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[LotRO's Fornost 'joining the modern MMO world']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/lotros-fornost-joining-the-modern-mmo-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/lotros-fornost-joining-the-modern-mmo-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/lotros-fornost-joining-the-modern-mmo-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

LotRO
"Fornost was designed and built in a different era of MMO," Turbine's devs said about the newly revised dungeon. "It is time for Fornost to join the modern MMO world." With Fornost slated for a massive overhaul with Update 7, the team posted a developer diary to explain the history of the instance and its hopeful future.

The third instance ever created for Lord of the Rings Online will be chopped up from its current super-long state to four manageable dungeons. The devs said that it was designed from an EverQuest mindset of long dungeon crawls, but so much has changed over time and most players no longer have the time or effort to conquer it.

With Update 7, Fornost will turn into four element-themed six-person dungeons. Each of these dungeons should take well less than an hour to complete and scale from level 30 to 75 with two tiers of difficulty. The team's reworked positioning, bosses, and quests to reflect the upgraded experience. For those who might miss the old Fornost, the team says that playing all four instances back-to-back will replicate the grand tour that it used to be.

MassivelyLotRO's Fornost 'joining the modern MMO world' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-blogdev-diarydungeonf2pfantasyfornostfornost-revampfree-to-playinstancejoe-barrylord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroshades-of-the-pastturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-7Thu, 10 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online dev diaries discuss new skirmishes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diaries-discuss-new-skirmishes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diaries-discuss-new-skirmishes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diaries-discuss-new-skirmishes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Turbine has given us a two-for-one deal today with the addition of two new dev diaries. The diaries -- from Turbine's Bob "Maurath" Hess and Joe "jwbarry" Barry -- detail two of the new skirmishes being introduced in Lord of the Rings Online's Update 3. The first skirmish, Attack at Dawn, takes place in the North Downs and sees players dealing with multiple different mechanics simultaneously. The second, The Icy Crevasse, is the first skirmish to take place in Forochel and is described by Barry as "a quick bite-sized romp," with the skirmish taking about 10 minutes to complete.

It's truly an interesting look into not only what the skirmishes themselves entail but the design process that goes into bringing them to players on the live servers. Whether you play LotRO or you're just curious about the work and thought process that goes into these skirmishes, the diaries are certainly a must-read. If you're interested in gaining a new degree of respect for the effort that goes into the game, both dev diaries can be found on LotRO's official site.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online dev diaries discuss new skirmishes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attack-at-dawnbob-hessdev-diariesdev-diaryf2pfree-to-playicy-crevassejoe-barryjwbarrylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromaurathskirmishskirmishesthe-icy-crevasseturbineturbine-entertainmentturbine-incThu, 19 May 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Dungeon-running with Turbine]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/13/the-road-to-mordor-dungeon-running-with-turbine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/13/the-road-to-mordor-dungeon-running-with-turbine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/13/the-road-to-mordor-dungeon-running-with-turbine/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

As we talked about last month, Turbine's toting around a double-barreled shotgun full of content that it's preparing to unload. While the biggest blast will undoubtedly be Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion, Rise of Isengard, the team is working hard to provide us with plenty to do between now and then. Part of that effort is directed at Update 3, which is currently scheduled to go live on May 23rd in North America and after June 1st for Europe when the LotRO Global Service takes effect and all of the accounts are moved under Turbine's purview.

I eagerly sat down with Turbine's Aaron Campbell and Joe Barry for a play-through of Update 3's two new three-player instances, Halls of Night and Inn of the Forsaken. Both of these scalable instances will be available to a wide swath of players, and they feature mechanics and sights never before seen in the game.

Also, they're wicked cool.

