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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Six reasons LotRO's Lore-masters rock]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/the-road-to-mordor-six-reasons-lotros-lore-masters-rock/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/the-road-to-mordor-six-reasons-lotros-lore-masters-rock/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/the-road-to-mordor-six-reasons-lotros-lore-masters-rock/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor Six reasons why Loremasters rock
In my Lord of the Rings Online career, I've played two classes far more than any others: the Captain and the Lore-master. Both scratch that "pet class" itch that I have in MMOs, both are quite group-friendly, and both seem to be somewhat unorthodox picks (at least compared to the plague of Hunters and Champions infecting the game).

I'll leave a discussion about Captains for another time, but today I felt like talking about the strangeness that is the Lore-master. It's such a unique class in feel and execution, and it's captivated me such that I'm actually leveling up my second Lore-master because I was dissatisfied with the way I handled my first one.

Maybe you've never tried one. Maybe you picked one up and just couldn't get a feel for what it was supposed to do. I'll admit that the LM is an acquired taste, partially because its skillset is all over the map and it doesn't settle into an expected template. However, it may just be the coolest class in the game. Here are six reasons why.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Six reasons LotRO's Lore-masters rock

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Six reasons LotRO's Lore-masters rock originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classclass-reviewclassesf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playlmlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelore-masterlore-masterslotroopinionpetpet-classroad-to-mordorthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentSat, 18 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO patching to Update 11 today]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/lotro-patching-to-update-11-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/lotro-patching-to-update-11-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/lotro-patching-to-update-11-today/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

LotRO patching to Update 11 today
Turbine has released the official patch notes for Lord of the Rings Online's Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand this morning, and in them, you'll find an explanation of the changes coming to the game with today's update.

In addition to a new launcher, new Wildermore region, continuation of the epic storyline with Volume III: Book 10, and an improvement to mounted combat, the most important thing to come to any LotRO patch since launch is the removal of Lalia from the cursed Barrow-downs. Seriously. Bob's aggro-magnet daughter and her cloak have retired from frustrating players and she now owns her own shop in Bree. Where she sells MISERY. Just kidding. I think she sells Beanie Babies or something.

Be sure to check out the entire patch notes in the official forums.

MassivelyLotRO patching to Update 11 today originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-10f2pfantasyfree-to-playlalialord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromounted-combatpatchTreachery-of-the-White-Handturbineturbine-entertainmentupdateupdate-11Mon, 13 May 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: A Wildermore dev chat]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/the-road-to-mordor-a-wildermore-dev-chat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/the-road-to-mordor-a-wildermore-dev-chat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/the-road-to-mordor-a-wildermore-dev-chat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor A Wildermore dev chat
Snow-covered zones aren't exactly new to Lord of the Rings Online, but the upcoming region of Wildermore is a little bit different than the normal Misty Mountain ski resorts. How so? Well, for one thing, it's not supposed to be snowy at all. So what's up with the premature winter in this area of Rohan -- and what are you, the player, going to do about it?

That's the basic setup for Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand. The update, which should be going live next week, is what I call the intermission zone: It's the region that Turbine adds between expansions to keep veteran players from bouncing off the walls due to boredom. Lothlorien, Enedwaith, and the Great River are past intermission zones, but Wildermore might be the most fascinating one yet.

Thanks to technical issues, I wasn't able to get a first-hand tour of the new region. Instead, I nabbed a heart-to-heart chat with the devs about the intricacies of Wildermore, the next step of the epic story, and plenty of assorted goodies coming with the update!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A Wildermore dev chat

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A Wildermore dev chat originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-chatexpansionf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhelms-deepinterviewinterviewslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionriders-of-rohanroad-to-mordorrorthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-11wildermoreSat, 11 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO Update 11 dev diaries feature epic story, mounted combat 2.0]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/lotro-update-11-dev-diaries-feature-epic-story-mounted-combat-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/lotro-update-11-dev-diaries-feature-epic-story-mounted-combat-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/lotro-update-11-dev-diaries-feature-epic-story-mounted-combat-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

LotRO Update 11 dev diaries feature epic story, mounted combat 20
Hark! Is that a new update for Lord of the Rings Online on the horizon? It is indeed, my chums. And with any fresh LotRO patch comes an expected slew of developer diaries.

Today we have two dev diaries to report about for players getting ready for next week's Update 11. The first talks about the next addition to the epic story, Volume III, Book 10. The diary discusses the 15-chapter storyline as well as the optional "interlude" Ranger episodes that may be played in sequence or out of order. There's even a funny behind-the-scenes moment when the devs show how badly they messed up an NPC model.

Then there's a diary on what Turbine is calling "Mounted Combat 2.0." Sweeping changes are coming to mounted combat with Update 11, including retooling the movement tree into a class-specific one, the addition of more class-specific skills, and a ton of polish and iteration.

Massively will take a deeper look at Update 11 tomorrow, so stay tuned!

MassivelyLotRO Update 11 dev diaries feature epic story, mounted combat 2.0 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-storyf2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromounted-combatmounted-combat-2.0turbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-11volume-iii-book-10wildermoreFri, 10 May 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch the backstory of LotRO's Wildermore zone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/watch-the-backstory-of-lotros-wildermore-zone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/watch-the-backstory-of-lotros-wildermore-zone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/watch-the-backstory-of-lotros-wildermore-zone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Watch the backstory of LotRO's Wildermore zone
When Lord of the Rings Online's Update 11 drops next week, it will open the paths to a brand-new zone: Wildermore. While it's part of the Wold, Wildermore is definitely unlike anything seen in Riders of Rohan; for starters, the area is inexplicably covered in snow and jagged ice crystals.

