Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Lord of the Rings Online: The epic quest line told in pictures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-lord-of-the-rings-online-the-epic-quest-line-told-in-pictur/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-lord-of-the-rings-online-the-epic-quest-line-told-in-pictur/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-lord-of-the-rings-online-the-epic-quest-line-told-in-pictur/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


It's been one full year since Turbine released The Lord of the Rings Online to the public. The game has seen four large content updates since April 24, 2007 which have increased the amount in land available in the game by over 50% and added everything from new raid instances to the ability to play as a chicken.

There has also been a huge advancement in the ongoing storyline of the game, which is separated into different "Books." These Books give the player a way to leave their mark on Middle-earth without interfering with the story already set by J. R. R. Tolkien, whose works the game is based off of. Here is a look back at the storyline that has progressed in the past year.

Click on the first image in the gallery below to experience each epic storyline including appearances by fan favorites such as Gandalf, Elrond and the Fellowship of the Ring.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Epic Questlines

Book 1 -- Searching for AmdirBook 1 -- The Witch King in the Great BarrowBook 1 -- Exploring the Great BarrowBook 2 -- The ruins of HaragmarBook 3 -- Saving Trestlebridge

MassivelyThe Lord of the Rings Online: The epic quest line told in pictures originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-10book-11book-12book-13book-9featuredjoystiqfeatureslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-book-13turbineThu, 24 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Lord of the Rings Online's one-year anniversary: A look back]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-one-year-anniversary-a-look-back/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-one-year-anniversary-a-look-back/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-one-year-anniversary-a-look-back/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

In releasing Book 13 on its one-year anniversary, the Lord of the Rings Online finishes off its first year with five large content updates, known as Books. In addition to new epic storylines, the lore progressed significantly this past year as new Books were added. Let's take a look at all the changes made since April 24, 2007.

The game began with eight questing zones and one player-versus-monster-player zone as well as seven classes and 10 crafting professions. It also launched many promises from the developers for much-demanded features such as player-owned houses and Fishing.

At this point it was very difficult to reach the level cap of 50 due to a lack of significant content in the level 30-50 range, which Turbine promised to address. And that promise materialized with the first free content patch.

Find out what Book 9 brought to the game ===>>

MassivelyThe Lord of the Rings Online's one-year anniversary: A look back originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-10book-11book-12book-9epic-quest-lineevendimfeaturedforocheljoystiqfeatureslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelorebooklotrolotro-book-13rivendelltrollshawsturbineThu, 24 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Book 13 to feature new armour set vendors in Angmar]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/book-13-to-feature-new-armour-set-vendors-in-angmar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/book-13-to-feature-new-armour-set-vendors-in-angmar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/book-13-to-feature-new-armour-set-vendors-in-angmar/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The revamp of Angmar that was featured in Lord of the Rings Online's Book 12 patch brought about a number of new armour sets that were obtained from quests in the area. However, some of the pieces of these sets were made available through quests that were already in the game prior to Book 12, which meant that a lot of people had already completed those quests and have been unable to get those particular new items. This has left some ticked off people with incomplete sets, and no way to do anything about it.

A solution to this problem has been found, and according to this thread at the official forums, new vendors will be introduced with Book 13 that will sell the armour pieces. Part of the requirement to use these items will be to have completed the associated quest that they originally came from. They won't be cheap either, seeing as this approach makes it possible to "double-dip", as MadeOfLions puts it, on the quest rewards. Expect the new vendors with Book 13 in Aughaire and Gabilshathur. The thread that broke the news contained a lot of player requests to have a similar system in place for other quest sets, but who knows if this would be considered when there isn't a particular problem to fix, as there was in this case.

MassivelyBook 13 to feature new armour set vendors in Angmar originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angmararmour-setsaughairebook-12book-13gabilshathurlotroturbineTue, 25 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Notes for LotRO Book 12 Patch 1 available]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/notes-for-lotro-book-12-patch-1-available/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/notes-for-lotro-book-12-patch-1-available/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/notes-for-lotro-book-12-patch-1-available/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The Lord of the Rings Online test server has been patched, and the notes have been made available for viewing. The patch should end up on live servers after a testing period on Roheryn, so it's a good heads up for what is ahead.

Highlights of the patch include some Guardian-specific updates, Book 12 bug fixes, changes to stop anti-exploit mode triggering on mobs so often, and ranged auto-attacks will miss more often if fired while moving. The full list of notes can be found after the break.

Continue reading Notes for LotRO Book 12 Patch 1 available

MassivelyNotes for LotRO Book 12 Patch 1 available originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12book-12-patch-1guardianlotropatchroheryntest-serverturbineFri, 07 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO EU dev chat reveals Book 13 details]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/lotro-eu-dev-chat-reveals-book-13-details/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/lotro-eu-dev-chat-reveals-book-13-details/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/lotro-eu-dev-chat-reveals-book-13-details/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


At the end of every month the Lord of the Rings Online Europe team sits down for a dev chat. February's happened last night at Stratics and this time we got some juice on the upcoming Book 13 content patch. Here are the highlights:
  • Book 13 will contain a new area to explore that is bigger than Evendim but have a different climate than the recent heavy emphasis on snowy mountains
  • No new 12 or 24 man raids will be introduced. (Note: The recently launched Book 12 introduced new raid content for those hungry for more large group encounters.)
  • 6 man instances work will be limited to the Book 13 continuation of the epic storyline as well as retuning the existing Annuminas 1 group instances.
  • New armor sets are coming to primaily address playstyles not served by existing armor sets
  • Housing is changing in regards to non-payment. Instead of losing your house and all your items going into escrow, non-payment of the maintenance fee will simply lock you out of your house until you can pay. Your house remains and all your items remain within while you are locked out. Only houses that are abandoned will have their items placed in escrow.
  • The ability to turn off the graphic of certain item slots will be independent for each Outfit
  • New non-combat clothing will be coming as well as headgear that doesn't cover your characters hair (i.e. Circlets.)
The devs also talked about technology being implemented into the game that will allow them to work in new functionality. Here are some of the features they would like to add at that point:
  • More character slots
  • Guild banks
  • Sending multiple items in the mail at once
Expect dev diaries to start appearing soon detailing the major features of the patch as we get closer to its arrival on the Test server. A full transcript of this dev chat can be found at Stratics.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Player Housing

Bree-land Homestead locationFalathlorn HouseFalathlorn Homestead locationShire HouseShire Homestead location

MassivelyLotRO EU dev chat reveals Book 13 details originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annuminasarmor-setsbook-12book-13character-slotsdev-chatescrowevendimguild-bankslotrooutfit-systemstratics-chatturbineThu, 28 Feb 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO patch notes for Tuesday, February 19th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/lotro-patch-notes-for-tuesday-february-19th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/lotro-patch-notes-for-tuesday-february-19th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/lotro-patch-notes-for-tuesday-february-19th/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Several quick -- but arguably important -- fixes went out today for Lord of the Rings Online. A couple Book 12 quest fixes were implemented, one of them addressing a potentially annoying respawn issue. In Book 12, Chapter 5, Lozudurkh will now show up if a player in need of a key is nearby. Also, the LotRO team has locked the final phase of the quest chain "Seven Swords" -- but only temporarily. The quest was meant to be completed with a group and was apparently behaving like a solo quest instead.

