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 Road to Mordor: Five ways LotRO should be streamlined]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/19/the-road-to-mordor-five-ways-lotro-should-be-streamlined/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/19/the-road-to-mordor-five-ways-lotro-should-be-streamlined/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/19/the-road-to-mordor-five-ways-lotro-should-be-streamlined/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

LotRO
You would think that growth and expansion is nothing but a good thing for MMOs -- after all, those are the hallmarks of the genre. But as these games get bigger, issues emerge as the developers add new zones, features, and systems. In short, maturing MMOs gravitate toward complexity, and this can have an adverse effect on the game as a whole.

The problem is that there is eventually too much a brand-new player has to absorb and master, not to mention the hassle of rolling alts and having to navigate all of that content once more. If developers don't stay on top of the situation, then the game starts to lose overall cohesion and becomes a befuddling mess.

With three expansions and numerous updates under its belt, Lord of the Rings Online is venturing deep into this territory. I have friends who are leveling up for the first time and finding themselves overwhelmed with everything that needs doing as well as all the systems that are not clearly explained. So today I want to play backseat developer and talk about five ways that LotRO should be streamlined for the good of all players, old and new.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Five ways LotRO should be streamlined

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Five ways LotRO should be streamlined originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO
Lord of the Rings Online's Update 7 is upon us, and it's established itself as taking a step forward... and a step back into the past. Featuring a new skirmish, a revamp of both Moria and the old Fornost instance, and an interesting addition to the legendary item system, Update 7 has a smattering of both endgame and mid-game content for most players to enjoy.

As always, it's worth combing through the notes for the smaller changes. Some of these include new and updated maps, friendlier Elves in Lothlorien who won't shoot you on sight, and Audacity lowering power costs in PvMP.

The official patch notes are up and the game will have the servers patched up by mid-morning. In the meantime, make sure to read up on what we think of the update's big selling points in our recent Road to Mordor column.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online releases Update 7: Shades of the Past originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfantasyfornostfree-to-playlegendary-itemslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriamoriapatchpatch-notesshades-of-the-pastskirmishturbineturbine-entertainmentupdateupdate-7update-notesMon, 14 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: What Update 7 means for you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-road-to-mordor-what-update-7-means-for-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-road-to-mordor-what-update-7-means-for-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-road-to-mordor-what-update-7-means-for-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

LotRO
Without fail, the second I'm done writing this column for Massively, Turbine releases the big news of a major patch, and I have to wait a whole week to talk about it. In the case of Lord of the Rings Online's Update 7, I'm not that upset. I definitely was underwhelmed by it all initially, but now that I have had a whole week to digest it, read through the test server notes, and scope out the Moria dev diary that was posted, I feel like I'm in a much better position to talk about it.

So what does this game update mean for you? That's a good question, and it really depends on where you are in your leveling journey. New players won't be fazed by it whatsoever, but both mid-game and endgame adventurers are going to have some new (and reworked) content to devour. I am heartened that Turbine doesn't have tunnel-vision for the endgame and is still willing to go back and examine what does and doesn't work about its earlier content.

So let's walk through the major highlights of Update 7: Shades of the Past and give it the ol' Road to Mordor analysis, shall we?

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: What Update 7 means for you

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: What Update 7 means for you originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor
Hobbits love making lists, don't they? In The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo had a lengthy list of friends and relatives to invite to his eleventy-first birthday party, and he didn't have the luxury of Facebook to help him out. I love lists as well, although I try to save most of that for my Perfect Ten column.

At the beginning of the year, I sat down and drafted up a "wish list" for Lord of the Rings Online's 2011 year, populating it with 11 changes and additions I was hoping to see by now. To my surprise, Turbine actually pulled off quite a few items on the list, and I thought it'd be a good idea to go back and examine which of my goals the team met and which remain elusive.

Also, since 2012 kicks off tomorrow, I'll look forward as well and draft up a dozen -- yes, one more over the year before -- wish list items that I'd love to see come true in the new year. It's my column; I can cry if I want to, after all. Let's get this party started!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Wish lists, past and future

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Wish lists, past and future originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO
Second to perhaps radiance, Legendary Items have become one of the most controversial, most debated, and most divisive game features in Lord of the Rings Online since their implementation in Mines of Moria. Since their inclusion, players have discussed -- loudly -- how the system could be fixed and improved, and Turbine's made a couple of attempts at refining the feature into something we can all enjoy.

And yet Legendary Items remain in that category that I like to call "love-hate," where there's almost as much to love about them as there is to loathe. I've waited a long time to write this article because the timing never felt right; either I was too new to the system to speak with any authority on it or changes were "right around the corner" or I was lazy. Take your pick.