So what's up with this area? Turbine's developers have put together a video to introduce the zone and explain the main storyhook behind it. It appears that Saruman has fused an ancient relic with a giant, creating a nasty foe that will be the main antagonist as players travel through Wildermore. Don't fret, as there are good guys as well attempting to fight the snow powers that be.

Check out the dev tour after the jump, and if you use the LotRO forums regularly, you may want to read up on the forum consolidation that's about to take place.

Continue reading Watch the backstory of LotRO's Wildermore zone

MassivelyWatch the backstory of LotRO's Wildermore zone originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 May 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-diarydev-tourexpansionf2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroriders-of-rohanrorturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-11wildermoreTue, 07 May 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Playing with Legacy of Romulus characters in Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/captains-log-playing-with-legacy-of-romulus-characters-in-star/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/captains-log-playing-with-legacy-of-romulus-characters-in-star/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/captains-log-playing-with-legacy-of-romulus-characters-in-star/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

STO LoR Header
In just over two weeks, Star Trek Online's first expansion, The Legacy of Romulus, will be released. The developers at Cryptic Studios have been working furiously, and we'll all get to see the results of all of the hard work on Tuesday, May 21st, 2013.

I've had the opportunity to jump into the Star Trek Online's test server, Tribble, to catch a few glimpses of some of the character works in progress. With more material being pushed to Tribble on almost a daily basis, there should be lots to see in the next couple of weeks!

Continue reading Captain's Log: Playing with Legacy of Romulus characters in Star Trek Online

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Playing with Legacy of Romulus characters in Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al riveraalienalien genalien hybridalienscaptains-logcharacter creationcostumescrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfeaturedfree-to-playlord of the rings onlinelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweRemansRomulanssci-fistar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestoturbineuniformsMon, 06 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO Update 11 brings five new areas on May 13]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/lotro-update-11-brings-five-new-areas-on-may-13/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/lotro-update-11-brings-five-new-areas-on-may-13/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/lotro-update-11-brings-five-new-areas-on-may-13/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

LotRO Update 11 brings five new areas on May 13
Come next week, denizens of Middle-earth will have five new areas to explore and adventure in; Lord of the Rings Online launches Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand on Monday, May 13th. The epic story will continue in Wildermore, the remote area of Eastern Rohan, where players will attempt to restore the region from the icy destruction brought by the stone giant Núrzum.

The journey will take players through Writhendowns, The Fallows, Whitshaws, High Knolls, and Balewood where they will face Uruk-hai threats, marauding Warbands, violent Huorns, and Wood-trolls in an effort to protect the people and fight against growing evil and corruption.

Update 11 also includes a mounted combat revamp, daily Silver Hobbit Presents for logging in, and improved VIP benefits including an improved bonus experience system. The Wildermore Quest pack is free to VIPs. Check out the adventure that awaits in the gallery below.

Gallery: LotRO Update 11


[Source: Turbine press release]

MassivelyLotRO Update 11 brings five new areas on May 13 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Balewoodf2pfantasyfree-to-playHigh-Knollslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroThe-FallowsTreachery-of-the-White-Handturbineturbine-entertainmentupdateUpdate-11Update-11-Treachery-of-the-White-HandWhitshawsWildermoreWrithendownsMon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Could Lord of the Rings Online end in 2014?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/the-road-to-mordor-could-lord-of-the-rings-online-end-in-2014/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/the-road-to-mordor-could-lord-of-the-rings-online-end-in-2014/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/the-road-to-mordor-could-lord-of-the-rings-online-end-in-2014/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor Could Lord of the Rings Online end in 2014
Almost two years ago, Star Wars Galaxies players were rocked to their core by the news that their virtual world was to be sunsetted at the end of the year. Despite obvious SOE love for the title and player petitions, the call was already made: LucasArts didn't want to renew the contract with SOE, and that was that. Because of an IP, an entire galaxy was lost.

It's one of the "cons" of IP-based MMOs. Because there is licensing and contracts and other legal mumbo-jumbo involved, an online game that is completely wedded to an intellectual property has the added danger of being shut down completely if the IP is denied to the studio. SWG is a sobering lesson as to how this can happen to an otherwise healthy game.

If you haven't noticed already, Lord of the Rings Online is somewhat inspired by a certain IP. This IP can survive without the game, but the opposite is not true. So the scary question that we'd rather not ask is this: What if Turbine loses the rights have its game set in the Lord of the Rings universe?

It's not an unreasonable question. And what makes it even scarier is that it could conceivably happen as early as next year.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Could Lord of the Rings Online end in 2014?

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Could Lord of the Rings Online end in 2014? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playlegallicenselicensinglord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolucasartsmiddle-earth-enterprisesopinionroad-to-mordorstar-wars-galaxiesswgthe-road-to-mordortolkien-enterprisesturbineturbine-entertainmentwarner-broswbSat, 04 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What plugin(s) can you not live without?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/the-daily-grind-what-plugin-s-can-you-not-live-without/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/the-daily-grind-what-plugin-s-can-you-not-live-without/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/the-daily-grind-what-plugin-s-can-you-not-live-without/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Lord of the Rings Online - UI with TonicBars
I recently returned to Lord of the Rings Online, and one of the first things I did after reinstalling was hunt down all the old plugins I had a couple of years ago. Some are more important than others, but one is basically indispensable.

Without TonicBars, the LotRO interface is a horrific jumble of 27,000 hotbars and 127,000 abilities, but with TonicBars these abilities are kept neatly off my screen until I roll over the appropriate button and unfurl the underlying bar. You can also configure the plugin to display a hotbar only when various gameplay conditions are met, like, say, your health dropping below a certain percentage.