Aside from those two changes, there are some more minor changes -- such as fixing the value of the Bree-horse and Bree-pony from multiple silvers to just a few coppers. We're always for saving some silver, you know.

MassivelyLotRO patch notes for Tuesday, February 19th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12horseslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroqueststransportationturbineTue, 19 Feb 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WRUP: Valentine's aftermath edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/wrup-valentines-aftermath-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/wrup-valentines-aftermath-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/wrup-valentines-aftermath-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Do anything fun for V-day yesterday? Living the single bachelor life that I do, I spent most of the evening blogging last night, although WoW got a little playing time, and boy, wasn't that new Lost just completely confusing? Now that we're in the romantic aftermath, it's time once again to ask What aRe yoU Playing this weekend?

Our own Eli Shayotovich is going to be busy-- he's heading into City of Heroes for new epic archetypes, and Tabula Rasa for his new charcoal armor dye (that doesn't sound as fun as the archetypes, if you ask me). Me, I'm continuing to try and get my Hunter to 70 in WoW (these 60-70 levels are harder than I remember), and I'll also be playing Burnout Paradise online on the Xbox 360 (GT toucansamurai if you want to join me)-- it's not actually an MMO, though when you're driving around the same city with a bunch of other people, it sure feels like one.

So what are you up to in the world of MMOs or elsewhere this weekend? Anybody diving into the WoW patch 2.4 PTR? Or checking out the new Book 12 content in LotRO?

Previously on WRUP...

MassivelyWRUP: Valentine's aftermath edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12burnout-paradisecity-of-heroeslostlotropatch-2.4tabula-rasavaletines-dayweekendwowwrupFri, 15 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO, Book 12 and some minor bugs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/lotro-book-12-and-some-minor-bugs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/lotro-book-12-and-some-minor-bugs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/lotro-book-12-and-some-minor-bugs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Don't worry too much, there's nothing wrong with Book 12 that could break your computer or the game. However, there are a couple known issues that are good to know about, in case you happen to encounter them.

For instance, one such issue deals with the newly implemented cosmetic systems. If you happen to get your hair cut at a barber, you'll find that while your avatar itself will reflect the new trim immediately -- your character window will not. At least, not until your next login. This is mostly the type of issue that's just confusing more than anything else, but at least now you know that you're not going crazy from playing all the new content.

There are several other minor issues, which are all worth glancing at just in case you're encountering some new quirks during your time in-world.

MassivelyLotRO, Book 12 and some minor bugs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12known-issueslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropatchturbineThu, 14 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Double video goodness from LotRO Book 12]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/double-video-goodness-from-lotro-book-12/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/double-video-goodness-from-lotro-book-12/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/14/double-video-goodness-from-lotro-book-12/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


After extended maintenance yesterday, the Lord of the Rings Online servers are finally up with the Book 12 The Ashen Wastes content patch locked and loaded. We've already drooled over all the new features in our earlier post, so we'll spare you the rehash here. Instead, you can watch a trailer for Book 12 where LotRO's Executive Producer, Jeffrey Steefel, rehashes it for us. What a sweet guy.

We also have a second video that tells the story behind the latest content. Even if you're not a LotRO fan, it's worth a look. The voice work and storytelling are very good.

The videos can be clicked full screen and are embedded after the jump.

Continue reading Double video goodness from LotRO Book 12

MassivelyDouble video goodness from LotRO Book 12 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ashen-wastesbook-12dev-diaryfeaturedjeffrey-steefellord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroThu, 14 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine having server and service issues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/turbine-having-server-and-service-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/turbine-having-server-and-service-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/turbine-having-server-and-service-issues/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As of 12:35pm Eastern, Turbine is having some troubles with all of their services. This includes not only Lord of the Rings Online, but all Turbine games as far as we know. It's not such a good time to be having issues since plenty of players are sitting at their computers awaiting the Book 12 update for LotRO today.

The problem is hitting not only the game servers, but website services as well -- so be wary if you're thinking of going into your Turbine account right now. They have informed us that people are on-site at their data center and are trying to find a solution to the server problem. Also, there is currently no known time at which this problem will be fixed, but as soon as we have an update we'll be sure to let you know when everything is back to normal.

[UPDATE] Turbine has said that this is not caused by the Book 12 update, which was apparently successfully put onto the servers and tested by QA before these issues began. So when the servers finally do go back up, the update will be readily available.

[UPDATE 2] The servers are back up and it looks as though everything is now back to normal.

MassivelyTurbine having server and service issues originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12breakingddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroservicesturbineWed, 13 Feb 2008 14:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online releases Book 12]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/another-tome-on-the-shelf-lotro-moves-on-to-book-12/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/another-tome-on-the-shelf-lotro-moves-on-to-book-12/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/another-tome-on-the-shelf-lotro-moves-on-to-book-12/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The servers are down. Middle-earth is quiet. That can mean only one thing: Book 12 is upon us! If you haven't already gotten the update via torrent, the next time you log in you should start streaming in the biggest patch to Lord of the Rings Online yet. If you're a LOTRO player of any stripe or affiliation, you're going to have to find something to like in this monstrous addition to the game. You've read our book 12 tour rundown, you've been following along with us over the past three months as we explored the new content. You know what's in this one, right?