Perhaps talking about this today is beating somewhat of a dead horse in the LotRO community, but I wanted to get my thoughts out why LIs haven't quite gotten to where they need to, how they've failed, where they've succeeded, and why I pray every evening for cosmetic weapons so I can get rid of that ugly glow effect.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: My love-hate relationship with Legendary Items

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: My love-hate relationship with Legendary Items originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So a while back I was at an art fair with some friends when I commented on how much I liked a strange piece and one of the guys with me said, "Justin, you know what? You're kind of esoteric, ain't ya?"

I agreed wholeheartedly and then rushed home to look up "esoteric" in the dictionary. And yeah, it sort of fit. Sometimes I get obsessed with small details that get shrugged off by others, a habit which extends into my MMO playing career. So you'll forgive me if today's post is a little more esoteric than usual, because this topic is honestly driving me up the wall.

I think many of you already know what I'm talking about from the column title up there. Today, we're going to talk about a horseshoe. A very interesting, very confounding, very obtuse horseshoe. It may even be the biggest smallest mystery that Lord of the Rings Online has to offer. I haven't stopped obsessing over it since I first found out about it. So it's better for me to exorcise my demons here than keeping them bottled up inside.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: For want of a horseshoe, my sanity was lost

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: For want of a horseshoe, my sanity was lost originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last week on The Game Archaeologist: Murder most foul! A promising sequel to a hit MMO cut down in its prime, left to die on the front steps of EA's headquarters while its team was banished into exile! With special guest star, Richard Garriott's hair braid.

And now, for the exciting conclusion!

As disappointed that some MMO fans were over Ultima Worlds Online: Origin's cancellation, the truth is that the industry still was young, these MMOs still had their "new car smell," and hey, there was always Ultima Online to play. It was probably the right call at the time to not create your own competition, but if that was the case, EA should've never begun it to begin with.

So did the company have a major case of cancellation remorse? Or did it look at other industry sequels like Asheron's Call 2 and EverQuest II and feel as though it was being upstaged?

Whatever the reason, EA decided that it had been too hasty, and it greenlit development on yet another Ultima Online sequel, this one titled Ultima X: Odyssey. It would go deeper and further into development, gather more acclaim, and generate more hype than UWO:O, and in fact would get within spitting distance of launching.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Ultima X: Odyssey

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Ultima X: Odyssey originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isengard. Isengard. ISENGARD. It's all I can think about since last week's E3 reveal, and I know I'm not the only one. For some reason, having a firm launch date for Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion feels like a starting pistol's gone off, and we're beginning the race to the expansion in earnest.

Of course, we're not in that much of a hurry at this point. We still have well over three months to go, the beta has yet to begin, and something tells me that Turbine's got a few more tricks to pull out of its top hat before all is said and done. Still, I'm officially in "Go!" mode, and I bet I'm not the only one.

While I can't make September 27th come any sooner, I can think of six ways that we can prepare for our upcoming journey into Dunland and beyond. Seven, if you include putting together the absolute perfect outfit to slay Saruman in, but that's a given.

Hit the jump and I'll walk you through everything you should be doing this summer to get ready for Rise of Isengard!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Packing for Isengard

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Packing for Isengard originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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About 99% of the time I'm in Lord of the Rings Online I never think about the LotRO Store. Ever since the store came online last year, it's been adventure as usual in the Olivetti household. Sure, I mock the "You got 5 Turbine Points! Now you can retire in the Caymans!" popups like everyone else, but I've always felt that Turbine does a good job balancing the store presence between the polar extremes of obnoxious and invisible.

That isn't to say I haven't used the store at all; on the contrary, I've been a sporadic if loyal customer of sorts, trundling my shopping cart through the aisles of Shire-Mart looking for a good deal. Thus far I haven't dropped any additional cash into the game, choosing to subsist on my monthly allotment of TP with whatever I earn through deeds. Every once in a while I'll boot up the store and see what niceties I can give to my character as a reward for slaughtering his 5,000th Neeker-beeker.

The LotRO Store has two categories of customers: the free-to-players and the upper class. Does that sound snooty? It's not intentional -- all I mean is that some folks use the store to provide basic necessities for gameplay (like quest packs, riding skills, class unlocks) while others are already well-off in the game and shop for luxury items. I'm in awe of the F2P gamers who can get a good chunk of their content by methodically knocking deeds out so they can purchase the next zone, but I'm fortunate enough not to have to do that.

So today I wanted to give myself an audit of what I've spent in the store so far and analyze whether they were wise purchases, wasteful frivolities, or overpriced insanity.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Shopping at the LotRO Depot

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Shopping at the LotRO Depot originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditcash-shopdeeddeed-acceleratorf2pfeaturedfree-to-playin-game-storeitem-shopitem-storekill-acceleratorlegendary-itemslilord-of-the-rings-onlinelore-masterlotrolotro-depotlotro-storemilestonemountmountsneeker-beekeroutfitshop-smart-shop-shire-martshoppingstat-tomesstoragetptravelturbineturbine-entertainmentturbine-lemon-wedgeturbine-pointstwenty-first-hallupper-classvaultvirtueswardrobeFri, 20 May 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: A look back at Volume 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/the-road-to-mordor-a-look-back-at-volume-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/the-road-to-mordor-a-look-back-at-volume-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/the-road-to-mordor-a-look-back-at-volume-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Last year, I spent a column giving my reflections, thoughts, and observations on the entirety of Volume 1 of Lord of the Rings Online's epic storyline, and today I'd like to do the same for Volume 2. Since these stories are at the center of LotRO's player experience, it's important to see how they function and hold up in today's increasingly story-centric MMO environment.

