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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-road-to-mordor/" rel="tag">The Road to Mordor</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/"><img alt="LotRO" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/rtm1-1328814308.jpg" /></a></div>
As I reported last week, I've recently <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/">rerolled as a Hobbit Minstrel</a> in an effort to refresh my attitude toward the game, to get a different perspective, and to continue my series in which I go through all of the single-player quests in the game.<br />
<br />
It's been, in a word, smashing.<br />
<br />
Having been away from the tamer lands of Eriador for so long, I had forgotten the charm and serenity that these lowbie areas exude. Plus, it's always fun leveling up a brand-new character, since there are plenty of goals and ways to develop your character that your level-capped toons have long since surpassed.<br />
<br />
As I've been plugging away at Bree-land quests, I began to make a mental list of exactly what's so special about the low-level game in <a href="http://www.lotro.com"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a>. The mental list became an actual one, and after a period of milling and refining, I've baked it into a nice loaf of observations to share with you.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/">The Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20164656/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>beginner</category><category>beginner-zones</category><category>bree</category><category>bree-land</category><category>character-advancement</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>hobbit</category><category>hobbits</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>lowbie</category><category>lowbie-zones</category><category>newbie</category><category>newbie-zones</category><category>the-road-to-mordor</category><category>the-shire</category><category>turbine</category><category>turbine-entertainment</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Seven things to do in Ered Luin before you die]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/the-road-to-mordor-seven-things-to-do-in-ered-luin-before-you-d/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/the-road-to-mordor-seven-things-to-do-in-ered-luin-before-you-d/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/the-road-to-mordor-seven-things-to-do-in-ered-luin-before-you-d/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-road-to-mordor/" rel="tag">The Road to Mordor</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/the-road-to-mordor-seven-things-to-do-in-ered-luin-before-you-d/"><img alt="LOTRO Ered Luin" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/09/rtm1.jpg" /></a></div>
As I moved on to my second starter zone in <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a> on my mission to complete every quest in every area of the game, I was in for a rude, if expected, awakening. <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/29/the-road-to-mordor-10-things-to-do-in-the-shire-before-you-die/">In comparison to the Shire</a>, <em>LotRO's</em> Ered Luin is lacking across the board. It's hard to imagine that the game's most eastern zone, which houses not one but two racial starting areas, could turn out to be a snoozefest, but I'll let the title of this article do the talking for me. I wanted to have 10 highlights of each zone for this series and could barely get to seven.<br />
<br />
The problem here is multifold. In trying to cram both the Elves and Dwarves into a relatively small (if tall) zone, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/turbine/">Turbine</a> didn't allow for the space to develop either race's culture before throwing them together in the middle for an awkward social dance. The races aren't allowed to really establish their personalities, either, leaving the Elves to start shining in Rivendell and the Dwarves in Moria. Finally, many of the quests are so dull and forgettable as to prompt players to race through the area to escape to more interesting locales.<br />
<br />
It's not all a loss, of course. Some of the areas are quite scenic, and I do actually approve of the concept of setting up the conflict between Dwarves and Elves. If anything, the taste of ideas here almost begs for the area to be significantly expanded so that these concepts could be played out and the respective Elf and Dwarf habitations could be given more life.<br />
<br />
In the end, I recommend that visiting travelers, adventurers, and treasure-hunters pack a light lunch and plan to get the following seven activities done in a half-day's span.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/the-road-to-mordor-seven-things-to-do-in-ered-luin-before-you-d/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Road to Mordor: Seven things to do in Ered Luin before you die</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/the-road-to-mordor-seven-things-to-do-in-ered-luin-before-you-d/">The Road to Mordor: Seven things to do in Ered Luin before you die</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/the-road-to-mordor-seven-things-to-do-in-ered-luin-before-you-d/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20043211/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/the-road-to-mordor-seven-things-to-do-in-ered-luin-before-you-d/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>bathobbit</category><category>batman</category><category>dwarf</category><category>dwarves</category><category>elf</category><category>elves</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>featured</category><category>Gondamon</category><category>guide</category><category>indiana-jones</category><category>lord-of-the-rings</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>map</category><category>the-road-to-mordor</category><category>turbine</category><category>turbine-entertainment</category><category>wine</category><category>zone</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Not