Howabout a recap, then? Just in updates to existing content we've got Kinship changes, the return of pirate quests, new hairstyles, big changes to Angmar, new options for player housing, reputation changes, and improved spam reporting. Several classes get big revamps, including the Champion, Burglar, and Guardian. And the new stuff! Do you think they handed out enough toys? Brand new cloaks for completing chapter 10, a new 'outfit' system and barbershop makeovers, a brand new epic storyline featuring heavy fellowship action, and ... oh yeah, an entirely new PvP/PvE dungeon.

Whether you're waiting for the servers to come back up, or just to get back home to your PC, keep yourself warm in the meantime with the ember glow of the patch notes. The green fields of Middle-earth will be back soon.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Book 12 Gallery

Elrond of Rivendell

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online releases Book 12 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12breakinglord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropatchturbineWed, 13 Feb 2008 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO developer chat talks Kinship additions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/lotro-developer-chat-talks-kinship-additions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/lotro-developer-chat-talks-kinship-additions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/lotro-developer-chat-talks-kinship-additions/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Last Monday there was a scheduled Lord of the Rings Online developer chat over at Stratics. Quite a lot was discussed, but there are some key things we took away from the Q&A session. The mention of a "Month of the Kinship" has us most excited, as that means that sometime in the (hopefully near) future LotRO will be receiving a book update to its guild features.

Right now players and Kinships can purchase their own housing, but kinship housing doesn't serve any functional purpose beyond a gathering place that can be decorated. We would love to see these housings become a place where members could come to store items or keep up to date with a schedule board.

Other subjects that were touched on during the dev chat were traits getting a review, including racial traits and a heavier focus on 12 man raids instead of the 24 man style. Unsurprisingly, the 12 man raids have been more popular with players. It's always easier to gather and maintain control over less people and 12 just seems to be the sweet spot for most LotRO players.

MassivelyLotRO developer chat talks Kinship additions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-man-raidsbook-12developer-chatkinship-housingkinshipslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroraidingstraticsturbineTue, 12 Feb 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Book 12 updater available via torrent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/book-12-updater-available-via-torrent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/book-12-updater-available-via-torrent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/book-12-updater-available-via-torrent/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Those looking to download and patch their Lord of the Rings Online client ahead of time look no further. A torrent (available here) made by Turbine allows those with the Book 11 patch to pre-patch themselves and thus log in right away after server maintenance is over this Wednesday. New players can't use the patch as it only supports those with the Book 11 patch, but hey at least everyone else can, right?

Well, not exactly. If you've got the EU version of Lord of the Rings Online, then you're sadly out of luck as this patch won't work for you -- so it isn't all sunshine and daisies. This patch also won't work for the Roheryn preview server -- no surprise there, though. We're unsure as to why European players are left in the cold, but at least everyone else can get themselves pre-patched as soon as they like.

Still, it's always nice when a developer goes out of there way to make sure most players can get right into the new patched up game after downtime ends. Hopefully next time they'll just make sure to have the EU players covered as well.

MassivelyBook 12 updater available via torrent originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-11book-12lord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropatchserver-maintenancetorrentturbineMon, 11 Feb 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Scheduled server downtime for LotRO this Wednesday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/09/scheduled-server-downtime-for-lotro-this-wednesday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/09/scheduled-server-downtime-for-lotro-this-wednesday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/09/scheduled-server-downtime-for-lotro-this-wednesday/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Crack open your favorite book, rent a few movies or just go for a six hour stroll through the park -- scheduled server downtime is coming. Lord of the Rings Online servers are going down on Wednesday, February 13th from 6am to 12pm Eastern time. During this time, however Roheryn will remain active. So if you really need a LotRO fix you can get it there, albeit on a test server.

The good news is that this downtime serves a grand purpose!

Book 12: The Ashen Wastes -- which is the latest free update -- is going live, which means that once you've finished reading, watching or strolling you can come back to a newly updated LotRO. If you haven't yet checked out our Book 12 tour, feel free to take a look and get updated on all the upcoming additions to the world of Middle-earth.

MassivelyScheduled server downtime for LotRO this Wednesday originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12lord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroRoherynthe-ashen-wastesturbineSat, 09 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Next Monday is "Ask a LotRO dev a question day"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/09/next-monday-is-ask-a-lotro-dev-a-question-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/09/next-monday-is-ask-a-lotro-dev-a-question-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/09/next-monday-is-ask-a-lotro-dev-a-question-day/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you're a Lord of the Rings Online player interested in asking the developers as many questions as you can think up, then this should interest you greatly. An open topic developer chat is scheduled for this coming Monday, February 11th at 5pm Pacific (or 8pm Eastern). We're sure that there are plenty of you out there looking to fire your hot, molten questions at the LotRO developers. Information on how to get into the chat can be found over at Stratics -- where the chat is being hosted.

Usually when players are unleashed upon developers, many questions about future updates and content are asked. Maybe we'll get a juicy hint or two at possible things to expect from the next patch after Book 12. You never know, sometimes developers can be swayed by hordes of adoring players.

MassivelyNext Monday is "Ask a LotRO dev a question day" originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12dev-chatdeveloper-chatlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrostraticsturbineSat, 09 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Arr! Pirate quests be back in Lord of the Rings Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/arr-pirate-quests-be-back-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/arr-pirate-quests-be-back-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/arr-pirate-quests-be-back-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It could be said that a lot of us here at Massively have a certain affinity for talking and dressing like pirates when given the chance. With this knowledge, you probably think the news that Book 12 reintroduces quests from "Talk Like a Pirate Day" is very exciting for some of us -- well, it is!

This news comes at the perfect time, considering the new outfit appearance slots will let you look like a pirate while keeping your equipment stats. So any Lord of the Rings Online players looking to obtain some flashy pirate gear can head on over to the Brandywine Bridge and chat up the stranded mariners. Then, you can look like a pirate whenever you feel like it!

MassivelyArr! Pirate quests be back in Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12lord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropiratestalk-like-a-pirate-dayturbineWed, 06 Feb 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively hands-on LotRO Book 12 tour]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/04/massively-hands-on-lotro-book-12-tour/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/04/massively-hands-on-lotro-book-12-tour/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/04/massively-hands-on-lotro-book-12-tour/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Recently I was taken on a tour of the Lord of the Rings Online upcoming content patch, Book 12 "The Ashen Wastes." And I came back with exclusive screenshots, lewt info and more video than you can shake a Balrog at.