I've gone through Volume 2 twice, once before the "solofication" of the recent update and once after. The second journey was, by far, much more enjoyable since I didn't have to sit there for weeks hoping to find enough players on the same part of the Fellowship portions to continue the tale. Being able to go through it at my own pace was vastly more enjoyable, especially when I could dedicate huge chunks of time to knock out several chapters in one go.

And this is a good thing, as this volume of the epic story not only gives you one of your legendary traits but greatly helps you build reputation toward a faction that will give you another one (the Iron Garrison Guards). As such, Volume 2 will continue to be an important part of any character's journey.

So let's dig into this puppy (not... a literal puppy, you understand) and see what Volume 2 has to offer. If you haven't yet gone through this part of the epic story, beware: Here be spoilers!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A look back at Volume 2

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A look back at Volume 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While four years is not a nice round number -- or even a halfway number like five -- it's a substantial milestone for any MMORPG. Debuting in early 2007, Lord of the Rings Online introduced something we'd never seen before: a fully realized 3-D virtual Middle-earth where we could not only enjoy a deep MMO but explore the lands and meet the people we'd only read about before.

It might not be a universal truth that all LotRO players are big Tolkien fans, but I'm sure enough that it's a sizable chunk of the playerbase. There's something special about the IP that gives a weight and richness to the game, especially when a long-time reader of the books is given leave to actually go on adventures through Eriador, Moria and Mirkwood. It's a giant sight-seeing tour of lore, a thrill with every brush one has with the source material.

It's heady to consider that four years ago we were but starting on this journey, feeling out the mechanics of combat, crafting and pie-running. Four years later, LotRO has emerged to be one of the most significant MMOs of the past decade, growing strong with no signs of slowing down.

Hit the jump as we reminisce about the ups, the downs, and the off-the-beaten-path hikes of our beloved game as it celebrates its fourth anniversary.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Four more years, four more years!

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Four more years, four more years! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While the radiance mea culpa and radiance's subsequent removal from the game is the big Lord of the Rings Online news nugget of the month, it's worth noting that Turbine's version of Middle-earth will be rolling out some changes to legendary weapons as well.

In a new dev diary at the official LotRO website, Ken "Graalx2" Burd and Brian "Zombie Columbus" Aloiso spell out some of the upcoming tweaks. The good news is that the randomness associated with legendary items is soon to be a distant memory. In spite of the Pool A/Pool B legacies introduced with the Mirkwood expansion, players would still occasionally be stuck with item legacies that didn't fit with particular playstyles. New Legacy Replacement Scrolls will remedy this situation; they will be acquired through the deconstruction of an item with the desired legacy (or through the game's item shop).

The devs also have a bit of info to pass along regarding changes to the game's relic system. In a nutshell, the goal for relics was the same as the goal for legendary item tweaks: reduce the random element and give the player more control. To this end, the number of relic tiers has been reduced to six, as has the amount of time required to attain the top tier. Secondly, Turbine has added a new legendary item currency called shards, which serves to "bind various parts of the system together," according to Aloiso. It's a lot more complicated than that, of course, and you can read the lengthy details at the official LotRO website.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online dev diary details legendary item and relic changes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's been a few months since the November Update in Lord of the Rings Online, and the natives are restless -- as usual. Some folks are despairing the long wait until Rise of Isengard while others are itching for more challenges to their currently level-capped characters. Then there are the players who are hopelessly lost in Moria and would give their eye teeth for a flashlight.

Happily, a new update is just around the bend, code-named Echoes of the Dead. The actual name is Echoes of the Dead too, so I guess that's not such a great code. Over the past couple of weeks, we've started to get a feel for just how large this update is, and after reading through the Bullroarer test notes on Wednesday, I think we're in for a tsunami of a patch.

Of course, these patch notes come in the middle of Turbine's carefully spaced dev diaries dealing with each major change or addition, which means that we're a little in the dark as to the specifics of half of this update. That's not going to stop me -- or any of you -- from analyzing, speculating and gesturing excitedly to no one in particular.