all who wander are lost]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/the-road-to-mordor-not-all-who-wander-are-lost/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/the-road-to-mordor-not-all-who-wander-are-lost/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/the-road-to-mordor-not-all-who-wander-are-lost/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/expansions/" rel="tag">Expansions</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-road-to-mordor/" rel="tag">The Road to Mordor</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/the-road-to-mordor-not-all-who-wander-are-lost/"><img alt="Road to Mordor" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/08/rtm1-1313680383.jpg" /></a></div>
These are exciting times for <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a>, for sure. The Fellowship -- and hundreds of thousands of groupies following in its wake -- has moved south, and we are growing ever closer to Mordor and Mt. Doom. In a month, Middle-earth will grow significantly with the addition of <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/rise-of-isengard/">Rise of Isengard</a></em>, and level-capped players will suddenly have a whole new buffet of content to devour.<br />
<br />
It's also a good era for exposure for the game, as plenty of people will get to see the expansion at <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/gamescom/">Gamescom</a> and <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/pax/">PAX</a>, not to mention those already in the beta proper. While we haven't heard anything about the game's finances or player numbers lately, there's no reason to believe that it's not still going strong.<br />
<br />
That said, I want to take a step back today, as I sometimes do, and look at the larger picture. How is <em>LotRO </em>positioned against the current competition and the heavy-hitters yet to come? What does <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/turbine/">Turbine</a> need to be working on over the next year or two? Are we just wandering aimlessly, or is the path laid out for journey for a long time to come?<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/the-road-to-mordor-not-all-who-wander-are-lost/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Road to Mordor: Not all who wander are lost</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/the-road-to-mordor-not-all-who-wander-are-lost/">The Road to Mordor: Not all who wander are lost</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/the-road-to-mordor-not-all-who-wander-are-lost/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20021001/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/the-road-to-mordor-not-all-who-wander-are-lost/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>age-of-conan</category><category>all-who-wander-are-not-lost</category><category>character-development</category><category>content-path</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>expansion</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>future-plans</category><category>gamescom</category><category>gamescom-2011</category><category>guild-wars-2</category><category>gw2</category><category>hobbit</category><category>housing</category><category>housing-revamp</category><category>kate-paiz</category><category>mordor</category><category>non-combat-pets</category><category>pax</category><category>pax-2011</category><category>pax-prime</category><category>pax-prime-2011</category><category>player-housing</category><category>producers-letter</category><category>sophies-choice</category><category>star-wars-the-old-republic</category><category>swtor</category><category>tera</category><category>the-hobbit</category><category>the-road-to-mordor</category><category>the-secret-world</category><category>tolkien</category><category>treasure-hunt</category><category>tsw</category><category>turbine</category><category>turbine-entertainment</category><category>update-3</category><category>vanity-pets</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/expansions/" rel="tag">Expansions</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/interviews/" rel="tag">Interviews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/previews/" rel="tag">Previews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/"><img border="1" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/04/palantir-1303341905.jpg" vspace="4" /></a></div>
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, characters would use magical orbs known as palant&iacute;rs to see and communicate with far away places. While Massively's own palant&iacute;r is at the shop, we had access to the next best thing -- a one-on-two chat about <a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><em>Lord of the Rings Online's</em></a> future with <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/turbine/">Turbine's</a> <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/aaron-campbell/">Aaron Campbell</a> and <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/adam-mersky/">Adam Mersky</a>.<br />
<br />
A lot's been happening since <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/"><em>LotRO's</em></a> free-to-play version went online last fall -- the closest thing to a relaunch that this game is likely to ever see -- and both Campbell and Mersky have one important message for fans: We're just getting started. Even as the <a href="http://www.massively.com/tag/turbine">Turbine</a> team gears up for <em>LotRO's</em> third expansion, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/rise-of-isengard/"><em>Rise of Isengard</em></a>, the devs want you to know that they're also dedicated to bringing a good amount of content between now and then.<br />