Joined by LotRO developer Aaron Campbell and Executive Producer Jeffrey Steefel, I was first taken to the new public PvP dungeon, The Delving of Frór. This is a new design concept for LotRO. One side in the Player vs Monster Player war must take and defend three of the five control points in the Ettenmoors to be able to enter the new dungeon. Once inside, there is a wealth of content for PvE play: solo mobs, more than fifteen group mobs and five raid mobs.

But here's the hitch: if the other side gains control of the majority of the control points, their side can flood into the dungeon and attack you while you are hip deep in a raid encounter. At the same time, your side is shut out from helping if they aren't already in the dungeon. So not only do you have to coordinate your raid, you have to coordinate the defense of the zone at the same time. Gives a whole new twist to the raid strategy, eh?

Read on for seven videos and a full tour write up.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Book 12 Tour

Displayable trophy of ThorogMountable trophies of Cave Troll and BogberethDisplayable trophy of Balrog raid bossNew outfits to wear over armor in Book 12Battle with Gaergoth the Unbound in the Delving of Fror

Continue reading Massively hands-on LotRO Book 12 tour

MassivelyMassively hands-on LotRO Book 12 tour originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarthielangmarashen-wastesbalrogbarbershop-systembarter-systembook-12creepsdelving-of-frorelrondepic-quest-lineettenmoorsfeaturedfellowship-maneuversfreepsjoystiqfeatureslotrolotro-chapter-10lotro-raidoutfit-systempvmppvp-setsthorogturbineMon, 04 Feb 2008 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EU LotRO dev chat predicts infamous Shaman fishing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/03/eu-lotro-dev-chat-predicts-infamous-shaman-fishing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/03/eu-lotro-dev-chat-predicts-infamous-shaman-fishing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/03/eu-lotro-dev-chat-predicts-infamous-shaman-fishing/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

German Lord of the RIngs Online site Lotro-welten hosted its monthly dev chat with LotRO devs and community managers. Many of the questions for this dev chat focused on the new public PvMP dungeon, the Delving of Frór and the changes to the Creeps system. But most were requests for features that the devs didn't have any immediate plans to implement (translation: you no get!)

One participant complained that many questions were asked covering information that has already been announced. The devs explained that not all players read patch notes, etc. and the dev chats are another way to get information out to the public. So be prepared for a certain amount of repetition.

That being said, there was little new information to be gleaned. The few nuggets we found are:
  • The Hobbies system will be introduced in Book 13 with the long requested Fishing ability. More Hobbies are planned in the future.
  • A Shaman PvMP class is in the works for Book 13. That may not be the final name of the class, but the basic skills and abilities are in place.
  • Monster play Infamy/Reknown costs will be lowered considerably in Book 12 to allow players to level faster in PvMP.
A full transcript of the chat can be found on Lotro-welten's site.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Book 12 Gallery

Elrond of Rivendell

MassivelyEU LotRO dev chat predicts infamous Shaman fishing originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12book-13codemastercreepsdelving-of-frordev-chatfishinghobbiesinfamylotrolotro-weltenreknownshamanturbineSun, 03 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New hairstyle pictures for Lord of the Rings Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/new-hairstyle-pictures-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/new-hairstyle-pictures-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/new-hairstyle-pictures-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As people who spend a lot of time in massively games, we always appreciate it when developers give us more customization options. Turbine went even further by giving players both a barbershop and two different sets of clothing for when they don't feel like hanging around taverns in their armor. As with any upcoming additions, the forums are filled with posters putting together all sorts of pictures for your viewing pleasure. Community response has been really good to this stuff, so hopefully we'll see even more hairs, clothes and other ways to further customize your character in future updates.

The value of adding this stuff could be argued over, but at the end of the day we think it's always good to get some more variety into your massively games. Although we're still not sure if we want our hobbits to have long, flowing, curly locks or not. Apparently, all the cool hobbits are getting them now.

MassivelyNew hairstyle pictures for Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barbershopbook-12character-creationclothinghairhair-styleslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromidayturbineFri, 01 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO Book 12 introduces Delving of Frór PvMP dungeon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/lotro-book-12-introduces-delving-of-fror-pvmp-dungeon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/lotro-book-12-introduces-delving-of-fror-pvmp-dungeon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/lotro-book-12-introduces-delving-of-fror-pvmp-dungeon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Along with everything else we've talked about to be expected with Book 12, the official Lord of the Rings Online website has now confirmed that a brand new PvMP dungeon will also be introduced with The Ashen Wastes. It will be called the Delving of Frór, and is reached by going through the Ettenmoors -- but it won't be as simple as just walking in. Either the Freeps or Creeps will need to control a minimum of three out of five points in the Ettenmoors before they will be allowed access. Even while one faction is inside, leader status can change hands, resulting in the flushing out of one faction by the other. The former controlling faction inside the dungeon will no longer be able to receive reinforcements from outside, and death will cause them to respawn outside as well.

There's plenty of reasons to want to gain entry to the Delving, as there will be five raid bosses, more than fifteen group bosses and even lots of solo content inside. Anything killed inside will not only have a chance to drop the same loot as Ettenmoors mobs, but there will also be a new set of barter items to collect. Freeps use these for new weapon and armor sets, and Creeps can obtain new skills (full list posted after the break).

This whole system is very reminiscent of Dark Age of Camelot and Darkness Falls, which also centered around controlling areas to be allowed access to a dungeon with great rewards, and the inevitable flushing out of an opposing faction when control changed hands. Nevertheless, it looks as though this will provide lots to do for fans of PvMP when Book 12 hits.

Continue reading LotRO Book 12 introduces Delving of Frór PvMP dungeon

MassivelyLotRO Book 12 introduces Delving of Frór PvMP dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12daocdarkness-fallsdelving-of-frordfettenmoorslotropvmpturbineWed, 30 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO Book 12 rewards for chapter 10 revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/29/lotro-book-12-rewards-for-chapter-10-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/29/lotro-book-12-rewards-for-chapter-10-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/29/lotro-book-12-rewards-for-chapter-10-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Over at the official Lord of the Rings Online forums there is a thread containing some dirt on the new rewards coming in Book 12. Upon finishing chapter 10, players can expect to receive a very nice looking cloak. Everybody knows that a top quality magical cloak is one of the most important things in life. Some might say the reward (pictured above) looks a bit festive, but we suppose that's just personal taste.

If you're curious about the actual stats for these babies, they're just after the jump.