So let's dig in to this hearty meal of mushrooms and patch notes to see just how deep LotRO's rabbit hole goes!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Just around the bend

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Just around the bend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bear-hugburglarcharacter-panelcosmetic-outfitcraftingdamage-over-timedotdungeonsechoes-of-the-deadfeaturefeaturedhunterinstanceslegacieslegendary-itemslord-of-the-ringslore-masterlotromap-homeminstrelmonster-playmoriamysterious-relicsnovember-updateoutfitoutfit-systempatchpatch-notespvepvmpradianceraidraid-instancesrise-of-isengardrune-keepersamsungskirmishesstancestest-servertest-server-notesthe-road-to-mordortim-langturbineuiupdateupdate-notesuser-interfacevolume-1volume-2volume-3volume-3-book-3Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Creating your roadmap]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-creating-your-roadmap/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-creating-your-roadmap/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-creating-your-roadmap/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I wish to preface this week's column by saying that I'm not advocating just one way to play a game. I think it's equally valid to explore at your own pace, team up as a duo, maximize TP revenue, or set whatever goals you like and pursue them. But after leveling one character to the cap and playing several others, I've begun to develop a roadmap, if you will, that helps guide my progress somewhat efficiently. It's this roadmap that I want to share with you today.

The thing is, for all I love about Lord of the Rings Online, the game is definitely littered with timesinks of epic proportions. It already takes a long, long time to get your character up to 65 and through the two expansions, and that's only going to increase as the game grows. There are a lot of distractions and unnecessary grinds (such as virtues you will never use) that can bog you down too long and perhaps dishearten you.

So when I created a Minstrel in LotRO a little while back, I decided to map out his progress from level 1 through 65 by creating a broad framework -- an outline, really -- that serves to keep me on track so I don't have to backtrack as much later on to get these goals done. I have a very "two birds with one stone" mentality, so if I'm doing one task in a zone, I'd rather be accomplishing two or three at the same time. So for example, if I'm grinding out a deed, I'd rather do it at level at which I'm getting XP than 20 levels later when I'm not (although the latter has its merits for rapid deed completion).

Hit the jump and I'll give you the rundown of how to eliminate some of the confusion and speed bumps of leveling.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Creating your roadmap

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Creating your roadmap originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>codemastersdeedsepic-storylinefeaturedguidelegendary-itemslegendary-traitslevelingleveling-guidelord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrominstrelmountmountsriding-skillroadmapsara-oakheartskirmishestraitsturbineturbine-entertainmentturbine-pointsvirtuesvolume-1volume-2Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: The final ding]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/the-road-to-mordor-the-final-ding/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/the-road-to-mordor-the-final-ding/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/the-road-to-mordor-the-final-ding/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It happened far sooner than I'd hoped. I tried to put it off, to ignore the creeping bar, to spend my days in frivolous activities instead of fighting evil -- but to no avail. It was a simple quest turn-in somewhere deep in Mirkwood, and with only two elves to witness the event, a stream of white light erupted from my head.

I was level 65.

For me, it's always been extremely disconcerting to hit endgame in any MMO, which is probably why Lord of the Rings Online marks only the fourth game of my MMO career in which this has happened. I like the feeling of leveling up, gaining experience, going on a mostly solo journey through the lands. But once I ding that final level, the XP gains go away and the questions arise.

What do I do now? Should I become concerned with raiding? I wasn't before! Is there a purpose to keep on questing at this point without XP? Am I going to avoid fighting mobs unless I absolutely have to do so? What is there to do? Will I get bored? Who replaced my wallet with a ketchup packet before I sat down?

Join me after the jump as I take you through these questions and more on my journey to discover a life after the final ding.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: The final ding

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: The final ding originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bree-landcaptaincatch-22deedsdungeonenedwaithettenmoorsexperienceForochelgladdeninstanceitem-experienceixplandrovallegendary-itemslevel-65level-caplilord-of-the-rings-onlinelothlorienlotromirkwoodmonster-playplayer-vs-monster-playerpvmpraidrise-of-isengardrivendellsandboxsarumantheme-parkturbineturbine-entertainmentvirtuesxpFri, 28 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: My wish list for 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-my-wish-list-for-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-my-wish-list-for-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-my-wish-list-for-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

January is always a month of denial for me because it usually takes a full 30 days for the reality of a new year to settle into my skull. It can't be a new year! I just, just got used to the old one! I'm going to forget the real year when I sign my checks and then I'll be denounced as a fraud! What horrible teenage fad will be inflicted on us this year?

Seriously, Ke$ha was the final straw for me. She's like all four horsemen of the apocalypse melted down and recast as a talentless banshee with an ironic dollar sign smack in the middle of her name. But that's my problem.

A new year also means a virgin slate for all of our MMOs. What happened last year was so last year -- now we turn our eyes to the future. We know a little of what's upcoming for Lord of the Rings Online, but that doesn't mean we can't have wishes. You know what they say: If wishes were horses, I'd have the Steed of Night.