<br />
Everything was on the table during this discussion, from this weekend's anniversary celebration to next month's update to the new expansion. Join us after the jump for a look through the palant&iacute;r to see what information we can pry from the future!<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/">Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19919379/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>24-man-raid</category><category>aaron-campbell</category><category>adam-mersky</category><category>anniversary</category><category>attack-at-dawn</category><category>barrow-downs</category><category>beer-brawl</category><category>beer-fight</category><category>character-models</category><category>dunland</category><category>e3</category><category>e3-2011</category><category>echoes-of-the-dead</category><category>ents</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>evendim</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>fourth-anniversary</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>gap-of-rohan</category><category>giant-dragon</category><category>golf</category><category>goonies</category><category>hall-of-night</category><category>halls-of-night</category><category>housing</category><category>icy-crevasse</category><category>inn-of-the-forsaken</category><category>isengard</category><category>level-cap</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>may-update</category><category>mirkwood</category><category>mounted-combat</category><category>raid</category><category>revamp</category><category>rise-of-isengard</category><category>Rohirrim</category><category>saruman</category><category>skirmishes</category><category>the-hobbit</category><category>the-rift</category><category>the-two-towers</category><category>treasure-hunt</category><category>turbine</category><category>turbine-entertainment</category><category>update-2</category><category>update-3</category><category>yule-festival</category><category>zone-revamp</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Rating Eriador]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/the-road-to-mordor-rating-eriador/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/the-road-to-mordor-rating-eriador/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/the-road-to-mordor-rating-eriador/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/reviews/" rel="tag">Reviews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-road-to-mordor/" rel="tag">The Road to Mordor</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">
	<a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/02/ranking-1298483533.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin: 4px;" /></a></div>
Lately I've been playing world traveler with my level 43 Lore-master as he's bouncing all over Middle-earth in what used to be the high-level zones of the game: Trollshaws, Angmar, Forochel, Misty Mountains, and Eregion. Once again, I'm struck by just how cohesive this place feels -- it's not a collection of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_%28series%29"><em>Sonic the Hedgehog</em></a>-themed areas (Green Zone 1, Lava Zone 4, etc.) but a world that connects together in a tangible, real way. Even though it's fiction.<br />
<br />
Until November 2008, Eriador was the only place in Middle-earth that we could explore, and although some criticized <a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a> for not shipping with, well, every locale in J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginarium open for business, it was a smart decision. The devs could take this section of the world and focus on building depth and detail instead of spreading it thin, like butter scraped over too much bread. As a result, Eriador remains a wonderful starting point -- not to mention the bulk of any current player's journey -- and many of us have grown attached to these familiar sights and sounds as a result.<br />
<br />
Today I'd like to take a brief overview of all of Eriador's zones (we'll leave Rhovanion for another day) and rate them from best to worst in terms of zone design, questing, and that slippery cool-factor that's hard to define. Where would I suggest a summer vacation home and where would be an ideal spot for a penal colony? Hit the jump and let's run it down.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/the-road-to-mordor-rating-eriador/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Road to Mordor: Rating Eriador</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/the-road-to-mordor-rating-eriador/">The Road to Mordor: Rating Eriador</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/the-road-to-mordor-rating-eriador/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19855591/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/the-road-to-mordor-rating-eriador/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>angmar</category><category>bree</category><category>bree-land</category><category>crazy-cat-lady</category><category>dwarf</category><category>elf</category><category>enedwaith</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>eregion</category><category>eriador</category><category>ettenmoors</category><category>evendim</category><category>everswim</category><category>featured</category><category>forochel</category><category>hobbit</category><category>jrr-tolkien</category><category>lone-lands</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>man</category><category>middle-earth</category><category>misty-mountains</category><category>mounts</category><category>north-downs</category><category>player-vs-monster-player</category><category>pvmp</category><category>Rhovanion</category><category>shire</category><category>sonic</category><category>sonic-the-hedgehog</category><category>the-shire</category><category>toofer</category><category>trollshaws</category><category>turbine</category><category>twofer</category><category>volume-1</category><category>weathertop</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Horton hears a patch]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/patches/" rel="tag">Patches</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-road-to-mordor/" rel="tag">The Road to Mordor</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/10/rtm1-1288273039.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>