Continue reading LotRO Book 12 rewards for chapter 10 revealed

MassivelyLotRO Book 12 rewards for chapter 10 revealed originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12cloakselronds-cloakepic-questlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-chapter-10midwayturbineTue, 29 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Book 12 screens released by Turbine]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/29/new-book-12-screens-released-by-turbine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/29/new-book-12-screens-released-by-turbine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/29/new-book-12-screens-released-by-turbine/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The Book 12 content patch for the Lord of the Rings Online is on the test server and Turbine has dropped a few tantalizing hints of what's in store. They released brand new screenshots covering three of the many features being implemented in this patch: Amarthiel's redesign, new boss-dropped trophy decorations and the outfit system.

If you've gone through the Book 10 epic quest line, you'll know Amarthiel well. She's the sorceress with the palanitr you had to track down with the aid of crazy Sara Oakheart. The three screenshots provided show a new and improved Amarthiel in all her megalomaniacal glory.

The housing decoration options shown in four of the screenies are the new trophies that will be dropping from Middle-earth's boss mobs in Book 12. These trophies can then be displayed in the players house or, more likely, the Guild Hall. We can see so far a mannequin holding up a suit of armor, two swords mounted on a wall, an outdoor trophy in the shape of a monument and, finally a head on a pike (or the Elven babe lounging on the bed, we're not sure which one is the prize).

The new cosmetic outfits that your character can put over their battle gear are also on display in six screenshots. They spotlight many different races and classes and now they no longer looking like patchwork dolls. Some of these new clothes will be crafted, other items can be vendor purchased. If you look closely at the the picture of the Elf outside the Guild Hall, you'll see one of the new quiver models on his back.

When this patch goes live it will only be a matter of time before we see the first screenshot of a raid party confronting the Balrog in pretty pink dresses.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Book 12 Gallery

Elrond of Rivendell

MassivelyNew Book 12 screens released by Turbine originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarthielbook-10book-12breakingcosmetic-optionsguild-hallhousinglotrooutfit-systempalantirsara-oakhearttrophiesturbineTue, 29 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Looking ahead during Turbine downtime]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/looking-ahead-during-turbine-downtime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/looking-ahead-during-turbine-downtime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/looking-ahead-during-turbine-downtime/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


All Turbine game servers are down today for their once-ever-other-Monday scheduled maintenance. Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online and Asheron's Call players, we hear your pain. What to do until the servers come back up at 2pm EST today? Instead of trolling the official forums, we'd like you to look ahead at what awaits you.

For LotRO, Book 12 is now on the test server with its revamps to the Guardian, Burglar and Champion classes as well as the Barbershop and the cosmetic Outfit system and polish pass on the high level solo zone, Angmar. Also, last week's dev chat dropped quite a few hints on post 12 plans.

DDO is not to be outdone with its upcoming Module 6 content patch. Our own Mike Schramm got a hands-on tour from the devs. Not only did he get a grand tour of what is to come this week when the Module goes live, but hints of what Turbine is planning throughout the year for this title.

And finally, Asheron's Call is looking forward to...um, 9 more years? We'll look into it and get back to you on this one.

MassivelyLooking ahead during Turbine downtime originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acangmarbarbershopbook-12ddoeberronlotromiddle-earthmodule-6month-of-the-burglarmonth-of-the-championlmonth-of-the-guardianoutfit-systemturbineMon, 28 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO dev chat reveals hints of the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/25/lotro-dev-chat-reveals-hints-of-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/25/lotro-dev-chat-reveals-hints-of-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/25/lotro-dev-chat-reveals-hints-of-the-future/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Deep into testing in Book 12, Lord of the Rings Online devs had little to reveal about the upcoming content patch that wasn't already announced. The juicy parts of this chat are the hints the devs dropped about long range plans for the game.

Fly like an Eagle: New variants of land mounts obtained through future patches and Festivals are mentioned, but more importantly the dev team is exploring "a new type of mount to take you into places horses would dare not go." Eagle ride anyone? And can you imagine the rep grind to get friendly with the Eagles? Roll up that Lore-master now.

Continue reading LotRO dev chat reveals hints of the future

MassivelyLotRO dev chat reveals hints of the future originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ashen-wastesbook-12book-13class-specializationdev-chateagle-mountseriadorflying-mountslotrorohanturbineFri, 25 Jan 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO Book 12 patch notes land on the test server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/lotro-book-12-patch-notes-land-on-the-test-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/lotro-book-12-patch-notes-land-on-the-test-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/lotro-book-12-patch-notes-land-on-the-test-server/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


The long awaited Book 12 content patch has hit Roheryn, the Lord of the Ring's Online test server today. The lengthy patch notes are available on LotRO's official wiki, the Lorebook.

The Ashen Wastes, as this patch is called, offers no new adventure area, but revamps the existing high level outdoor zone, Angmar. The area got a big polish to smooth out quest progression, mob level dispersion and general flow and playability. Honestly, the zone needed it in a bad way, but since many players are at the level cap was this done for alts or new players? We're glad to see this clunky zone get the dev loving it needed before the game launched, but we're not sure how much of the player population will get to appreciate it.

Class revamps continue with three classes getting the once over:
  • Guardians are getting a DPS stance for faster soloing as well as a mixed bag of nerfs and buffs to their bread-and-butter tanking ability with a sprinkle of new utility skills.
  • Burglars, the debuff class, are getting a new buff that affects many of their existing crowd control skills, new abilities to use after a successful Fellowship Maneuver and the ability to bring a friend into stealth. Plus, clubs!
  • Champions, the melee dps and off-tank class, are getting a new stance that balances offense and defense skills. Also, their tanking stance is being granted at an earlier level and many of their Legendary skills are getting reworked.
The LotRO devs tend to do more good than harm with class revamps. There's some guarded optimism by the classes affected. Once the changes go live and players have a chance to try them we'll see if the tweaks have the desired effect.

In addition to all that, there is the new Outfit System and Barbershop functionality, the reintroduction (again) of Troll/Ranger PvMP combat, the introduction of the Ettendeep (a new large PvMP dungeon), and, of course, the continuation of the Epic Story quest line.

There is a metric ton of other patch notes to go through including small changes to almost all classes and tradeskills, new housing features, improvements to repuation gain and much needed relief for those farming for their Legendary pages. And let's not forget new tools to fight the brazen and ever present gold spammers.

We'll have more analysis as we dig into the Test server.