So that's my indispensable add-on. What's yours?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What plugin(s) can you not live without? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindf2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionpluginstdgthe-daily-grindtonic-barstonicbarsturbineturbine-entertainmentuiui-addonsMon, 29 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Helm's Deep calls!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/the-road-to-mordor-helms-deep-calls/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/the-road-to-mordor-helms-deep-calls/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/the-road-to-mordor-helms-deep-calls/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Road to Mordor Helm's Deep
While I'm quite excited to hear the news of this year's Lord of the Rings Online expansion, Helm's Deep, there are two small nits that I must pick, two little peeves that I must pet before moving onward. The first is that Turbine could not have worse timing; I've been prepping for a vacation and pre-written a couple of weeks of this column, and now this announcement's forced me to scramble last-minute to write a new one.

The other issue is that Turbine's abandoned the "[something] of [place]" title structure it's had ever since Shadows of Angmar. A vain, egocentric part of me thinks that this might've happened because a developer read my expansion prediction column and decided to spite me.

With that out of the way, let's digest the official announcement and see what we'll be doing this fall when LotRO's fifth expansion hits!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Helm's Deep calls!

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Helm's Deep calls! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expansionf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhelms-deeplord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionriders-of-rohanrise-of-isengardroad-to-mordorrorshadows-of-angmarthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-11Sat, 27 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO player council selected]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/lotro-player-council-selected/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/lotro-player-council-selected/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/lotro-player-council-selected/#commentsFiled under: , ,

LotRO player council selected
The Lord of the Rings Online player council members have been chosen for 2013 and a post on the official forums names each of the 69 players who have been selected.

These players are said to represent "many play styles, countries, and walks of life" and will work to facilitate feedback between the dev team and the rest of the playerbase. But as community manager Rick "Sapience" Heaton reminds us, these council members "cannot discuss their actions or activity as a member of the council."

We'd like to throw out a hearty congratulations to everyone selected!

MassivelyLotRO player council selected originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroturbineturbine-entertainmentFri, 26 Apr 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Take a casual stroll through LotRO Update 11]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/take-a-casual-stroll-through-lotro-update-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/take-a-casual-stroll-through-lotro-update-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/take-a-casual-stroll-through-lotro-update-11/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Take a casual stroll through LotRO Update 11
Over at Lord of the Rings Online fansite A Casual Stroll to Mordor, Andang gives us a nifty walkthrough video of the incoming Wildermore region for Update 11. The 19-minute video shows off the snowy mountainous region near Dunfast down to the plains near Norcrofts.

Take note that this tour is done on the public test Bullroarer server, so things may change before the update is officially launched. Still, it's worth watching the whole video if you're a LotRO fan anticipating the new content.

Continue reading Take a casual stroll through LotRO Update 11

MassivelyTake a casual stroll through LotRO Update 11 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroturbineturbine-entertainmentThu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Will Helm's Deep bring you back to LotRO?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/the-daily-grind-will-helms-deep-bring-you-back-to-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/the-daily-grind-will-helms-deep-bring-you-back-to-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/the-daily-grind-will-helms-deep-bring-you-back-to-lotro/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Legolas and Gimli at Helm's Deep by John HoweLord of the Rings Online is one of those MMOs, at least for me. You know the ones I mean. They're great games for the most part, but for whatever reason you've quit and returned and quit and returned to them more times than you can count.

With yesterday's announcement of the forthcoming Helm's Deep expansion, I'm finding it harder than ever to keep to my pledge of staying away from Turbine's Middle-earth.

What about you, morning crew? Assuming you're a LotRO expatriate, will Helm's Deep bring you back?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Will Helm's Deep bring you back to LotRO? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindexpansionexpatriatef2pfantasyfree-to-playhelms-deephelms-deep-expansionlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-expansionmmo-expatriateopiniontdgthe-daily-grindturbineturbine-entertainmentThu, 25 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Update 11 hits LotRO's public test server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/update-11-hits-lotros-public-test-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/update-11-hits-lotros-public-test-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/update-11-hits-lotros-public-test-server/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

LotRO Update 11 notes
It's not quite yet time for Update 11 to hit Lord of the Rings Online officially, but it is time for folks to start testing it out on Bullroarer, the public test server. The testing patch notes have been posted, so let's take a look at what we may see in Update 11.

There's a new LotRO launcher with several changes. A new region, Wildermore, has new quests, warbands, and endgame activities. The story is pushing players into Wildermore with Book 10: Snows of Wildermore. Mounted combat is getting a big update which will give players a class-specific trait tree for optimal maneuverability. The UI is getting worked over a bit to change the way players can view alerts. Players will now be able to pay for their housing further in advance, which will now go into foreclosure six months after they stop paying for upkeep.

Read the full update notes for Update 11 on the official forum.

MassivelyUpdate 11 hits LotRO's public test server originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bullroarerf2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropatch-notesturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-11wildermoreWed, 24 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Extreme DIY makeover edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/choose-my-adventure-extreme-diy-makeover-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/choose-my-adventure-extreme-diy-makeover-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/choose-my-adventure-extreme-diy-makeover-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Choose My Adventure Extreme DIY makeover edition
Life may be like a box of chocolates, but gaming is like a Do-It-Yourself project. It may not be as mouth-watering an analogy, but it is certainly fitting: MMOs are a giant construction zone where players build their own experiences in a virtual world using tools from the game and their own imagination.