So join me today as I take you on a brief tour of horrors and adventures beyond imagination. Has everyone used the restroom before we go? Are you sure? It's a long article; I don't want you leaving in the middle of it. OK, let's ride!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Dungeon-running with Turbine

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Dungeon-running with Turbine originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaron-campbellangmarbarrowbarrow-downsddodreamdreamsdreamscapedungeons-and-dragons-onlineemoteseuropefeaturedforsaken-inngauntletglobal-servicegoonieshalls-of-nighthungry-spiritsindiana-jonesinn-of-the-forsakenjoe-barrylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-global-servicemay-updatemerrynightmareno-time-for-love-dr-jonespanicpippinriddle-doorrise-of-isengardterrorthe-gooniestomb-guidestortured-soulsturbineturbine-entertainmentuminupdate-3waterslideFri, 13 May 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Reshaping a zone: LotRO dev diary covers Evendim revamp]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/reshaping-a-zone-lotro-dev-diary-covers-evendim-revamp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/reshaping-a-zone-lotro-dev-diary-covers-evendim-revamp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/reshaping-a-zone-lotro-dev-diary-covers-evendim-revamp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ask any Lord of the Rings Online player about Evendim and you'll get back one of two responses: "Evendim? More like EVERswim!" and "Nice place but too spread out for my tastes." LotRO's lakefront-themed zone was identified as one of the sticking spots in the leveling track, which is why the dev team went back to overhaul Evendim and bring it up to code.

In a new dev diary, Joe Barry explains the purpose and execution of this revamp. Previously, Evendim attempted to cover too much territory as a level 29-50 zone, and as a result it was more of a hindrance than a help to players looking to get over the 30s hump. With next week's Echoes of the Dead update, Evendim will be transformed to a lean, mean leveling machine, tightened up to serve levels 30-40 exclusively.

The team added over 100 quests and two new quest hubs in its attempt to streamline the experience. Additionally, Turbine's experimenting with different ways to deliver quests to you, such as having a journal unfold new quests as you complete previous ones. Finally, quest rewards are designed in a way to deliver class-specific gear, which can be augmented by a bartering system put in for this patch.

You can read the full dev diary over at Lord of the Rings Online!

MassivelyReshaping a zone: LotRO dev diary covers Evendim revamp originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>content-updatedev-diarydeveloper-diaryechoes-of-the-deadevendimeverswimjoe-barrylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropatchrevampturbineturbine-entertainmentupdatezone-revampWed, 16 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Developer diary outlines the goals for Lord of the Rings Online's upcoming raid]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/developer-diary-outlines-the-goals-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/developer-diary-outlines-the-goals-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/developer-diary-outlines-the-goals-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Raid design is as much an art as a science. Lord of the Rings Online is slated for a big update to its raiding game with the removal of the radiance mechanic, but that's hardly the only feature in the queue for the upcoming patch. Ost Dunhoth is en route, and in a new developer diary, Joe Barry talks about some of the major changes that are being placed in the raid to make it fun and challenging in equal amounts.

Aside from the known fact that no radiance will be needed, the raid will also feature an automatic cooldown reset for each boss fight, ensuring that players won't be prohibited from a second try by a recharging skill. The raid is also divided into three wings, with progress through the first two needed to unlock the third and final wing. Take a look at the full rundown of features in the diary entry, which also includes a few previews of the loot. And if you're a Lord of the Rings Online player in Europe enticed by new content, well, there is a Welcome Back weekend running...

MassivelyDeveloper diary outlines the goals for Lord of the Rings Online's upcoming raid originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>design-goalsdevelopmentdevelopment-diarydungeonsf2pfree-to-playjoe-barrylord-of-the-rings-onlinelorelotronew-raidspatch-contentpatchespending-updatesraidsturbineturbine-entertainmentThu, 03 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO dev diary dishes on scaled instance rewards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/lotro-dev-diary-dishes-on-scaled-instance-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/lotro-dev-diary-dishes-on-scaled-instance-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/lotro-dev-diary-dishes-on-scaled-instance-rewards/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Do you have a lot of questions about the upcoming scaled instances in Lord of the Rings Online? Good, because Turbine has a whole truckload of answers for you! In the second of a hefty five developer diaries devoted to the subject, LotRO's Joe "jwbarry" Barry tempts players with sweet, sweet candy. Metaphorical candy, that is, taking the form of instance rewards.

The greatest problem that they had with rewards, Barry shares, is that itemizing a dungeon across a huge level range became a massive headache, requiring them to make "a prohibitive" amount of items. Instead, the LotRO dev team is taking a cue from its successful skirmish system, and reprogramming the scaled-instance mobs to drop tokens instead of loot. Players can then use these tokens to purchase armor sets, cosmetic items and even legendaries.