MassivelyLotRO Book 12 patch notes land on the test server originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angmarashen-wastesbarbershopbook-12ettendeeplegendary-pageslorebooklotromonth-of-the-burglarmonth-of-the-championmonth-of-the-guardianoutfit-systemtroll-ranger-pvmpturbineMon, 21 Jan 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO Outfit System and Barbershop details revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/lotro-outfit-system-and-barbershop-details-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/lotro-outfit-system-and-barbershop-details-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/lotro-outfit-system-and-barbershop-details-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Lord of the Rings Online's next content patch, Book 12, is shaping up to be full of great additions to the game despite its lack of a new adventure area. Today the Turbine devs posted a new Dev Diary to explain more fully how they're going to implement two long-requested cosmetic features: the Outfit System and the Barbershop.

At level 20, the Outfit system allows players to equip a second (and third!) set of gear. This gear doesn't provide any stat boosts or buffs, but will change the outward appearance of your avatar's equipment. This system will be disabled in PvMP to prevent players from tanks disguising their heavy plate with light cloth. New dresses, satchels and other non-combat equipment will also appear in the game with this patch.

This is a great feature for a game where lore and roleplaying have such a large fanbase. Though not the first to do it (EverQuest II also has this feature), it's a welcome addition to the world of Middle-earth. If only Blizzard would get a clue and implement the same idea for those of us without armor sets. Looking like a clown at a kid's party with mismatched and garishly colored armor does not make one feel heroic.

The Barbershop acts like the character creation screen. Want a new hairstyle? Regret coloring your toon's hair white? Need to add a scar to reflect winning a recent raid? Players will be able to do all this, plus a number of new hairstyles will be added.

We're still am not convinced about the importance of facial features in game where you stare at the back of your character's head the whole time, but at least you can turn off helm/hood graphics so hair style and coloring choices still have impact.

Book 12 just hit Roheryn, the Test server. We'll have a write up covering the notes shortly.

MassivelyLotRO Outfit System and Barbershop details revealed originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turbine has been concocting major revisions to the classes of The Lord of the Rings Online since launch. In the forthcoming Book 12 update (now titled "The Ashen Wastes"), the Guardian and Burglar classes will get full treatment, but Champions will see some boons as well. Those boons have been detailed in the latest dev diary entry.

As we learned on the forums a while back, Champions will receive "Ardour," a new stance which strikes a balance between offense and defense. Previously, they had only the mostly-useless default and the haphazardly offensive Fervour stances until late in life. Glory, the defensive stance that they presently get at level 46, will be moved all the way back to level 30, because the 30s are arguably when Champions are most often called upon to tank.

The class will also get some major revamps to its Legendary Skills. If you want all the minute details, Turbine reps went even deeper on the official forum. We Champs have a lot to look forward to!

MassivelyTurbine spills all the Champion update beans originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ardourbook-12championdev-diarydeveloper-diarylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrostancesturbineThu, 17 Jan 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Let the Month of the Burglar begin]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/let-the-month-of-the-burglar-begin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/let-the-month-of-the-burglar-begin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/let-the-month-of-the-burglar-begin/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Burglars of Middle-earth should be happy about Book 12 -- of this we can all be sure. We had the months of the Minstrel and the Hunter, and so on, but it's Burglars' turn for some lovin'!

Turbine has finally all-out announced the Month of the Burglar, and laid out Book 12's changes to the class for all to see. Burglars will get a new a new toggle skill called "Mischief," by which Tricks, Trick removal skills, and Riddle will be cheaper and more frequently usable, respectively. Two new skills are also available in Mischief mode -- Clever Retort and Confound.

They'll also get the previously-announced ability to bring a friend into stealth mode with them, a position-sensitive strike, some Fellowship Maneuver Response Skills, and perhaps most awesomely, the ability to summon a vendor to sell stuff to. Oh, and they'll finally be able to use clubs. And there will be equipables that will beef up Fellowship Maneuvers.

Phew! Surely all that is worth the wait, right?

MassivelyLet the Month of the Burglar begin originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12burglarclubsfellowship-maneuverslotromischiefmonth-of-the-burglarstealthtricksturbineFri, 11 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO dev diary details Book 12 Guardian retooling]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/08/lotro-dev-diary-details-book-12-guardian-retooling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/08/lotro-dev-diary-details-book-12-guardian-retooling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/08/lotro-dev-diary-details-book-12-guardian-retooling/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

As promised, a new Lord of the Rings Online dev diary has surfaced giving excruciating detail on the changes to the Guardian class in the upcoming Book 12 content patch. The short version is: tanking is getting both buffs and nerfs; a new dps stance is being added along with new dps skills; and new utility abilities are coming.

Let's take these one section at a time, shall we?

Tanking
The good news is the new defensive abilities the Guardians are getting. Shield Wall will allow the tank to take all the incoming damage targeted at another party member. And Fray The Edge is a new ranged single-target taunt that is stackable and has a chance of triggering a Fellowship Maneuver.

The bad news is some current defensive skills are overpowered and are getting tweaked. Shield-taunt will no longer put the Guardian at the top of the threat list, but will add significantl threat. And the Deep Breath ability that allows Guardians to prematurely end the cooldown of many of their skills is getting it's cooldown significantly increased.

There are some other tweaks, but the bottom line for Guardians in defensive mode is they are going to have to change their playstyle a bit. They have relied on some ability mechanics that are making their job too easy in some cases, especially in Raids.

Before the wailing and sackcloth and ashes get going, remember two things: the devs are trying to balance the game to make it challenging and every game does class revamps. No one hates you. Well, except that Minstrel that kept dying in your pick up group, but aggro control is everyone's job, right?

Read on for the really good news.

Continue reading LotRO dev diary details Book 12 Guardian retooling

MassivelyLotRO dev diary details Book 12 Guardian retooling originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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German Lord of the Rings Online site, Lotro-welten, held their last monthly LotRO dev chat on Friday. Unlike some previous dev chats, this one had some juicy bits. Most of it focused on class improvements in Book 12 which is expected to land on the test server Roheryn very soon in the new year.

Hunter tweaks are going to be focused on solo survivability and increasing dps in a way that makes sense for the class. Examples of what they have planned include boosting Focus by 3 when the Hunter uses their Blindside melee strike+bow shot ability. This will allow the Hunter the Focus they need to fire off their high damage Penetrating Shot ranged attack. Also, Fear will not be broken by any DoTs that were already on the target when the Fear is applies. And the high damage Merciful Shot will revert back to being usable when the target is at 50% health instead of 25%.

