar mutter, "... nine, ten," and break the glass as he tossed in the other multiburst. It went off, and the second wave of fractured light made Arek nauseous."

Find out what happens next at EVE Online: Chronicles.

WAR's New Gameplay Trailer at Ten Ton Hammer

Medeor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:59:53 -0400

The Warhammer headlines just keep rolling.

First it was numbers, then it was Preview Weekend+ and now its a new Warhammer Online gameplay trailer. This one is not from the namby pamby side of Order where ferns and quiche are the norm, no way this is from the side of Destruction. Check out Fight for Forces of Destruction now!

Bonus Preview Weekend for Warhammer Online! at Ten Ton Hammer

RadarX — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:37:51 -0400

What could possibly be cooler than Open Beta starting this weekend? How about Mythic Entertainment inviting everyone who played the Preview Weekend back for another two days? Bringing tens of thousands of players together for battle, this could likely be one of the most exciting beta events we've seen in a very long time. Mythic stated the following:

WAAAGH!!!

WAR is Coming and the world is ready. Hundreds of thousands of players will descend upon the Age of Reckoning this Sunday, September 7th.

In order to make this world-wide event the best it can be we're welcoming all Preview Weekend attendees back for two more days to rev things up and get the party started. We invite all Preview Weekend players to join us for Preview Weekend+ this Friday, 9/5 and Saturday, 9/6 starting tomorrow morning.

This epic weekend will be one to remember as you herald in Open Beta and the Age of Reckoning to the entire world!

The tides of WAR are coming...we'll see you on the battlefiled!

It promises to be a busy and exciting weekend for everyone, so see you in the game. Be sure to stop by our Warhammer Online site for all your guides and news.

Source: War Herald

WAR and Spore Predicted Sales Numbers at Ten Ton Hammer

Medeor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:19:40 -0400

Market watcher expects good things in September, but not Halo-great.

Colin Sebastion, the SVP of Lazard Capital Markets predicts that Spore will score two million sales and WAR will almost double the box sales of Age of Conan with 650,000 sign ups (ok, really more like 1.5 times plus or minus). In a traditionally slow time of the year, August and September is the tweener time when most publishers have shipped their summer titles and start stockpiling for the holidays. Sebastian says that while sales are "generally positive" year-on-year for the month, the numbers won't match last year when Halo 3 launched.

If the Games Industry article doesn't provide enough numbers to prove that market makers are still bullish on the online gaming space, make sure you look at the sagging hardware numbers for confirmation. Gaming sales up, gaming gear sales down. Of course this is one man's opinion from Lazard Capital Markets and I haven't researched to find out if they are long or short on EA stock so take all of this as fun water cooler fodder.

Speaking of Halo, one of the time tested ways to cause great carnage in Halo is jumping. Today's WAR Editorial Killing the Bunny takes on Halo-style jumping in the world of WAR. Maybe WAR won't beat Halo's sales numbers, but I bet someone makes a macro that helps stamp out bunny hopping!

Mythic's Jacobs Answers All in New Blog at Ten Ton Hammer

Medeor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:22:39 -0400

Maybe way back when online games were only a niche market.

Mark Jacobs (of Mythic Entertainment and Warhammer Online) is not afraid of the keyboard. He types from the hip so to speak. And now he blogs from the hip. Mark started a new blog yesterday and has since populated it with a few thousand words straight from the hip-keyboard. He responds directly to some forum posters (including our own Taea) and discusses what he meant by his comments to MTV.

"So, in an interview with MTV, I said that it was important for the MMORPG market for WAR to succeed. Of course, this point has been taken a bit out of context by a few people (no shock there) who seem to think I’m a bit full of myself or a way too proud of WAR. Actually, neither is true. My point regarding WAR’s importance to the MMORPG market is based on a number of things:"

What are those things you ask? Well they are numerous and well narrated. Stop by Mark's blog Online games are a niche market when you have some time on your hands. Mark spends plenty of time (and words) describing his opinions.

World of Kung Fu Extends Summer of Love at Ten Ton Hammer

Morvelaira — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:24:59 -0400

More time to get married!

The World of Kung Fu sounds like it would be a dangerous place. That is exactly why it's so wonderful that the romantic notions of love (and in-game marriages) will be extended further into September.

World of Kung Fu's Summer of Love in-game marriage event will be extended until September 14th.

World of Kung Fu, the free-to-play 3D martial arts MMORPG from VestGame Entertainment, is extending its popular "Summer of Love" in-game event due to player demand. This event allows groups of players get married amid a plethora fantastic decorations, balloons, flower bouquets, fireworks, and other mall items given out for free by the generous GMs. Wedding pictures of the new couples will be posted on the World of Kung Fu Website, with winners to be chosen by the community of World of Kung Fu Players.

One Grand Prize will be awarded on each server to the couple with the best photo. In addition to having their picture up on the World of Kung Fu website, the winning couple will receive 2 Xian Wu mounts and 2 Wish Rings. All entrants will receive a prize for their participation, such as the legendary Sky Pearl, a rare item useful for refining equipment.

Marriages in World of Kung Fu are performed by the GMs after players get their marriage license from the Matchmaker NPC located in the cities of Liuhe, and Bizhou. In addition to a lifetime of marital bliss, married couples also get a 20% experience bonus (upgradable to 50%) on actions performed together. In future upgrades to the game, there will actually be a child rearing system that will allow children to inherit attributes from their parents!

*sniff* It's just so happy!

For more information, please check out the World of Kung Fu official site.

Exclusive Polar Bear Mount for BlizzCon Watcher at Ten Ton Hammer

Morvelaira — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:18:56 -0400

Watch TV, get a mount

As previously announced, BlizzCon will be broadcasted live this year, over DIRECTV. As an added incentive for watching the pay-per-view event (as if we needed any more encouragement!) every viewer who orders the coverage will receive an exclusive in game Polar Bear Mount - complete with flag-waving murloc!

In addition, DIRECTV customers who purchase the pay per view event or get it as part of the special promotion will also receive an exclusive in-game polar bear mount, complete with a BlizzCon-flag-waving murloc, for the World of Warcraft character they play.
“This first-ever BlizzCon pay per view event is an exciting option for Blizzard gamers across the country,” said Steven Roberts, senior vice president, New Media and Business Development, DIRECTV, Inc. “For the first time, they don’t have to rely on the Internet to get the inside scoop on the convention. Viewers will feel like they are actually walking the show floor as they watch live coverage of the event from DIRECTV in HD. We are happy to be partnering with Blizzard Entertainment and to televise one of the most highly anticipated gaming conventions of the year exclusively to DIRECTV customers nationwide.”

I am so jealous right now... you just have no idea!

For more information, please check out the BlizzCon Official Site.

Raptr Enters Public Beta at Ten Ton Hammer

Morvelaira — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:46:06 -0400

Chat with your friends, make them play your games!

Raptr, the new social networking software that's supposed to bind all MMO gamers together, has now entered a public beta. It's been in private beta since February, and is now ready to be tested with a wider audience. Also, Raptr is releasing it's initial alpha client for Mac users.

Users can track their own gameplay and that of their friends in realtime, display and share gaming identities and achievements, and exchange tastes and other activities via social networking services such as Facebook, Twitter, and FriendFeed.

Based in Sunnyvale, California, Raptr was founded in 2007 by Xfire co-founder Dennis Fong. The company also revealed that it raised $12 million in funding from Accel Partners and the Founders Fund.

For more information, please check here.

AoC Coming to Xbox 360 Confirmed at Ten Ton Hammer

Morvelaira — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:32:45 -0400

Now with joystick action...

While some have doubted the rumors, Funcom's Erling Ellingson has confirmed that Age of Conan will be coming to the Xbox 360, most likely next year. While work began on the console version in late 2006, development was halted as the build up to PC release began earlier this year.

"The Xbox 360 version is still very much set to happen and we are working on it," said Erling Ellingsen, chief horn-blower for Funcom.

"However, there are no dates set, even though we aim for a 2009 release. Our big priority now is, of course, the PC version and fixing the issues with it and improving it for our current players."

For more information, please check here.