Few things get me more excited than the promise of a big steak dinner and a big, beefy patch. Both get the mouth watering, the senses tingling, and the anticipation racing. However, the former comes and goes within minutes, while the latter is here to stay. I love devouring a good set of patch notes, chewing every morsel of information as my mind tries to picture it in action.<br />
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Mental note -- I should not be writing columns when I'm hungry. <br />
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I trust you were as pleased as I was when you woke up to the <a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a> <a href="http://bit.ly/aAc2O2">November update patch notes</a> this past week (<em>Standard Disclaimer: These are for the test server and are subject to change, void in Nevada</em>). We knew that <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/turbine/">Turbine</a> had a few substantial projects in the works for November, but this is far beyond what I'd speculated. It's one of those "There's something for everyone -- well, almost everyone" updates that has a little of everything, a buffet of sumptuous delights. Sure, it's not going to please folks looking for new dungeons, the promised LI and housing revamps, or the continuation of the epic storyline. That said, Turbine's first post-F2P patch is considerably bigger than anticipated, and if this is any indication of the course the company is setting with releases, I'm happy to be on board.<br />
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Let's break down this <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online"><em>LotRO</em></a> update after the jump, and see just who this patch is for and what it has to offer, shall we?<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Road to Mordor: Horton hears a patch</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/">The Road to Mordor: Horton hears a patch</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19692643/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>cosmetic-outfit</category><category>crafting</category><category>ddo</category><category>dungeons-and-dragons-online</category><category>dye</category><category>epic-storyline</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>evendim</category><category>f2p</category><category>farming</category><category>featured</category><category>free-players</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>legendary-items</category><category>leveling-sigil</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lore-master</category><category>lotro</category><category>lotro-weekly</category><category>mathom</category><category>november-update</category><category>patch</category><category>rep</category><category>rep-grind</category><category>reputation</category><category>roll-one-hundred</category><category>skirmishes</category><category>steak</category><category>task-system</category><category>turbine</category><category>turbine-points</category><category>update</category><category>vault</category><category>vip</category><category>warden</category><category>wardrobe</category><category>world</category><category>wow</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: If the road goes ever on, I'm gonna need a GPS]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-road-to-mordor-if-the-road-goes-ever-on-im-gonna-need-a-g/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-road-to-mordor-if-the-road-goes-ever-on-im-gonna-need-a-g/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-road-to-mordor-if-the-road-goes-ever-on-im-gonna-need-a-g/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-road-to-mordor/" rel="tag">The Road to Mordor</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/08/rtm1-1283280287.jpg" /></a></div>
Recently in our kinship chat, I asked my mates what they were most looking forward to in next week's patch. Scaled instances and the wardrobe were popular, but probably the most-cited change was simply the influx of new players. It's not that we were worried <a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a> was dying, but that we love this game so much that we genuinely want others to experience it as well.<br />
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Plus, new players bring a rush of excitement for everyone involved. It's always a treat to look at an old game through a fresh set of eyes, and I hope that everyone logging in to <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online">LotRO</a> </em>for the first time will enjoy the sights of the Eriador, the quirkiness of the world, and the rich lore behind it.<br />