Each project is a unique undertaking, bearing the personal touches of the builder, whether the builder is an individual or a group like a guild. Some players prefer to build a single residence and settle in, while others enjoy moving from project to project, exploring new territory and testing new tools. Me? I tend toward the former; I'm the kind who tinkers around in one place over a long period of time. But all that's about to change. Again.

That's right, folks; it's my turn to break ground on yet another Choose My Adventure! For the next six weeks I am leaving the comfy confines of my familiar surroundings and allowing you to direct my next MMO project. Yes, my dear Massively friends, you will be the foreman of this endeavor, determining every step of the construction, from where I'll build my newest experience to what tools I'll get to use.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Extreme DIY makeover edition

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Extreme DIY makeover edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedage-of-wulinage-of-wushuagonallodsallods-onlineaocaoc-unchainedarkark-hunterarkfallasiaastrum-nivalaventurinebrowserbrowser-basedchinachinesechinese-mmochoose-my-adventurechoose-my-adventure-mj-guthrieclone-warsclone-wars-adventurescmaconanconsoleconsolescrypticcryptic-studioscwadarkfalldarkfall-unholy-warsdc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuodefiancedfdndf2pfamilyfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgala-netgpotatogvghands-onhistoricalhyboriakid-friendlykidnappingkidskids-mmokingsislekingsisle-entertainmentlobbylord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromail-ru-gamesmail.ru-gamesmailru-gamesmartial-artsming-dynastyminigamemmo-shooterneverwinteropen-pvpopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpiratepirate101piratesplaneplanesplaystation-3playstation3pollpollsps3pvppwereaders-choicesandboxsci-fantasysci-fishootersnail-gamessnail-games-usasoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warssuperherosuperheroessyfythird-person-shootertpstransmedia-synergytriontrion-worldsturbineturbine-entertainmenttvunchainedunholy-warsVendetta-Onlinevotevotingwarwargaming.netwarplanewarplanesworld-of-warplaneswowpwushuwuxiaxboxWed, 24 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO's Helms Deep expansion coming this Fall]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/lotros-helms-deep-expansion-coming-this-fall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/lotros-helms-deep-expansion-coming-this-fall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/lotros-helms-deep-expansion-coming-this-fall/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

LotRO's Helms Deep expansion coming this Fall
Lord of the Rings Online's fifth expansion has been announced, and Middle-earth explorers will travel to Helm's Deep sometime in the Fall of 2013. Turbine is raising the game's level cap to 95, while the epic storyline will continue through the western plains of Rohan and allow players to directly participate in the battle at Helm's Deep.

Additionally, Turbine's press release mentions new skills and "completely updated class specializations," as well as locations including Edoras, Dunharrow, and the fortress of the Hornburg.

[Source: Turbine press release]

MassivelyLotRO's Helms Deep expansion coming this Fall originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingf2pfantasyforth-eorlingasfree-to-playhelms-deephelms-deep-expansionhornburglord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-expansionturbineturbine-entertainmentWed, 24 Apr 2013 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Jukebox Heroes: Battle music!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/jukebox-heroes-battle-music/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/jukebox-heroes-battle-music/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/jukebox-heroes-battle-music/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Jukebox Heroes Battle music!
It's time once again to take a week off from looking at specific MMO soundtracks and open ourselves up to a theme instead. The topic? Battle music. Yeah, it can be some of the most obnoxious music in the game, especially after hearing it for the 3,000th time, but every once in a while I hear a piece that has some merit to it. These are the ones we want to examine today.

What makes for a good battle music track? I think it has to get you excited without being annoying or grating and not so loud or incredibly noticeable that you can't help but get tired of it sooner rather than later. It was actually pretty tricky to pull together six such tracks for this column, but I managed to do with with the help of Colonel Bugle up there. He's got the best MP3 collection around.

Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Battle music!

MassivelyJukebox Heroes: Battle music! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anarchy-onlineaoatlanticaatlantica-onlinebiowarecamelotclassic-mmocomposercomposersconsoleconsolesdaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artseqeq1everquestf2pfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivfree-to-playfuncomgame-musicjukeboxjukebox-heroesjustin-olivettilord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrommo-jukeboxmmo-musicmusicmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologynexonnexon-americanexon-koreaopinionpvprvrsci-fisoesonysony-online-entertainmentsoundtracksoundtrackssquaresquare-enixtactical-mmoturbineturbine-entertainmentTue, 23 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Happy sixth birthday, LotRO!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/the-road-to-mordor-happy-sixth-birthday-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/the-road-to-mordor-happy-sixth-birthday-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/the-road-to-mordor-happy-sixth-birthday-lotro/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor Happy 6th birthday, LotRO!
Uh, seriously guys, it was just yesterday that I was celebrating the third anniversary of Lord of the Rings Online with you in this column. At least it felt like yesterday. Really, has it been six years already? I guess it must be. It just seems like time moves so rapidly in MMOs, especially ones you've been in for years.

Even if you don't count my first six months in the game prior to and after the game's launch, my current stint in LotRO is the longest period of time that I've ever played an MMO. It's been a little over three years now that I've been playing and covering this game for Massively, and my interest in it has yet to wane. That amazes me; just when I think I might burn out on it, I find something about LotRO to rekindle my interest and passion.

There's something special about this game world that I haven't found elsewhere, I've concluded. Perhaps it's the IP restrictions and continuity that makes Middle-earth more "real" to me than other virtual worlds. Maybe it's the sheer breadth of content or the goofy hats. I can't decide. But I'm happy to raise a glass to LotRO as it turns six and look back at some of my favorite moments over the years.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Happy sixth birthday, LotRO!