Barry spends the rest of the article discussing the stat-tracking feature (again, similar to stat-tracking functions with skirmishes) and how the team went back through the dungeons to raise the quality of the entire experience where needed. You can read the full dev diary over at Lord of the Rings Online's site.

MassivelyLotRO dev diary dishes on scaled instance rewards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armor-setscostmetic-itemsdev-diarydeveloper-diaryf2pfree-to-playftpjoe-barryjwbarrylootlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroplayerbase-is-one-word-hahscaled-instancesskirmishesstat-trackingtokensturbineWed, 28 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Newest LotRO dev diary explains instance scaling]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/newest-lotro-dev-diary-explains-instance-scaling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/newest-lotro-dev-diary-explains-instance-scaling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/newest-lotro-dev-diary-explains-instance-scaling/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The skirmish system in Lord of the Rings Online brought a lot to the table, but one of the most popular new features was scaling.

It was a big hit, and the developers are now adding it to the rest of the game in the form of instance scaling. If you're curious about how it will work, Content Designer Joe "jwbarry" Barry has written out a developer diary explaining the system.

One concern was making these instances available to the widest possible number of players, while still maintaining quality, challenging content. Joining instances like you would join a skirmish was another detail to be worked out, as was the overall method of scaling.

The full developer diary provides some great insight on how instance scaling will work, as well as the thought process behind the design -- it's a must-read for anyone interested in trying instance scaling.

MassivelyNewest LotRO dev diary explains instance scaling originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developer-diaryf2pfree-to-playftpinstance-scalingjoe-barryjwbarryLord of the Ringslord-of-the-rings-onlineLordOfTheRingslotroskirmishesturbineWed, 21 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO releases new skirmish dev diary for Volume III: Book 1]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/lotro-skirmishes-dev-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/lotro-skirmishes-dev-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/lotro-skirmishes-dev-diary/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

You'd be hard-pressed to find news on Lord of the Rings Online these days that doesn't talk about skirmishes. Probably the single biggest feature added in Siege of Mirkwood, these scaling dungeon fights are both an excellent way of expanding the game's content availability and a now-integral component of the ongoing epicc story in the game. The first skirmish of the upcoming Oath of the Rangers (Volume III, Book 1) is detailed in a new developer diary on the official site, where Joe Barry of the content design staff walks players through what they can expect.

The Rift of Nûrz Ghâshu is the setting of the new Skirmish, with players guiding the ranger Corunir to the Coliseum at the heart of the molten expanse. Fellowship Manoeuvers are slated to play a major part in the escort, as well as being instrumental in navigating the most deadly encounters with bosses. But that's hardly all coming in the near future -- new raid versions are being added to four Skirmishes, a duo mode is being added, and rewards for taking on the Skirmish as a larger group are being scaled up. Lord of the Rings Online players will want to check out the full diary on the official site, and get ready for even more time in the game's dial-a-dungeon feature.

MassivelyLotRO releases new skirmish dev diary for Volume III: Book 1 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expansionsjoe-barrylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrooath-of-the-rangerssiege-of-mirkwoodskirmishskirmishesturbineturbine-entertainmentThu, 11 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes Hands-on with DDO and the Shroud]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/massively-goes-hands-on-with-ddo-and-the-shroud/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/massively-goes-hands-on-with-ddo-and-the-shroud/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/massively-goes-hands-on-with-ddo-and-the-shroud/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


It's pretty fair to say that Turbine's Dungeons and Dragons Online has never been one of the biggest players in the MMO space-- it was released with relatively little fanfare, and though the setting (Wizards of the Coast's Eberron setting from the pen-and-paper D&D game) appealed to a lot of roleplayers, Turbine's choice to make the game a real-time combat experience turned off many of the hardcore D&D crowd.

But since release, DDO has definitely forged a small but strong fanbase. In the game's just under two short years of existence, they've already released fourteen major updates. The latest, Module 6, is due out next week, and Turbine offered us a chance to take a spin in the new content, and join Senior Producer Kate Paiz, Lead Designer Stephen Murray, and Quest Designer Joe Barry in a run through the brand new raid instance, The Shroud. Read on to learn where they took me and what it was like to take down a big red demon in the newest raid.

Gallery: DDO The Shroud Hands-on

Continue reading Massively goes Hands-on with DDO and the Shroud

MassivelyMassively goes Hands-on with DDO and the Shroud originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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