Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Welcome to the 1,196th edition of Loading...

Loading... is the premier daily MMORPG news, coverage, and commentary newsletter, only from Ten Ton Hammer.

Peruse any MMOG forum and you'll hear the same criticism over and over: "[Insert Game Title] is nothing but a grind." But are those words critical or merely factual? Perhaps MMOGs are a grind by their very nature. And perhaps the grind isn't such a bad thing. Join us as we explore the grind factor in today's Loading... A Grind by any other Game.

The Pulse You vote with what you view at Ten Ton Hammer, and the result is the Ten Ton Pulse (What is The Pulse?). Here's today's top 5 Pulse results: World of Warcraft Dungeons & Dragons Online EverQuest 2 (UP 1) Aion (DOWN 1) Age of Conan Biggest movers today: Torchlight (UP 3 to #11) EVE Online (UP 1 to #7) Lord of the Rings Online (Down 1 to #8)	Recent MMO Releases 8/25 - CrimeCraft (release date) 9/1 - Champions Online (release date) 9/9 - Dungeons & Dragons Online Unlimited (release date) 9/15 - Runes of Magic "The Elven Prophecy" (expansion) 9/22 - Fallen Earth (release date) 9/22 - Aion (release date) 10/8 - Cities XL (release date)
	Upcoming Releases 11/3 - Dragon Age: Origins (release date) 12/1 - LotRO: Siege of Mirkwood (release date) 12/1 - EVE Online: Dominion (release date) 12/2 - DOFUS 2.0 (release date) Early 2010 - APB

Loading... Daily

MMOG gamers have had their own special term for repetition for as long as MMO gaming has been around: we call it the grind. Killing the same mobs over and over to gain experience or loot is a grind. Running repeatable quests, for the same reasons, is a grind. You’ll even hear people say that linear progression in a game--the sort of progression that takes you from point A to point B to point C without allowing for much deviation or exploration--is a grind. And they’re right; these things are indeed repetitive. But is repetition such a bad thing?

We often view repetitive tasks as mundane and tedious. And yet, anyone who’s ever swung gently back and forth on a porch swing, or bounced a ball against the pavement over and over, or chanted a mantra, or counted sheep, knows that there’s also something inherently relaxing about it.

I’ve heard a fair bit of criticism aimed at Aion lately. “It’s just another Asian grindfest,” players say. And, again, they’re right to some degree. There are indeed repeatable quests in Aion, and you’ll find yourself killing some of the same mobs again and again as you progress through the levels. For the first 20 levels or so, you travel a pretty linear path, which makes leveling up alt characters a grind. The criticism is valid, and yet I enjoy Aion.

The fact is, I sometimes enjoy grinding. Not long ago, I found myself logged into Aion and running a repeat quest to kill the same mobs, kerubim, over and over. There I was in a murky swamp, hanging around a single location, laying waste to the same mobs over and over again as they respawned, and harvesting the same two titanium nodes during the brief period when there was nothing for me to kill. The xp and loot rolled out steadily, and I was enjoying myself so much that I hadn’t even noticed a couple of hours had passed. My son, who likes to drop into my home office from time to time to watch me play, had stopped in twice while I was killing the kerubim.

“So, you’re camping these guys?” he asked.

It was then that I realized I was. In fact, I’d set up a camp and I’d been grinding xp and farming coin and loot for quite a while, and I’d been having fun.

Although grinding isn’t everyone’s cup o’ latte, it seems to depend on the game for me. Somehow, in Aion, I don’t mind it. I’ve tried to put my finger on why, and the only real reason I can come up with is something I’ve discussed in a previous issue of Loading…, Aion makes me feel epic. I like the way my character looks, and I like the way she executes her combos, and the animations that accompany them. I don’t mind playing her for a couple hours, even though I’m doing the same thing over and over. While I’m grinding, I concentrate on killing with more efficiency. I experiment with different weapons (my gladiator has a wide variety of options available to her). I chat a bit with my guild. And, just like rocking back and forth on a porch swing, I find this all very laid back and relaxing.