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Happy sixth birthday, LotRO! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6th-anniversaryanniversaryexpansionf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionriders-of-rohanroad-to-mordorrorsixth-anniversarythe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentSat, 20 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO hands out daily 'Hobbit presents']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/lotro-hands-out-daily-hobbit-presents/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/lotro-hands-out-daily-hobbit-presents/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/lotro-hands-out-daily-hobbit-presents/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

LotRO hands out daily 'Hobbit presents'
Hobbits love getting gifts, and Turbine loves players being in its game, so now everyone will be rewarded with daily and weekly presents for logging into Lord of the Rings Online. The so-called Hobbit Presents will be awarded daily, with VIP players getting a better version once a week. Each present is held only for 24 hours, after which it is gone forever (but don't cry, Argentina; a new day brings a new present).

The Hobbit Presents will drop a variety of goods, including gear, gold, boosts, and food. The weekly presents have a higher chance of dropping rare rewards. Turbine says that the system will factor in a character's class and level when generating the reward and that only one free present per account will be given daily.

A double-XP weekend began today to celebrate the game's sixth anniversary, and Update 11 is scheduled to go on the test server tomorrow.

MassivelyLotRO hands out daily 'Hobbit presents' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-rewardsdouble-xpdouble-xp-weekendf2pfantasyfree-to-playgiveawayhobbit-presentslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropresentsturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-11Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: A day in LotRO's Forochel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/13/the-road-to-mordor-a-day-in-lotros-forochel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/13/the-road-to-mordor-a-day-in-lotros-forochel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/13/the-road-to-mordor-a-day-in-lotros-forochel/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Road to Mordor A day in Forochel
The snow crunches angrily beneath my boots. It's a hard snow, beaten down by the winds and the constant sub-arctic temperatures. On top of it is a light powder that stings when it is whipped into my eyes. Fortunately all is calm and quiet at the moment, and I move on.

I'm a pioneer in Forochel, or so my title tells me, but I still feel as if I don't know this untamed land. It's the roof of the world, or so they say, with odd peoples, strange languages, and frozen ruins. I see sights there that I never would anywhere else in Middle-earth, and it almost feels like an alien world removed from all I've known because of that.

I walk toward a distant fire while the snow falls behind me and covers my footprints. Too often I think of how far away I am from the safety and warmth of home, and it frightens me. Am I a fool to forge into this land? To go in the opposite direction of the One Ring? Or is this my destined path?

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A day in LotRO's Forochel

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A day in LotRO's Forochel originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfantasyfeaturedforochelfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelorelotroopinionroad-to-mordorstorythe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentSat, 13 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why I Play: Villagers and Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/why-i-play-villagers-and-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/why-i-play-villagers-and-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/why-i-play-villagers-and-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Villagers and Heroes screenshots
Villagers and Heroes, formerly called A Mystical Land, surprised me. I had gone several weeks if not a few months without logging in to the game for longer than a half an hour, so you can imagine my surprise when I realized that the game not only had been improved but had added systems that I thought it never would. In other words, the game was suddenly a world, a fully realized browser-based MMORPG. Despite my feeling that the game was going to languish in state of semi-completion, suddenly it had housing, more crafting, a better UI, and a fully stocked cash shop.

I've streamed the game before, but now I find myself logging in a lot more than ever. And now, after hosting a livestream with associate designer Cameron England (embedded after the cut), I'm really having fun with the game and have noticed that it offers a lot more than games that are much more well-known.

This is why I play Villagers and Heroes.

Continue reading Why I Play: Villagers and Heroes

MassivelyWhy I Play: Villagers and Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mystical-landbeau-hindmanbrowser-basedcameron-englandcraftingeditorialf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftphousinglord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromad-otter-gamesmassively-metametanostalgiaop-edopinionSandboxvillagers-and-heroeswhy-i-playFri, 12 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO rewards dedicated players for the game's sixth anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/lotro-awards-dedicated-players-for-the-games-sixth-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/lotro-awards-dedicated-players-for-the-games-sixth-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/lotro-awards-dedicated-players-for-the-games-sixth-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

LotRO awards dedicated players for the game's sicth anniversary
Lord of the Rings Online is celebrating its sixth birthday this month, and to honor the occasion, the game is holding an anniversary festival from April 16th to April 30th. To say thank you to its loyal fans, Turbine is giving away special gifts based on each player's account status. These gifts will range from a set of fireworks for everyone to more exclusive items for VIP players, depending on how long they've maintained VIP status.

Be sure to log in to the game during the festival to claim your prize, and check out the official FAQ to learn more about each gift.

[Source: Turbine press release]

MassivelyLotRO rewards dedicated players for the game's sixth anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6th-anniversaryanniversarybirthdayf2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrosixthturbineturbine-entertainmentTue, 09 Apr 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Stepping into Fangorn Forest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/06/the-road-to-mordor-stepping-into-fangorn-forest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/06/the-road-to-mordor-stepping-into-fangorn-forest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/06/the-road-to-mordor-stepping-into-fangorn-forest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor Stepping into Fangorn Forest
Without a doubt, Riders of Rohan is one of the best expansions Lord of the Rings Online has delivered to date. True, it's not without its rough spots, but overall I'm impressed. The storytelling is excellent, the landscape is engaging, the mounted combat is pretty fun, the music is incredible, and the amount of stuff to do is mind-boggling.

But it wasn't until a week ago when my slow-but-steady Captain finally encountered my favorite aspect of this expansion: the Eves of Fangorn. I wasn't expecting to be so enchanted and engaged, but LotRO threw me for a loop and there I was -- grinning at the zone design and happy that the game can still produce a sense of wonder and adventure in my soul.