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In the spirit of welcoming these fledgling adventurers to Middle-earth, I wanted to hand out a few pieces of advice today that I would give to myself if I were just starting out (and I guess there'd be some sort of weird time travel paradox event going on there, but hopefully you catch my gist). What should you do in your first week in <em>LotRO</em>? Speak "friend" and enter.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-road-to-mordor-if-the-road-goes-ever-on-im-gonna-need-a-g/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Road to Mordor: If the road goes ever on, I'm gonna need a GPS</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-road-to-mordor-if-the-road-goes-ever-on-im-gonna-need-a-g/">The Road to Mordor: If the road goes ever on, I'm gonna need a GPS</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-road-to-mordor-if-the-road-goes-ever-on-im-gonna-need-a-g/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19615499/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-road-to-mordor-if-the-road-goes-ever-on-im-gonna-need-a-g/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>advice</category><category>ah-monkey</category><category>auction-house</category><category>bree-land</category><category>community</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>eriador</category><category>explorer</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>ftp</category><category>kinships</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>middle-earth</category><category>mordor</category><category>new-player</category><category>new-players</category><category>say-friend-and-enter</category><category>shire</category><category>skills</category><category>smell-the-buckleberry-ferry</category><category>traits</category><category>turbine</category><category>virtues</category><category>vocation</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Frugal free-to-play]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/the-road-to-mordor-frugal-free-to-play/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/the-road-to-mordor-frugal-free-to-play/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/the-road-to-mordor-frugal-free-to-play/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/business-models/" rel="tag">Business models</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-road-to-mordor/" rel="tag">The Road to Mordor</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/08/rtm1-1282755847.jpg" /></a></div>
Two weeks! Two weeks, people! Why are you just sitting there, all calm-before-the-storm-like, instead of following my lead and running around like a chicken with its head... well, you know. Two weeks until Volume III Book 2 launches (and a little earlier for current subscribers), and I am psyched. There certainly is something for everyone here: a F2P version, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/23/beta-journals-testify-about-the-lotro-store/">store options</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/turbine-releases-new-lotro-enedwaith-images/">a new zone</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/lotro-dev-diary-dishes-on-scaled-instance-rewards/">instance scaling</a>, more dungeons, DX11, the <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-lotro-wardrobe/">wardrobe</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/29/latest-lotro-free-to-play-screens-show-new-starting-areas/">a revamped beginner experience</a>, three new servers, the next chapter in the epic story, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/13/the-road-to-mordor-putting-the-lass-back-in-class/">class tweaks</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/09/the-road-to-mordor-touring-the-falls-new-content-with-turbine/">a haunted cellar</a>, and, of course, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/19/lotros-devs-have-some-real-estate-in-enedwaith-to-sell-you/">demonic goats</a>. Did I miss something? I probably did, but it's kind of crazy around here.<br />
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One of the highlights I'm anticipating is all of the new (and returning) players giving <a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><em>LotRO</em></a> their time due to the multiple payment options, including F2P bliss. I'm always a huge fan of options in my games, and I truly feel that the implementation of this free-to-play model will benefit a wider range of players than the current subscription core. Mmm, that Kool-Aid tastes great!<br />
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If you're thinking about heading into <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online"><em>LotRO</em></a> in two weeks but are unsure how much "free" will come with your F2P, when you'll be hit with the big catch, or whether you'll be forced to subscribe at some point, I have some great news for you. There are a variety of routes you can take to experience a good chunk of <em>Lord of the Rings Online</em> without denting your bank account. Read on for five valuable strategies to save a buck while saving Middle-earth!<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/the-road-to-mordor-frugal-free-to-play/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Road to Mordor: Frugal free-to-play</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/the-road-to-mordor-frugal-free-to-play/">The Road to Mordor: Frugal free-to-play</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/the-road-to-mordor-frugal-free-to-play/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19601300/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/the-road-to-mordor-frugal-free-to-play/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>a-la-carte</category><category>a-la-carte-pricing</category><category>bree-land</category><category>cash-shop</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>evendim</category><category>expansion</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>forochel</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>ftp</category><category>item-shop</category><category>leveling</category><category>lord-of-the-rings</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>lotro-store</category><category>mines-of-moria</category><category>north-downs</category><category>patch</category><category>premium</category><category>shadows-of-angmar</category><category>shire</category><category>siege-of-mirkwood</category><category>the-road-to-mordor</category><category>tp</category><category>turbine-points</category><category>volume-3-book-2</category><category>volume-iii-book-2</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Frolicking in Forochel]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/the-road-to-mordor-frolicking-in-forochel/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/the-road-to-mordor-frolicking-in-forochel/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/the-road-to-mordor-frolicking-in-forochel/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-road-to-mordor/" rel="tag">The Road to Mordor</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/07/rtm1.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>