So in honor of '11, I've come up with an 11-point wish list of what I'd love to see in LotRO this year. I fully expect Turbine to drop everything -- everything -- to get on it!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: My wish list for 2011

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: My wish list for 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011a-casual-stroll-to-mordorcosmetic-outfitcosmetic-weaponsfeaturedhobbithousingiconsinstance-joinitem-storekeshalegendary-itemslegendary-weaponslfflfglilooking-for-fellowshiplord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-storemiddle-earthnew-yearpiesplayer-housingsteed-of-nightthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentturbine-pointsuiuser-interfacevovoice-overvolume-2wardrobewish-listWorld-of-WarcraftFri, 14 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kate Paiz answers the "Whys" of LotRO's changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/03/kate-paiz-answers-the-whys-of-lotros-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/03/kate-paiz-answers-the-whys-of-lotros-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/03/kate-paiz-answers-the-whys-of-lotros-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When a parent tells a kid to do something, the immediate follow-up question is invariably, "Why?" Likewise, Lord of the Rings Online's Kate Paiz knows that players are constantly asking "Why?" when Turbine makes any additions or changes to the game, which is why she spends a bulk of her December Producer's Letter explaining the company's actions and decisions.

Paiz says that the team saw that not enough F2P players were heading into the Lone-lands, which is why they made the zone's quest pack free for everyone. Other deep LotRO secrets she reveals are the reasons behind removal of radiance, dual upgrades to the legendary item system, the addition of cosmetic pets for all (which may provide buffs when used!), and the expansion of Monster Play so that all tiers of players can participate.

She also shares an encouraging word about the financial state of the game: "Revenues for the game have continued to increase. While we are getting some great feedback on what the LotRO Store can do better and what other items you'd like to find there, Store usage continues to be much higher than industry averages!"

You can read the full Producer's Letter over at LotRO's website.

MassivelyKate Paiz answers the "Whys" of LotRO's changes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosmetic-petsdev-diaryf2pfree-to-playkate-paizlegendary-itemslone-landslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromonster-playproducers-letterpvmpradianceturbineTurbine-EntertainmentwhyFri, 03 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard is coming!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/the-road-to-mordor-rise-of-isengard-is-coming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/the-road-to-mordor-rise-of-isengard-is-coming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/the-road-to-mordor-rise-of-isengard-is-coming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

[Update: Made a clarification that there is no indication of "open-world" PvMP in the expansion.]

Times are tough in Middle-earth, even after the inexplicable appearance of several hundred thousand new adventurers this fall. The Fellowship of the Ring is broken, Sauron is rising in power, and the White Hand of Saruman is marching across the lands. Even the bravest and hardiest soldier of the Free Peoples cannot be blamed for feeling disheartened, especially in the face of the monumental struggle to come.

Welcome to the beginning of The Two Towers in Lord of the Rings Online. Welcome to Isengard.

The rumors are true: Next year we will be venturing into LotRO's third expansion, titled Rise of Isengard, to confront evil in its own backyard. While this may not be the Rohan or Gondor expansion that we've anticipated, Turbine is fairly confident that it will be well-received by players and will represent an ambitious step forward on (wait for it) the road to Mordor.

Turbine's Adam Mersky and Aaron Campbell were on hand to outline for us the company's near- and far-future plans with Massively, starting with the imminent November update and cruising all the way through 2011. Hit the jump as we look at interactive theater, busy bees, Monster Play improvements and, of course, Isengard.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard is coming!

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard is coming! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaron-campbelladam-merskybreakingbusy-beecosmeticcosmetic-systemdourhanddungeonsdunlandeager-beaverenedwaithettenmoorsf2pfeaturedfedexfellowship-of-the-ringfirst-agefree-to-playgap-of-rohangondorikeaisengardjourney-to-winter-homelegendary-itemslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelore-masterlotromad-bagginsmiddle-earthmines-of-moriamonster-playnon-combat-petorthancoutfitpvmppvpraidsrandiancerise-of-isengardrohanrune-keepersarumanshadows-of-angmarsiege-of-mirkwoodstarter-zonestudly-mcawesometask-systemtasksthe-road-to-mordorthe-two-towersturbineTurbine-Entertainmentwardrobewhite-handwinter-homeyuleyule-festivalFri, 19 Nov 2010 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Horton hears a patch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/the-road-to-mordor-horton-hears-a-patch/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

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.

Mental note -- I should not be writing columns when I'm hungry.

I trust you were as pleased as I was when you woke up to the Lord of the Rings Online November update patch notes this past week (Standard Disclaimer: These are for the test server and are subject to change, void in Nevada). We knew that Turbine 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.

Let's break down this LotRO update after the jump, and see just who this patch is for and what it has to offer, shall we?