The devs also elaborated on the Guardian changes coming. They will be receiving a new dps stance that will open up a new set of skills to use. This is designed to be used with 2-handed weapons, but can be also used with sword and shield in hand. Guardians will also be getting a new talent which will allow them to divert all incoming damage on a single target to themselves. This will not be stackable, but will be usable in Player vs Monster Player combat.

Continue reading Last LotRO dev chat of 2007

MassivelyLast LotRO dev chat of 2007 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blindsidebook-12burglardps-stancefellowship-maneueverguardianhunterlotrolotro-weltenmerciful-shotmischiefmonth-of-the-burglarmonth-of-the-guardianmonth-of-the-hunterpenetrating-shotriddleroherynWed, 26 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine adding to their arsenal for gold-spammer warfare]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/turbine-adding-to-their-arsenal-for-gold-spammer-warfare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/turbine-adding-to-their-arsenal-for-gold-spammer-warfare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/turbine-adding-to-their-arsenal-for-gold-spammer-warfare/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

No one likes gold spamming. It's intrusive and annoying, and takes away from your enjoyment of a game. In Lord of the Rings Online, spam in the chat channels has been cracked down on in a big way recently, so the spammers have gone back to doing a lot more mail-based spam. A recent post on the official forums clued us in on what's next for the on-going battle in the spam wars.

Book 12 will include an option when viewing mail to "Report as Spam", greatly increasing the ease of reporting a character for the player, and getting the information back to Turbine much quicker than before. But the really big weapon here is a solution that should already be in place: "...and we now have the ability to delete all mail sent by a character, so some of it you'll never see at all before it's nuked."

The ball is in your court spammers.

MassivelyTurbine adding to their arsenal for gold-spammer warfare originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12gold-spammerlotromailmail-spamreport-as-spamspamturbineThu, 13 Dec 2007 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Last scheduled downtime this year for LotRO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/last-scheduled-downtime-this-year-for-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/last-scheduled-downtime-this-year-for-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/last-scheduled-downtime-this-year-for-lotro/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Lord of the Rings Online servers will be brought down on Wednesday, December 12th from 7AM to 12PM Eastern time. The downtime is to implement a hotfix for a problem that has stopped some players from accessing their housing storage.

Along with the brief note in the forums regarding the downtime is the little factoid that this will be the final downtime for LotRO in 2007 -- scheduled downtime, that is. So if all else goes to plan you can go on a 3-week bender and never have the inconvenience of logging off once. It also means that the next major content update Book 12 won't be out this month, but with no release date being set yet, this was to be expected.

MassivelyLast scheduled downtime this year for LotRO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12hotfixlotrostorageturbineupdateTue, 11 Dec 2007 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO devs reveal Angmar revamp plans for Book 12]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/lotro-devs-reveal-angmar-revamp-plans-for-book-12/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/lotro-devs-reveal-angmar-revamp-plans-for-book-12/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/lotro-devs-reveal-angmar-revamp-plans-for-book-12/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The yellow sun slipped beneath the rim of the encircling hills, and the land was shrouded in shadow. In the dim half-light, two figures could be seen, walking north along a dusty road. They made no attempt at stealth. The pair could be seen for miles in every direction, but if this troubled either of them, they made no sign.

Amlug: If this is another boar quest....

MadeOfLions: It won't be. Angmar was the realm of the Witch-king, and that means Evil.

While most MMO companies make simple announcements about zone revamps, the Lord of the Rings Online devs have decided to go with charts, graphs and fictional accounts harshing their own work.

What it all boils down to is this: the high end adventuring zone Angmar didn't get the dev loved it needed before the game launched. The devs are going to fix that in the Book 12 patch.

Continue reading LotRO devs reveal Angmar revamp plans for Book 12

MassivelyLotRO devs reveal Angmar revamp plans for Book 12 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angmarbook-12lotroquest-flowsolo-contentturbinezone-revampTue, 11 Dec 2007 18:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Double dev chat goodness for LotRO Book 12]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/double-dev-chat-goodness-for-lotro-book-12/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/double-dev-chat-goodness-for-lotro-book-12/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/double-dev-chat-goodness-for-lotro-book-12/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Two Lord of the Rings Online dev chats within one week? It's like Christmas came early for LotRO players. But it looks like some players are getting presents and others are getting coal.

German website, Lotro-Welten, held its monthly LotRO dev chat for European players last week. And last night US players got their own dev chat at MMORPG. Strangely, the EU dev chat held a wealth of new information while the US chat had very little new or interesting. Here are the highlights from Lotro-Welten's chat, mostly applying to the upcoming Book 12 content patch:
  • Fishing is being introduced as a new profession category called Hobbies
  • Hobbies are professions that anyone can level up in regardless of their other tradeskill choices
  • The barber in Book 12 will offer new hairstyles
  • The new cosmetic system allowing you to display different clothing will not extend to hand held items and will be entirely disabled in PvMP zones
  • More solo content is a big priority for the dev team and Angmar is getting a pass in Book 12 to become more solo friendly

Continue reading Double dev chat goodness for LotRO Book 12

MassivelyDouble dev chat goodness for LotRO Book 12 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angmarbarberbook-12burglarscosmetic-appearancedev-chatdevelope-chateasterlingsfishinghobbieslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-weltenmmorpgmounted-combatpvmprohanscholarsturbineTue, 04 Dec 2007 22:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Chat with the LotRO team next Monday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/chat-with-the-lotro-team-next-monday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/chat-with-the-lotro-team-next-monday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/chat-with-the-lotro-team-next-monday/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There will be a chat with the developers of The Lord of the Rings Online at MMORPG on December 3rd. Fans will have the opportunity to ask questions about pretty much anything. Hopefully they'll manage to wrangle out some Book 12 info. Maybe they'll even get a slip about next year's expansion! Okay, probably not.

If you have a question or just want to sit in and read it as it happens, show up at the MMORPG chat room at 7:00 PM sharp (EST) on Monday. MMORPG also provide info on how to log in via IRC if you don't want to use the web-based chat interface, or if you're just totally old-school.