Call me weird, but I am an absolute sucker for winter zones in MMORPGs. For me, the season of winter always evokes a lot of powerful feelings as the landscape is transformed, homes are a sanctuaries for warmth, and hardiness becomes a desirable trait. A zone filled with ice and snow screams to me desolation and death -- more so than a fire or volcano one -- but in a beautiful way.<br />
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It's no wonder, then, that I've become entranced with <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/forochel/">Forochel</a> in <a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Forochel">Added to the game in April of 2008</a>, Forochel became a bit of an anomaly in the <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/"><em>LotRO</em></a> experience. It was a (then) max-level area that was off the beaten path, created to cater to solo players seeking adventure. In fact, if the epic story hadn't taken us to Forochel in Volume 1 Book 13, I doubt many players would have sought it out on their own. It's a shame if that's the case, because Forochel offers both breathtaking vistas and a unique questing experience that should be encountered at least once in your <em>LotRO </em>career.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/the-road-to-mordor-frolicking-in-forochel/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Road to Mordor: Frolicking in Forochel</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/the-road-to-mordor-frolicking-in-forochel/">The Road to Mordor: Frolicking in Forochel</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/the-road-to-mordor-frolicking-in-forochel/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19550455/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/the-road-to-mordor-frolicking-in-forochel/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>chicken-play</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>eskimo</category><category>evendim</category><category>featured</category><category>forochel</category><category>frontier</category><category>ice</category><category>ice-bay</category><category>ice-ice-baby</category><category>ice-sled</category><category>ice-to-meet-you</category><category>inuit</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lossoth</category><category>lotro</category><category>middle-earth</category><category>misty-mountains</category><category>northrend</category><category>snow</category><category>the-road-to-mordor</category><category>turbine</category><category>winter-zones</category><category>world-of-warcraft</category><category>Wrath-of-the-Lich-King</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Choosing your race in Middle-earth: Dwarf and Hobbit]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/choosing-your-race-in-middle-earth-dwarf-and-hobbit/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/choosing-your-race-in-middle-earth-dwarf-and-hobbit/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/choosing-your-race-in-middle-earth-dwarf-and-hobbit/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/guides/" rel="tag">Guides</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/tips-and-tricks/" rel="tag">Tips and tricks</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/lord-of-the-rings-online-races/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/02/lotro_races_005_v2.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>
Here is the second half of our <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online"><span style="font-style: italic;">Lord of the Rings Online</span></a> guide to races, which covers some tips and tricks to help players starting out in Middle-earth and those who've been wandering its lands as well. As we said with the <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/18/choosing-your-race-in-middle-earth-man-and-elf/">first</a> half of our guide, its purpose isn't to say which race is the best pick for which class --but to just give some insight. So without further delay, lets get to everyone's favorite cranky, stout race -- Dwarves!<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/choosing-your-race-in-middle-earth-dwarf-and-hobbit/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Choosing your race in Middle-earth: Dwarf and Hobbit</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/choosing-your-race-in-middle-earth-dwarf-and-hobbit/">Choosing your race in Middle-earth: Dwarf and Hobbit</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/choosing-your-race-in-middle-earth-dwarf-and-hobbit/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1117383/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/choosing-your-race-in-middle-earth-dwarf-and-hobbit/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>burglar</category><category>dwarves</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>featured</category><category>guardian</category><category>hobbit</category><category>hunter</category><category>little-delving</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>middle-earth</category><category>races</category><category>silver-deep-mine</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Kyle Horner]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[LotRO spotlight on the Vale of Thrain]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/24/lotro-spotlight-on-the-vale-of-thrain-temp/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/24/lotro-spotlight-on-the-vale-of-thrain-temp/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/24/lotro-spotlight-on-the-vale-of-thrain-temp/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lore/" rel="tag">Lore</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Area:Vale_of_Thrain"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/02/lotrovaleofthrain_425px.jpg" /></a><br /></div>