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Horton hears a patch

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Horton hears a patch originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosmetic-outfitcraftingddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinedyeepic-storylineered-luinevendimf2pfarmingfeaturedfree-playersfree-to-playlegendary-itemsleveling-sigillord-of-the-rings-onlinelore-masterlotrolotro-weeklymathomnovember-updatepatchreprep-grindreputationroll-one-hundredskirmishessteaktask-systemturbineturbine-pointsupdatevaultvipwardenwardrobeworldwowFri, 29 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2010: Counting down to LotRO's relaunch with Turbine]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-counting-down-to-lotros-relaunch-with-turbine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-counting-down-to-lotros-relaunch-with-turbine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-counting-down-to-lotros-relaunch-with-turbine/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

With the launch of Lord of the Rings Online's biggest patch to date a scant few days away, we touched base with Turbine's Aaron Campbell, Brian Aloisio, and Bob Hess at PAX Prime to see how their nerves are holding up at this point. It is, as Aloisio laughed, akin to launching the game all over again, and LotRO is definitely under close scrutiny because of it.

Many players were surprised to hear that LotRO's free-to-play update was going live much sooner than anticipated, and we asked Campbell whether this was due to a preset schedule or better-than-anticipated beta feedback. He said that they weren't going to release it until it was ready, but by the team's reckoning, the beta process went so smoothly that there was no reason to delay any further.

Compared to the betas for Shadows of Angmar, Mines of Moria and Siege of Mirkwood, the F2P beta -- according to Campbell -- was the most upbeat Turbine's ever had, with far more positive feedback than negative. Hit the jump to hear more and see the latest screenshots and video from PAX.

Continue reading PAX 2010: Counting down to LotRO's relaunch with Turbine

MassivelyPAX 2010: Counting down to LotRO's relaunch with Turbine originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaron-campbellbetabob-hessbrian-aloisioclassddodirectx-11dungeons-and-dragons-onlinedx11enedwaithf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpgallerygreat-barrowslegendary-itemslord-of-the-rings-onlinelore-masterlotromines-of-moriamonth-of-the-classpaxpax-2010pax-primepax-prime-2010petsrobert-hessrune-keeperscaled-instancesscreenshotsshadows-of-angmarsiege-of-mirkwoodtrailerturbinevanity-petsvideozombie-columbusSat, 04 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Enedwaith Exploration Expo]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/18/the-road-to-mordor-enedwaith-exploration-expo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/18/the-road-to-mordor-enedwaith-exploration-expo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/18/the-road-to-mordor-enedwaith-exploration-expo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


E3 is always an exciting time full of announcements, reveals and hundreds of journalists attempting to leech every last drop of information from crafty studios. It's pretty much insane, and if your head isn't exploding from all of the news, trailers, screenshots and surprises, then I'm going to have to ask you to hand in your gamer card.

For Turbine, this year's E3 has been a crucial moment in the company's history. Not only are we seeing them under the Warner Bros. banner in public, but they had to step up and both defend and build off of the revelation of Lord of the Ring Online's new business model. They were smart not to save the announcement itself for E3, because the gaming public and the press needed a bit of time to both digest the news and get past the initial emotional reaction so they could bring the studio thoughtful questions. Turbine's undoubtedly enjoying its fair share of press coverage at E3 because of this, and that's saying something considering all of the other heavy-hitters like Star Wars: The Old Republic, Final Fantasy XIV and Warhammer 40K that are making appearances.

No matter what your feelings are on the F2P model, Turbine's got a lot more for LotRO gamers than just that -- in fact, they've been bombarding us with so much good new stuff that it's hard to know where to start. So let's take a quick tour through 10 exciting additions and updates to the game that they've revealed.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Enedwaith Exploration Expo

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Enedwaith Exploration Expo originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Every Friday, The Road to Mordor brings you the latest in Lord of the Rings Online news, guides and analysis.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was also the most trite way to open an article, especially if you were to be submitting it to your English teacher. Still, I've never encountered a week in LotRO that's given me such a bipolar experience, and I'm going to need your help to work it out. You with me? Good, then grab a cup of red tea and let us spin such a yarn that cats all over the world will be attracted to it.

The week began with a switch back to my Captain -- I like to juggle characters, but my cappy (Captain Crunch, thank you very much) is the flagship character of my account, the one in which I've poured the most time and interest. Crunch had just hit level 45, which meant she was eligible to start Volume II, Book I. This is generally recommended at level 45, because the book nets you your first legendary item (and your second, by the end of it). I figured, might as well get cracking on that infamous LI grind I hear so much about, so away I went!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: The highs and lows of Middle-earth

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: The highs and lows of Middle-earth originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abercrombie-and-fitchbuttlescuttcaptain-crunchdeedsgrindkill-ten-ratslegendary-itemslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-wikimines-of-moriashadows-of-angmarskirmishesthe-road-to-mordorturbinevirtuesvolume-2Fri, 07 May 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Community questions and answers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/the-road-to-mordor-community-questions-and-answers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/the-road-to-mordor-community-questions-and-answers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/the-road-to-mordor-community-questions-and-answers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Every Friday, The Road to Mordor brings you the latest in Lord of the Rings Online news, guides and analysis.