The future is looking bright for LotRO; Turbine's Jeffrey Steefel and Adam Mersky have eagerly talked about the soon-to-come launch in Korea and all sorts of customization options that will be going live with Book 12. We're looking forward to new class balance initiatives and some updates to the reputation system as well. So there should be no shortage of things to pry about in the chat!

MassivelyChat with the LotRO team next Monday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12chatdevdev-chatexpansionirclord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrommorpgturbineThu, 29 Nov 2007 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO player creates excellent housing database]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/lotro-player-creates-excellent-housing-database/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/lotro-player-creates-excellent-housing-database/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/lotro-player-creates-excellent-housing-database/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Lord of the Rings Online forum regular Rainwhisper embarked on an ambitious project to put together a website that would catalog floor plans, decorations, and ambient music for LotRO housing. With the help of fellow players on the forums, Rainwhisper succeeded!

The site is hosted by the Dawnsong Explorers kinship of the Windfola server. It's an excellent resource. There's a spreadsheet-style list of all the housing items that players can make or acquire. There are floor plans for the different types of houses. You can also check out pictures of the decorations. As far as we can tell the site's listings are complete or very close to it.

Rainwhisper and any other contributors will have quite a bit more work on their hands when Book 12 comes out but if their success with the site so far is any indication, that won't be a problem!

MassivelyLotRO player creates excellent housing database originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12databasedawnsong-explorersdecorationsforumshousinglistlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropicturesplayer-housingrainwhisperscreenshotsturbineTue, 20 Nov 2007 21:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine talks Korean LotRO, Book 11, Book 12, and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/turbine-talks-korean-lotro-book-11-book-12-and-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/turbine-talks-korean-lotro-book-11-book-12-and-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/turbine-talks-korean-lotro-book-11-book-12-and-more/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There's a lot of buzz going for The Lord of the Rings Online. Book 11 was recently released, and it was the game's biggest update so far. Book 12 is in the works. Most importantly from a big-picture standpoint, Turbine has secured deals to launch the game in the Korean and Chinese markets.

Turbine's Jeffrey Steefel and Adam Mersky talk to Ten Ton Hammer about all these things and more in a new interview. The Korean launch looks like it might go very well, and it appears that Book 12 will be all about "customization." We've already picked up some details about new options for player housing, but that's only the beginning. Players will soon be able to change their characters' hair at a barber shop.

Book 12 will also introduce some sort of system that will allow players to "maintain what they present outwardly to the other players and modify their stats in two different channels," meaning a player will have options if he or she really wants that new piece of armor that has great stats but that looks ridiculously out of place on his or her character.

Cool! No details yet on how exactly that will work, though.

MassivelyTurbine talks Korean LotRO, Book 11, Book 12, and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-merskyasiabook-11book-12chinacustomizationinterviewjeffrey-steefelkorealord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroten-ton-hammerturbineMon, 19 Nov 2007 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Details on Book 12's player housing updates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/details-on-book-12s-player-housing-updates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/details-on-book-12s-player-housing-updates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/details-on-book-12s-player-housing-updates/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

So here's a scenario for you: you buy a house for your character in The Lord of the Rings Online. How exciting! You check it out; it looks good, if a bit sparse. You buy all sorts of decorations to solve the sparseness problem -- a chair, a table, a painting or two, some plants, and so on. You set up a dinner table and put a chair at its head, but the chair is facing the wrong way, and you can't turn it.

That sucks, doesn't it? But wait; there's hope!

Book 12 will address that and many other housing complaints and requests. We know this because a Turbine developer who goes by the alias DangerDan told fans pretty much every thing there is to know about the coming changes to Middle-earth's sprawling suburbs.

Rotatable placements? Check. Sharing your house with all the other characters on your account? Check. A way to find out the name of your next-door neighbor? Also check. Deed-based trophies and other new kinds of decorations? Also also check. Your very own palantír for the living room TV stand? Not yet, but here's to hoping.

[Via LotRO Life]

MassivelyDetails on Book 12's player housing updates originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12codemastersdangerdandecorationsdeedshousinglord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropatchplayer-housingturbineupdateMon, 19 Nov 2007 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Reputation changes in LotRO will make you feel more loved]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/reputation-changes-in-lotro-will-make-you-feel-more-loved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/reputation-changes-in-lotro-will-make-you-feel-more-loved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/reputation-changes-in-lotro-will-make-you-feel-more-loved/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Does it sometimes feel like, no matter what you do for somebody to try and impress them, it's hard to get them to notice you? Feeling unappreciated and unloved? Well dry your eyes, because Turbine hears you. Coming soon to Lord of the Rings Online is a revamp that will see reputation rewards added to many existing quests, to allow you to increase your standing with various factions more easily. This is to address the reported difficulty in achieving even the first few levels of reputation with a faction by existing means.

If you've already finished a stack of quests and are worried that you'll miss out on this helpful update, this has been thought of too. There will be a once-off reputation reward for all the quests that you have completed in the past that get upgraded with the change. This means that it is safe to continue doing any quests now, knowing that if they end up being changed, you will receive your due compensation. The revamped quest reputation system is expected to be implemented in Book 12 -- until then, you may simply have to hold your head high and face the cold shoulder.

MassivelyReputation changes in LotRO will make you feel more loved originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-12factionlord-of-the-ringslotroquestsreputationretroactiverewardsshadows-of-angmarstandingturbineThu, 15 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO dev chat is silent on new info]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/lotro-dev-chat-is-silent-on-new-info/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/lotro-dev-chat-is-silent-on-new-info/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/13/lotro-dev-chat-is-silent-on-new-info/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Stratics hosted another developer chat, this time with the Lord of the Rings Online staffers. The topic was Book 12, but unfortunately not much was revealed that we didn't already learn in the LotRO German dev chat earlier this month.

Without the class developer on hand, all Guardian and Burglar revamp questions were deflected. As were most other inquiries. It seems that the developers couldn't answer many questions at all. But here is the little that I was able to glean from them.

Housing improvements in Book 12 include being able to use Bound items for decoration and house items will be able to be rotated on their hooks. There is also a "high likelihood" that alts will be able to use the recall to home feature of other characters on the same account.

Continue reading LotRO dev chat is silent on new info

MassivelyLotRO dev chat is silent on new info originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barber-shopbook-12burglar-revampdev-chatfellowship-maneuversguardian-revamphookslorebooklotromonster-playmonth-of-the-burglarmonth-of-the-guardianoutfitterTue, 13 Nov 2007 11:04:00 EST