A new <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a> lorebook entry has been <a href="http://www.lotro.com/article/502">posted to the game's website</a>, with the focus being the Vale of Thrain. The Vale of Thrain is found in Ered Luin, south of Thorin's Gate, and is a low level area that is situated near both the Elf and Dwarf starting locations. Two quest hubs can be found in the area: Nogrond, a way-point, and Gondamon, a fortress down at the southern end of the Vale.<br /><br />The Dourhand Dwarves and goblins that inhabit the area have hindered trading efforts along the central road, and there are opportunities for an enterprising adventurer to assist the locals with this problem. <a href="http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Area:Vale_of_Thrain">Visit the lorebook entry</a> to find out more about the area and see a couple more screenshots.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/24/lotro-spotlight-on-the-vale-of-thrain-temp/">LotRO spotlight on the Vale of Thrain</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.lotro.com/article/502>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/24/lotro-spotlight-on-the-vale-of-thrain-temp/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1122542/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/24/lotro-spotlight-on-the-vale-of-thrain-temp/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dourhand</category><category>dourhand-dwarves</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>lorebook</category><category>lotro</category><category>point-of-interest</category><category>turbine</category><category>vale-of-thrain</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[William Dobson]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[TTH resource gathering guide: Ered Luin]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/tth-resource-gathering-guide-ered-luin/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/tth-resource-gathering-guide-ered-luin/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/tth-resource-gathering-guide-ered-luin/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/guides/" rel="tag">Guides</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/crafting/" rel="tag">Crafting</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/tips-and-tricks/" rel="tag">Tips and tricks</a></p><a href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&amp;func=display&amp;ceid=491"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2007/12/lotrobeautifulduillond_225px.jpg"  alt="" /></a>Ahh, Ered Luin. Not a <em>bad</em> harvesting zone, not really a good one either -- just average. The next in the series of the<em> <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/">Lord of the Rings Online</a></em> <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/resource-gathering-guide">resource guides</a> at TenTonHammer examines the fairly ordinary <a href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&amp;func=display&amp;ceid=491">Ered Luin</a>. Although it doesn't really shine for any particular resource, if you happen to be there anyway (for example, if you're leveling a character there) there is no reason that you shouldn't know a little more about where to find what you're looking for.<br /><br />The guide's resource chart for Ered Luin shows that only one area scores an "Excellent" rating for any material, and that is Light Hides at the Vale of the Thrain. The Lowlands, north of Gondamon, also has a decent supply of Rowan wood. Apart from these exceptions, most other parts of the zone rate as "Fair" for each resource type -- but don't expect to find tier 2 materials in any great number. The full guide has some notes for each area, so take a look if you are thinking of hitting up Ered Luin for resources.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/tth-resource-gathering-guide-ered-luin/">TTH resource gathering guide: Ered Luin</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:27:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&amp;func=display&amp;ceid=491>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/tth-resource-gathering-guide-ered-luin/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1072227/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/tth-resource-gathering-guide-ered-luin/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>ered-luin</category><category>gondamon</category><category>lotro</category><category>resource-gathering-guide</category><category>ten-ton-hammer</category><category>tentonhammer</category><category>the-lowlands</category><category>tier-1</category><category>tth</category><category>turbine</category><category>vale-of-the-thrain</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[William Dobson]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:27:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Do the Deed in Ered Luin]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/do-the-deed-in-ered-luin/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/do-the-deed-in-ered-luin/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/do-the-deed-in-ered-luin/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/guides/" rel="tag">Guides</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/quests/" rel="tag">Quests</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Landmark:Thorin's_Hall"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2007/11/eredluin.jpg" /></a><br />