Lord of the Ring Online's Volume III, Book 1 patch is still humming along on the test server. New dev diaries have rolled out going over the new class skills (which are really just updated old class skills) and new crafting changes (mostly for farmers, cooks and jewelery crafters.) Duo skirmishes and the new epic quest line is being tested as well as the new solo mechanic for the 6-man encounters in the Volume I epic line. But that's not what today's column is about.

Instead, I'm taking a look at the questions players are asking on LotRO forums. Join me for a look into the ramifications of the Lone-lands revamp, leveling characters solely on Skirmishes, farming marks the fastest way possible and the best way to get Legendary fragments for crafting. Plus, a quick look at the latest fan created content.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Community questions and answers

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Community questions and answers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>legendary-fragmentslegendary-itemslone-land-revamplotroskirmish-rewardssoldier-cosmeticsturbineFri, 19 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO: Siege of Mirkwood patch 1 now live]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/lotro-siege-of-mirkwood-patch-1-now-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/lotro-siege-of-mirkwood-patch-1-now-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/lotro-siege-of-mirkwood-patch-1-now-live/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Last week we brought you the preliminary patch notes for the first planned patch for Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood and noted that they were only preliminary, subject to changes and additions.

Well, the patch notes are all settled and the patch went live today, bringing some surprises for players who may have preferred to remain unspoiled. For starters, players will find that all Legacy points on their Legendary items have been refunded with this patch, so they'll get an extra shot at redistribution without waiting for a reforge.

As we mentioned before, Skirmishes got quite a bit of attention too, including the revival of the Barrow-downs Skirmish. In addition, non Siege of Mirkwood players will find that they are no longer limited to three Skirmishes.

Of course, these are only a few of the high points. The full patch notes are available on the official site, or you can log into Lord of the Rings Online and explore them for yourself!

MassivelyLotRO: Siege of Mirkwood patch 1 now live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>legacy-pointslegendary-itemslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropatchsiege-of-mirkwoodskirmishessom-patch-1turbineTue, 19 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Preliminary notes for first Siege of Mirkwood patch released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/preliminary-notes-for-first-siege-of-mirkwood-patch-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/preliminary-notes-for-first-siege-of-mirkwood-patch-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/preliminary-notes-for-first-siege-of-mirkwood-patch-released/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Just a month and a half after the launch of Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood, the first patch is almost ready. Preliminary patch notes were posted on the official forums by online community specialist Sapience, with a word of warning: "These should be considered a work in progress and incomplete. Final release notes will be posted when the patch is approved for release to the live servers."

As expected, the patch so far focuses primarily on skirmishes and legendary items, with a few tweaks being made as needed to raids, instances, and quests. It looks like some significant and very welcome changes are coming, such as a correction to the tier 6 costs of certain legacies. General fixes here and there were also made, such as: "Hunter's Travel to Mirk-eaves skill now tells fellowship members you are travelling to Mirk-eaves. No more freaking out the other members of your fellowship." (Well, that was fun while it lasted, anyway.)

The full patch notes as they stand right now can be viewed on the official forums.

MassivelyPreliminary notes for first Siege of Mirkwood patch released originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>legendary-itemslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-2-1-6siege-of-mirkwoodskirmishesturbineThu, 14 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What are your plans for Moria?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/15/the-daily-grind-what-are-your-plans-for-moria/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/15/the-daily-grind-what-are-your-plans-for-moria/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/15/the-daily-grind-what-are-your-plans-for-moria/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


On Tuesday, players will be able to experience Turbine's eagerly-anticipated new expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online, Mines of Moria. With two new classes, the Warden and Rune-Keeper, tons of new content and lore to explore, and new monsters to slay, players are excited about all the goodness about to come. With new classes, a trip into the dark and foreboding Misty Mountains, and new legendary items, what's not to love?

Of course, with any new expansion comes a few questions. Will you be shelving your beloved adventurer(s) to roll one of the two new character classes? Will you stick with the character you've worked hard at and continue onwards? Perhaps take a couple of days off to really sink your teeth into all the delicious newness that Moria has to offer and do both! What are your plans for Moria's launch?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What are your plans for Moria? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expansionlaunchlaunch-planslegendary-itemsmines-of-moriamisty-mountainsmorianew-classesnew-expansionrune-keepertdgthe-daily-grindturbinewardenSat, 15 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Take a deep breath and dive into LotRO's Legendary Item System]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/27/take-a-deep-breath-and-dive-into-lotros-legendary-item-system/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/27/take-a-deep-breath-and-dive-into-lotros-legendary-item-system/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/27/take-a-deep-breath-and-dive-into-lotros-legendary-item-system/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Turbine has put together an immensely deep look into the Legendary Item system coming in the Mines of Moria expansion. If you ever had any questions about, well about nearly anything regarding how the whole thing works, you should find your answers now. Our impressions are that it's certainly a cool and interesting attempt at enabling players to craft the weapon of their choice over a period of time, similarly to how you would an actual character. That being said, our only beef with the system is that it doesn't seem to support any kind of visual customization options. Everyone loves to personalize their stuff, so it seems likes a no-brainer. Hopefully, in time, we may see something of this nature.