Grinding is inherent to just about all MMOGs--it’s their nature. It’s hard to find a MMOG that doesn’t send you out on a mission to kill 20 of something, or collect 10 of something else. But I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the best MMOGs aren’t necessarily the ones with the least grinding, but the ones where grinding feels less apparent by virtue of other strong game features (like that feeling of “epicness” I mentioned with Aion), and where any intense grinding (like my kerubim camping) is optional, not essential.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for grindfest MMOGs. A MMOG grind without other options--without fun and epic-feeling combat, or interesting quests, or satisfying loot, or plenty of avenues for exploration outside a linear progression path--is still nothing but a grind. Ask any assembly-line worker how fun it is doing the same thing day in and day out. I worked in a plastics factory doing repetitive tasks for a few months when I was 20-something, and I can tell you that although I got into a routine and managed to drag myself through each day, it was anything but exciting. And I was working to earn my weekly paycheck, so I had some incentive. In most cases, a MMOG developer who expects a player to actually pay money to do boring repetitive things (sans the fun incentives I mentioned above) is headed for disaster.

But if you can get into the right groove, with the right game, grinding can be fun. (Yep, I mentioned “grinding” and “fun” in the same sentence. Get your mind out of the gutter.) Just like rocking on that porch swing, or dribbling that basketball, it can be a relaxing and entertaining way to spend some time.

Is the MMOG grind evil? Or do you find it relaxing under the right circumstances? Share your thoughts in the Loading… forum.

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Shayalyn's Epic Thread of the Day

From our Articles, News & Event Discussion Forum

Chinese Company Drops the Bann Hammer on MMOG Gender Bending

We've reported a similar news story in the past, but it seems the Chinese are at it again--they've made an attempt to outlaw playing an opposite gender character in a MMOG, and expect players to verify their gender via webcam. Would you play a MMOG that required you to verify your gender and play a same-sex character? We're talking about it in today's epic thread. Join us!

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Awesome Quotes from the Epic Thread

"I would stop playing MMOs. You take away my choice and I'll take away my money."

- AngryBeaver
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Have you spotted an Epic Thread on our forums? Tell us!

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4 new Ten Ton Hammer MMOG features today! 115 in October! 2,063 in 2009!

Today's New Features & Guides

• Lord of the Rings Online - Siege of Mirkwood Live Preview
  http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/76046
  
  The latest chapter in the lore rich fantasy MMOG Lord of the Rings Online is less than two months away, and open beta is just around the corner. Ten Ton Hammer has been granted a live look at the fresh new content and we want to share! Join Medawky as he embarks into Siege of Mirkwood with Live Producer Aaron Campbell of Turbine, delving into the fabled forest and uncovering what the future has in store for this epic franchise.
  
• Champions Online - Blood Moon Impressions
  http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/76028
  
  Cryptic’s first free update to Champions Online has gone live today, and there’s a lot to see and do. William “JoBildo” Murphy gives his initial impressions of all the things that make up Blood Moon. Be sure to check back soon for a comprehensive guide for all things Halloween in this new patch!
  
• Night of the Lost Souls - A Guide to Age of Conan's Newest Seasonal Event
  http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/76064
   
  The nights have grown darker across the skies of Hyboria. People are dead, but that isn’t going to stop them from trying to kill you during the ‘Night of the Lost Souls’ seasonal event in Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures (AoC) . This week Ten Ton Hammer takes the community on a guided tour of AoC's newest seasonal event and shows how you too can earn your own seasonal pet.
  

• Aion Asmodean Aether Extraction Guide 200-299
  http://www.tentonhammer.com/aion/guides/general/asmoaetherpt3
  
  If you're on the lookout for materials to craft something a little bit tougher than Titanium, you're going to need Aether Gems. Since leveling aether extraction is such a pain in general, the price for the good stuff in this area is going to get rather high in a hurry. Why is it so difficult to be self sufficient in this? Alas, your hard work thus far to 200 is about to pay off further. We at Ten Ton Hammer have you covered with our guide to diving into lava on accident, or Aether Extraction 200-299, Asmodean style.
  

Hottest Content:

1. Ten Ton Hammer's First In-Depth Preview of LEGO Universe
2. Star Trek Online VIP Q&A with Craig Zinkievich
3. LOTRO - Siege of Mirkwood Live Preview
4. EVE Online - Exploring the New Player Experience
5. WoW - The Overpull - 10.27.09 - "Race Changing Still Broken"
   
6. Global Agenda: Conquest and Pricing Options Interview
7. Champions Online - Blood Moon Impressions
8. Night of the Lost Souls - A Guide to Age of Conan's Newest Seasonal Event
9. Which World of Warcraft Class makes the best Tank?
10. Exploring the Lore of Star Trek Online Interview

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Thanks for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network! 

- Karen "Shayalyn" Hertzberg and the Ten Ton Hammer team