<div align="left">The <a href="http://massively.com/tag/deeds">Deed</a> system makes <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/"><em>The Lord of the Rings Online</em></a> stand out amidst the crowd. While a case can be made that Deeds are just another form of fancy new packaging for the same old tedious and passionless <a href="http://www.wowinsider.com/2007/09/16/breakfast-topic-how-much-grind-can-a-grind-hound-grind/">grind</a>, we'll take what little freshness we can get in a genre that presently harbors a Fundamentalist fervor for <a href="http://everquest.station.sony.com/">proven</a> <a href="http://www.worldofwarcraft.com">formulas</a>.<br /><br />So, that said, if you dig doing Deeds in <em>LotRO</em>, then you'll appreciate <a href="http://www.tentonhammer.com">TenTonHammer's</a> Deed guides. A few days ago <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/kill-dirty-trolls-win-shiny-title-profit/">we plugged</a> their <a href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&amp;func=display&amp;ceid=411">first guide</a>, which listed all the cool stuff you can accomplish in the <a href="http://massively.com/tag/north-downs">North Downs</a>, and now we're pointing you to their <a href="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&amp;func=display&amp;ceid=392">new one</a>. This time they're covering the <a href="http://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Ered_Luin">Ered Luin</a> zone. Check it out if want to learn how to get a sweet title like "Defender of the <a href="http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Landmark:Thorin's_Hall">Halls</a>."</div>
</div><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/do-the-deed-in-ered-luin/">Do the Deed in Ered Luin</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:43:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&amp;func=display&amp;ceid=392>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/do-the-deed-in-ered-luin/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1027622/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/do-the-deed-in-ered-luin/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>deeds</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>ered-luin-deeds</category><category>ered-luin-traits</category><category>how-to</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>player-titles</category><category>titles</category><category>traits</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Axon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:43:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[More LotRO house brokers added to meet demand]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/28/more-lotro-house-brokers-added-to-meet-demand/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/28/more-lotro-house-brokers-added-to-meet-demand/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/28/more-lotro-house-brokers-added-to-meet-demand/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Economy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/patches/" rel="tag">Patches</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/player-housing/" rel="tag">Player Housing</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2007/10/lotronewbrokersbywill1.jpg" />Following <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/22/lotro-book-11-notes-and-early-download-available/">Book 11's update</a> and the <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/27/brandywine-realty-is-open-for-business/">addition of player housing</a>, the allure of one's own Hobbit-hole or sturdy Dwarven lodging has brought droves of people to the brokers -- so much so, in fact, that Turbine has <a href="http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=97018">made a post</a> on their official <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a> forums to say that there will be a few more brokers on the way.<br /><br />The extra auctioneers will be showing up to assist their overburdened co-workers in Bree-land, The Shire, and both the Dwarven and Elvish regions of Ered Luin homesteads. However, take note that these guys are temps -- the post states that they "may depart at any time" -- so it is likely that once demand dies down, they will be out of a job. Click below to read Turbine's post and find out the exact locations for the brokers.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/28/more-lotro-house-brokers-added-to-meet-demand/">More LotRO house brokers added to meet demand</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sun, 28 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=97018>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/28/more-lotro-house-brokers-added-to-meet-demand/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1023657/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/28/more-lotro-house-brokers-added-to-meet-demand/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>book-11</category><category>breaking</category><category>bree-land</category><category>brokers</category><category>dwarven</category><category>elvish</category><category>ered-luin</category><category>hobbit</category><category>housing</category><category>lord-of-the-rings</category><category>lotro</category><category>player-housing</category><category>shadows-of-angmar</category><category>shire</category><category>the-shire</category><category>turbine</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[William Dobson]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 28 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>