For now though, we're happy that Turbine is going the distance to try something new and possibly very evolutionary within the genre. The developer diary states that they'll be making any required adjustments in the future, too. So this is something of a work in progress in that sense.

MassivelyTake a deep breath and dive into LotRO's Legendary Item System originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>customizationexpansionlegendary-itemslegendary-weaponslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriaturbineMon, 27 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively in Moria: Hands on with the Rune-keeper]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/massively-in-moria-hands-on-with-the-rune-keeper/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/massively-in-moria-hands-on-with-the-rune-keeper/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/massively-in-moria-hands-on-with-the-rune-keeper/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


When The Lord of the Rings Online's new expansion, the Mines of Moria launches on November 18, two new master classes will be available to the player base: The Warden, a tank/dps class and The Rune-keeper, a healing/nuking class. The reason they are dubbed "master class" is that they are difficult to learn, but are powerful allies when mastered.

I got to go hands-on with the Rune-keeper class in the beta for a few weeks and ran it through the paces: solo and group, with different specs and group configurations. Read on for my take on the strengths, weaknesses and tactics of the newest class to join the battle against the Shadow in the West.

Continue reading Massively in Moria: Hands on with the Rune-keeper

MassivelyMassively in Moria: Hands on with the Rune-keeper originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benediction-of-peacecleansing-firefeaturedlegendary-itemslotromines-of-moriarune-keeperrune-keeper-guiderune-keeper-healingrune-keeper-traitssolitary-thunderturbineMon, 20 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Moria's legendary items unearthed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/morias-legendary-items-unearthed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/morias-legendary-items-unearthed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/morias-legendary-items-unearthed/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Just to keep us salivating about the upcoming Mines of Moria expansion to Lord of the Rings Online, Turbine has quietly put up a page of information about the new legendary items system. Legendary items are items that drop from completions of some instances or from some sentient creatures. Initially the object's true power is shrouded in mystery, and only very basic information is available. With the help of a Forge master however, the origins, history and special qualities of the item can be revealed.

It doesn't stop there, though -- a legendary item, once slotted, will gain experience points and level up. They can even gain titles of their own through the completion of special Eregion and Moria quests. After ten levels, however, your item has gained a sufficiently new legacy in its time with you, and must be renamed and reforged, before it can continue to advance.

Continue reading Moria's legendary items unearthed

MassivelyMoria's legendary items unearthed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expansionsfantasylegendary-itemslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-morianew-titlesturbineThu, 16 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine dev chat transcript gives more info on Moria]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/turbine-dev-chat-transcript-gives-more-info-on-moria/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/turbine-dev-chat-transcript-gives-more-info-on-moria/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/turbine-dev-chat-transcript-gives-more-info-on-moria/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


It's been quite a long time since we've reported on a House of Commons dev chat with Lord of the Rings Online's Turbine and Codemasters devs, so this latest one should come as a special treat. In it, we get word of a few new features for the first expansion, Mines of Moria, which was just announced today to have a release date of November 18th! In order to paraphrase this long dev chat, we've bullet-pointed what we feel is the most interesting answers to player questions:

  • No pre-Moria equipment will be part of the Legendary Items system.
  • After Mines of Moria, they'll "most likely" be heading south with future expansions. Although there's word of fleshing out Eriador as well.
  • Capstone skills are used in conjunction with Legendary Traits and Trait sets to make mega powerful skills. These capstones come in three different types: solo gameplay, small fellowship and 6-man instance gameplay.
  • You will get access to another Legendary Trait slot at level 60
  • Renown and Infamy will be changed to increase the amount gained in a full group and reduce the amount gained in raids.
  • The Elves of Lothlorien will not have accessible reputation until the first book update after launch
  • Suggested improvements to the kinship system include kinbank, plus stablemasters and crafting areas in the kinship house.
  • The entire Book 1 of Volume 2 will act as an introduction to Legendary Items, so you will get them early on.
  • Following the helpful dev diaries on the Hunter, Burglar and Lore-master, Turbine plans to release guides for the remaining classes from 50-60 as well.
  • Inventory problems will be alleviated with quest tokens and key rings. Quest items will be stored in a quest journal, instead of the player's inventory. Key rings will hold important keys for certain doors.
  • You will not need to finish Volume 1 to access Volume 2.
  • No new hobbies releasing with Moria, but there are others in the works for future book patches.

MassivelyTurbine dev chat transcript gives more info on Moria originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>codemastersdev-chathouse-of-commonslegendary-itemslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriastraticsturbineThu, 09 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST