The great thing about token-based currencies, such as those found in Lord of the Rings Online, is that they allow players to acquire rewards based on steady progress rather than on the whims of a random drop. The awful thing is that you can wind up with huge vaults covered in several dozen different currency types, which is also found in Lord of the Rings Online. Fortunately, as the newest developer diary outlines, the currency is being consolidated down and shifted to a very straightforward system with just three reward types: Marks, Medallions, and Seals.
Marks are being used in a manner functionally similar to Skirmish Marks at the moment, while Medallions take the place of higher-end dungeon content and Seals are the best of the best. Players will have most of their currencies automatically converted based on the currency type, although Superior Fourth Marks will need to be manually exchanged for Medallions or Seals at the player's discretion. Players will ultimately have an easier time getting the rewards they need in a straightforward fashion with this update, and that's to the benefit of everyone.
Reader Comments (13)
Posted: Dec 9th 2011 7:42PM (Unverified) said
I'm glad to see this. Token proliferation doesn't really do anything other than clutter up wallets and bags.
Posted: Dec 9th 2011 7:55PM Eamil said
Does this mean I can just use regular skirmish marks for every skirmish reward instead of seeing which rewards need First Marks or Third Marks or Lord High Veteran's Twenty-Third Marks?
Posted: Dec 9th 2011 8:00PM aurickle said
@Eamil
Every skirmish reward will use one or more of these three new currencies.
Stuff that formerly required skirmish marks plus one more more campaign marks will now require marks plus one or more medallions. The difference is that it will no longer matter which skirmish that second type of currency came from.
Reply
Every skirmish reward will use one or more of these three new currencies.
Stuff that formerly required skirmish marks plus one more more campaign marks will now require marks plus one or more medallions. The difference is that it will no longer matter which skirmish that second type of currency came from.
Posted: Dec 9th 2011 9:17PM (Unverified) said
They've actually added an additional layer of grinding by adding Seals. Before, all you needed was Skirmish Marks and another type of mark from what is now the "Medallion" list. Now you need Skirmish Marks to turn into Medallions, and you also have to grind more medallions that you need for items AND the new Seals. Additionally, you can't upgrade marks either (say turning in 500 Marks for a Seal). You can only turn Marks into Medallions and Medallions into Marks. On top of that, they've increased the cost of the gear, so you're going to have to do many more runs than before to get it.
Furthermore, UNLESS you use the pug-generating random instance/skirmish system they have implemented, you are going to be PUNISHED when it comes to obtaining marks and medallions or running instances and skirmishes that you actually want to run. They give bonuses for using the system, but they've lowered the amount of Marks and medallions you get if you don't.
And, finally, Turbine stated a few months back that solo players will be able to acquire some of the raid gear going forward. Now, that's no longer the case. In order to obtain any raid gear, you are going to have to run 6 and 12 man instances or raids. And to FURTHERMORE go back on their word, when Update 6 comes out, this will also apply to the Draigoch gear as well.
Oh, but I'm sure they'll have something to sell in the sore to alleviate all of these issues.
LOTRO gets worse and worse with every update.
Furthermore, UNLESS you use the pug-generating random instance/skirmish system they have implemented, you are going to be PUNISHED when it comes to obtaining marks and medallions or running instances and skirmishes that you actually want to run. They give bonuses for using the system, but they've lowered the amount of Marks and medallions you get if you don't.
And, finally, Turbine stated a few months back that solo players will be able to acquire some of the raid gear going forward. Now, that's no longer the case. In order to obtain any raid gear, you are going to have to run 6 and 12 man instances or raids. And to FURTHERMORE go back on their word, when Update 6 comes out, this will also apply to the Draigoch gear as well.
Oh, but I'm sure they'll have something to sell in the sore to alleviate all of these issues.
LOTRO gets worse and worse with every update.
Posted: Dec 9th 2011 11:20PM SwarlesBarkley said
@(Unverified)
Geez more grind, really? I am speechless..
Reply
Geez more grind, really? I am speechless..
Posted: Dec 11th 2011 4:59AM Nerves said
@(Unverified)
Yeah, but seals still will drop from skirm raids and from the new instance cluster. This is just replacing the old raid-specific barter items. This post is really quite misleading. Don't trade up marks-medallions-seals, that way lies madness. Get the seals directly.
Reply
Yeah, but seals still will drop from skirm raids and from the new instance cluster. This is just replacing the old raid-specific barter items. This post is really quite misleading. Don't trade up marks-medallions-seals, that way lies madness. Get the seals directly.
Posted: Dec 10th 2011 1:32AM chernabog said
And a once great game continues to get dumber and dumber. Everything since Moria has been a spiral downhill.
I am sure the game is fun to explore if you're just starting, but for those people who were with it from the start, the game has jumped the shark into f2p hell. No content updates for 2 years (because of the promise that f2p would breathe new life into the game and allow for more frequent updates.... lie to me some more, Turbine), immersion-breaking "welcome to warp zone!" skirmishes, and then the light at the end was Isengard, a half-expansion at double-expansion price.
I am sure the game is fun to explore if you're just starting, but for those people who were with it from the start, the game has jumped the shark into f2p hell. No content updates for 2 years (because of the promise that f2p would breathe new life into the game and allow for more frequent updates.... lie to me some more, Turbine), immersion-breaking "welcome to warp zone!" skirmishes, and then the light at the end was Isengard, a half-expansion at double-expansion price.
Posted: Dec 10th 2011 6:45AM randomepicperson said
@(Unverified) yeeeeeeeeeeeeees
Posted: Dec 10th 2011 6:59AM gloomforge said
All those regional currencies like the silver branches and bronze laves etc are still in your bags. Turbine really nees to make them either bound to account or puts them in the wallet.
Posted: Dec 10th 2011 12:49PM ScottishViking said
On the one hand people say "it will make it more grindy" and on the other people say "it will dumb it down." Really? You're kidding, right?
To the first: why WOULDN'T they want you to use their system? It's easy if you do, and -- wait for it -- THEY DESIGNED THE SYSTEM TO MAKE IT EASY. If you don't use the system to make it easy, of course it will be more grindy.
To the second: so, reducing the complexity of an artificial system that they invented (which isn't in the books) and which few people enjoyed is "dumbing it down"? Count me in!
Honestly, you people would complain if you won the lottery that you had to pay some of it to taxes.
To the first: why WOULDN'T they want you to use their system? It's easy if you do, and -- wait for it -- THEY DESIGNED THE SYSTEM TO MAKE IT EASY. If you don't use the system to make it easy, of course it will be more grindy.
To the second: so, reducing the complexity of an artificial system that they invented (which isn't in the books) and which few people enjoyed is "dumbing it down"? Count me in!
Honestly, you people would complain if you won the lottery that you had to pay some of it to taxes.
Posted: Dec 11th 2011 9:35AM enamelizer said
Pretty soon they will just consolidate it down to one currency and call it "Gold".