Why is it so good? What won me over? If you're thinking, "He's got a tree fetish, he does," then you might not be too far off base.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Stepping into Fangorn Forest

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Stepping into Fangorn Forest originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eves-of-fangornexpansionf2pfangornfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelorelotroopinionriders-of-rohanroad-to-mordorrorthe-road-to-mordortree-fetishturbineturbine-entertainmentzone-designSat, 06 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: The coming LotRO class apocalypse and how you can survive it]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/the-road-to-mordor-the-coming-lotro-class-apocalypse-and-how-yo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/the-road-to-mordor-the-coming-lotro-class-apocalypse-and-how-yo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/the-road-to-mordor-the-coming-lotro-class-apocalypse-and-how-yo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor The coming class apocalypse and how you can survive it
Out of the four primary goals that the Lord of the Rings Online team has stated for 2013, the promise of class revamps has proven to be the most nerve-wracking -- and intriguing -- among the populace. After all, when you say that "significant changes" are coming to classes and don't follow up with any sort of significant details, speculation and worry is going to run amok.

Last September I argued that classes did need a shakeup. While the whole structure isn't without its redeeming (ahem) virtues, I believed that it wasn't intuitive for new players, that there wasn't really any growth in the abilities or builds of characters post-Moria, and that much of the deed system was simply too grindy.

That's why I'm cautiously optimistic about the "coming class apocalypse" in 2013 -- I'm tired of the status quo. LotRO has an opportunity to cut the dead weight and make leveling interesting all over again. Let's take a look at a few statements by the dev team to deduce what we'll be looking at when it happens.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: The coming LotRO class apocalypse and how you can survive it

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: The coming LotRO class apocalypse and how you can survive it originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classclass-revampclass-treesexpansionf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playkate-paizlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroMatt-Zimmittiopinionriders-of-rohanroad-to-mordorrorskill-treestalent-treesthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentSat, 30 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Cutest creatures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/the-perfect-ten-cutest-creatures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/the-perfect-ten-cutest-creatures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/the-perfect-ten-cutest-creatures/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Perfect Ten Cutest creatures
I vividly remember a conversation I had with my then-girlfriend's parents back in 1996 about the potential of this growing "internet" phenomenon. With my limited understanding, I made it sound downright noble, a Library of Congress available at the fingertips of the average Joe or Jane. What I really should have said that it would be a tool for the distribution of pornography, nerd rage, and cute animal pictures.

I have no idea how big the cute animal picture industry is, but there have got to be millions of aspiring photographers daily who prod little baby critters with encouragement sticks in the hopes of eliciting a few "awws" out of strangers. Even when the serious business of MMOs came a-calling, cuteness infested fantasy lands near and far.

Whenever I see something absurdly cute in an MMO, I always smile because I know that somewhere, some uber-elite, way-too-serious player is developing facial tics from being in the same game world as it. So twitch away, as here are 10 of the cutest critters as seen in-game!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Cutest creatures

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Cutest creatures originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionanarchy-onlineanetaoarenanetback-to-betabetabiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrowserbrowser-basedbuy-to-playcasualclassic-mmoconquestconsoleconsolescrypticcryptic-studioseaelectronic-artsf2pfamilyfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivflashfree-to-playfuncomglitchguild-wars-2gw2hipsterhumorkid-friendlykids-mmokingsislekingsisle-entertainmentlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolucasartsncsoftopinionp10perfect-10perfect-tenperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpvppweriftrift-literift-planes-of-telararounduprvrsandboxsci-fisquaresquare-enixstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstoswtorthe-old-republicthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenthree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvptinyspecktop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtortriontrion-worldsturbineturbine-entertainmentunlauncheningwarcraftwizard101world-of-warcraftwowThu, 28 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LOTRO confirms player skill trees, expansion in the works]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/lotro-confirms-player-skill-trees-expansion-in-the-works/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/lotro-confirms-player-skill-trees-expansion-in-the-works/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/lotro-confirms-player-skill-trees-expansion-in-the-works/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

LOTRO confirms player skill trees, expansion in the works
While it didn't take much reading between the lines to realize that Turbine has an expansion in the works for Lord of the Rings Online this year, the team confirmed the terminology in a dev chat. The devs hinted that the full announcement would come around the game's sixth anniversary next month.

Players had many questions regarding the promised but vaguely detailed revamp coming to characters. Turbine revealed a few more details in the chat: "Three trees per class. Some degree of blending at a higher cost than sticking with a pure build. Bonuses granted based on an early-level specialization choice that grows as points are spent. You can have multiple specs. You can respec."

Other interesting nuggets to chew on from the Q&A session include the news that player housing will include crafting facilities, virtue acquisition may see a significant change, and that applications for the player council will begin tomorrow.

MassivelyLOTRO confirms player skill trees, expansion in the works originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-revampcommunity-q-and-acraftingdev-chatdeveloper-q-and-aexpansionf2pfantasyfree-to-playhelms-deeplord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroplayer-housingq-and-arohanskill-treesturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-11virtuesThu, 21 Mar 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you still love the traditional questing model?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/17/the-daily-grind-do-you-still-love-the-traditional-questing-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/17/the-daily-grind-do-you-still-love-the-traditional-questing-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/17/the-daily-grind-do-you-still-love-the-traditional-questing-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Daily Grind Do you still love the traditional questing model
Lately I've been enjoying somewhat of a gaming renaissance in Lord of the Rings Online. I've been gaming in both high- and low-level areas, chewing through quest lines, and actually reading all of the story text. It struck me that in this day and age when MMOs are attempting to bring storytelling and questing to new levels, there's still something attractive and addicting about "old-fashioned" questing models.

Perhaps it's the straight-forward presentation, the promise of "do this and get rewarded." Maybe it's still satisfying to vacuum up eight quests at once and check them off, one by one. And I think that great tales can still be told through such models.

But enough about what I think -- what's your opinion? Do you still (or ever) love the traditional questing model?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you still love the traditional questing model? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindf2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionquestquestingqueststdgthe-daily-grindtraditional-questing-modeltraditional-queststurbineturbine-entertainmentSun, 17 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Ten virtues strategies for LotRO players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/16/the-road-to-mordor-ten-virtues-strategies-for-lotro-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/16/the-road-to-mordor-ten-virtues-strategies-for-lotro-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/16/the-road-to-mordor-ten-virtues-strategies-for-lotro-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor Ten virtues strategies
Virtues are never far from my mind in Lord of the Rings Online, although recently they've been more a concern as I've been dithering around with several alts in a reality TV show-type vetting of a backup character. While not very sexy in comparison to class, race, and legendary traits, virtues are essential to bolstering your character's stats. As I've said in the past, not pursuing and equipping virtues is akin to ditching a very useful set of armor; you can do it, but it's not recommended.

As LotRO really does not go out of its way to explain virtues and particularly which deeds you'll need to pursue to rank each one up, you'll have to go out of the game and do some basic homework or else be left behind.

While I'm not an expert on all things virtue-related, I've certainly been around the block a few times and would like to share 10 strategies that help me to choose and acquire a good set of virtues over the long haul. And getting 16 ranks in five virtues is a long haul, make no mistake.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Ten virtues strategies for LotRO players

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Ten virtues strategies for LotRO players originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-buildcharacter-buildingcharacter-buildsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playguideguideslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-storeopinionroad-to-mordorthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentvirtuevirtuesSat, 16 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO's Update 10 springs into action]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/lotros-update-10-springs-into-action/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/lotros-update-10-springs-into-action/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/lotros-update-10-springs-into-action/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

LotRO's Update 10 springs into action
Lord of the Rings Online raiders rejoice: Today marks the end of a very long wait for Riders of Rohan raids. Update 10: Against the Shadow, Part II ushers in the second half of the expansion's instance cluster as well as some fairly significant stat changes as the dev team prepares for wide-sweeping class revamps.

The new instances include a six-person fight, The Bells of Dale, plus a trio of 12-person raids: Flight to the Lonely Mountain, the Fires of Smaug, and the Battle for Erebor.

Update 10 has beefed up fate's effects and made agility the Warden's primary stat. Also included with the patch are several new store options, the ability to turn off forced emoting, the removal of dread upon defeat on the landscape, and new scaling for all of the In Their Absence instances. You can read the patch notes on the official site.

MassivelyLotRO's Update 10 springs into action originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>against-the-shadow-part-iif2pfantasyfree-to-playinstance-clusterlonely-mountainlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropatchpatch-notesraidraid-clusterraidsturbineturbine-entertainmentupdateupdate-10update-notesWed, 06 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: The continued standardization of selling power]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/free-for-all-the-continued-standardization-of-selling-power/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/free-for-all-the-continued-standardization-of-selling-power/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/free-for-all-the-continued-standardization-of-selling-power/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Online forum screenshot
Selling power is a much quieter controversy than it used to be. I've been in gaming long enough to remember when selling anything desirable at all was taboo. At the same time, it's always been OK to sell some things like subscriptions or special boxed editions, proving that MMO gamers and others are brilliant at segmenting their rage. If it's a cool, special box with a neat virtual item inside, it somehow does not fall under the same umbrella as selling powerful, useful items in game. I think it does. But geeks in general are good at justifying poor behavior if they get what they want; just ask the hackers and file-swappers.

Still, it doesn't matter how we feel about selling power because the industry is already moving in the direction of selling power, lots of power. EA recently announced that every title it produces from now on will feature microtransactions. While that doesn't guarantee the sale of powerful items, I can promise that it will include some. This train ain't stopping. Sure, the console community seems a bit late to the party when it comes to the power-selling controversy, but that's likely because of MMOs' always-on multiplayer mode.

Continue reading Free for All: The continued standardization of selling power

MassivelyFree for All: The continued standardization of selling power originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinallods-onlineapbbattlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanBigpointcliff-bleszinskidead-space-3die2niteeve-onlineeverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumgamersfirstgears-of-warGears-of-war-2gpotatokingsislekingsisle-entertainmentlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromabinogimass-effect-3mmortsmobileNexonnexon-americaopinionpirate101SOESONYspacetime-studiosTeam-Fortress-2turbinevalvevelvet-ropewakfuwizard101Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Back in the day...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/one-shots-back-in-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/one-shots-back-in-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/one-shots-back-in-the-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

One Shots Back in the day
A few weeks ago I asked everyone to send me in screenshots of pre-2004 MMOs... and only Brad delivered. Seriously, people, you've been shown up by Brad. Brad gets the gold star. Brad gets the golden ticket and can come on a once-in-a-lifetime visit to see the fabled Massively word factory. Brad is my hero.

Brad (if you didn't catch his name) sent us in this shot of Ultima Online: "So much fun with vendors! This is a shot of Angelica's on the Chesapeake Server -- a popular shopping spot in Felucca to grab gear on the go. It was one of the few player-owned vendor spots in a protected zone near Lord British's Castle. This would have been taken around 2002. Notice the detail of the fish tank made from stacked cloth and the flowers made with an onion and two cooked eggs!"

Yes. Notice Brad's eggs, people. In them you can see the reflection of your failure. Aw, just kidding!

Continue reading One Shots: Back in the day...

MassivelyOne Shots: Back in the day... originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetback-to-betabetabring-back-one-shotsbrowserbrowser-basedbuy-to-playcasualclassic-mmoeaelectronic-artsf2pfantasyflashfree-to-playgalleriesgalleryglitchguild-wars-2gw2hipsterlord-britishlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromythicmythic-entertainmentncsoftone-shotspics-or-it-didnt-happenreader-screenshotsreader-submissionssandboxscreenshotscreenshotstinyspeckturbineturbine-entertainmentultimaultima onlineunlauncheninguouser-submissionsSun, 03 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: A fresh perspective from two newbies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-perspective-from-two-newbies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-perspective-from-two-newbies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/02/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-perspective-from-two-newbies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor A fresh perspective from two newbies
In addition to my tried-and-true kinship home on Landroval with The Council of the Secret Fire, I'm part of several other guilds in various MMOs. One of them, Mercy Gaming, went from a Star Wars: The Old Republic guild to a multi-game guild as our interests expanded and shifted. A few weeks back, I discovered that several roaming members of the guild had decided to set up camp in Lord of the Rings Online and found it a great spot to make a game home.

As someone who's been playing LotRO on and off since launch, I think it's downright refreshing to get to experience the game through a whole set of newcomers' eyes. You remember how it was when you were just a low-level Hobbit skipping through the Shire and ignorant of the larger world. It does wonderful things to cleaning off the crusty familiarization that builds up on veterans, I tell you.

I thought it'd be a good learning experience to talk to two of my guildies -- David and Mark -- to show you their perspective as LotRO newbies in 2013. Yes, it's true: New players do come into this game all the time.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A fresh perspective from two newbies

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A fresh perspective from two newbies originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playinterviewinterviewslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromercy-gamingopinionroad-to-mordorthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentSat, 02 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should player homes decay?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/01/the-daily-grind-should-player-homes-decay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/01/the-daily-grind-should-player-homes-decay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/01/the-daily-grind-should-player-homes-decay/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

UO housing tiles
One of the issues plaguing player housing in MMOs is what to do with those houses after the player-owners have left the game or stopped paying for their subscriptions. In Ultima Online, the granddaddy of all MMO housing, your home drops to the ground if you haven't paid your sub in 90 days (and your shardmates can loot all your stuff in a grand free-for-all!). In Star Wars Galaxies, your house stayed standing until it ran out of pre-paid maintenance money, which worked pretty well to help the active players reclaim city space until maintenance was turned off for a few years in consideration for hurricane victims.

Even games with instanced housing feel the space crunch. In Lord of the Rings Online, failure to pay your maintenance fees in-game leads to the eventual return of your lot to the public pool and your having to buy back all your loot from an escrow NPC.

MMO developers are torn between the desire to lure back former players with the promise that their houses are still intact and the desire to keep the world, instanced or not, clear and open for paying or active players. So what do you guys think -- what should be the more dominant goal? If you step away from a game, should your character's home decay? And if it did, would you ever return to the game?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should player homes decay? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgdaily-grinddecayhomehomeshousehousinghousing-decaylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionplayer-housingstar-wars-galaxiesswgtdgthe-daily-grindUltima-OnlineuoFri, 01 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Creative MMO minigames]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/the-perfect-ten-creative-mmo-minigames/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/the-perfect-ten-creative-mmo-minigames/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/the-perfect-ten-creative-mmo-minigames/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Perfect Ten Creative MMO minigames
Few people are without opinions on minigames in MMOs. Some love 'em, some hate 'em, and some just ignore 'em. Some even despise that I won't type "th." Takes all types, really. Personally, I'm all for including new types of enjoyable systems that can be repeated, particularly if it benefits my character in some way.

There's also this perception that minigames are just for kids. It's true that more kid-centric titles like Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures thrive on minigames like you thrive on deep-fried butter balls, but these little diversions exist all over the place in "grownup" titles too. Holidays are a favorite time to trot them out, although there are plenty that exist year-round.

Today we're going to look at 10 creative minigames that have tickled my fancy over the year. Yes, I used the word "fancy." Whatcha gonna do about it?

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Creative MMO minigames

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Creative MMO minigames originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionanetarenanetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbuy-to-playcrypticcryptic-studioseqeq-2eq-iieq1eq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iif2pfallen-earthfantasyfefeaturedfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactiveg1gameforgegameforge-berlingamersfirstguild-wars-2gw2humorlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrominigamesncsoftopinionp10perfect-10perfect-tenperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpost-apocpost-apocalypticpuzzlepuzzle-piratespweromrounduprunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentsandboxsci-fisegasoesonysony-online-entertainmentstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinesteamstotaboreatelonthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenthree-ringsthree-rings-designtop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listturbineturbine-entertainmentvanguardvanguard-saga-of-heroesvgwarcraftwastelandsworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 28 Feb 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO's Wardens get grace period to adjust to stat changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/lotros-wardens-get-grace-period-to-adjust-to-stat-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/lotros-wardens-get-grace-period-to-adjust-to-stat-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/lotros-wardens-get-grace-period-to-adjust-to-stat-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

LotRO's Wardens face major stat changes, get grace period to adjust
Lord of the Rings Online's Wardens are understandably nervous about the big stat changes coming to the class in Update 10. To help clear up any confusion, Turbine's posted a dev diary crunching the numbers and outlining how the change will roll out.

The big change is that the Warden's primary stat will switch from might to agility, and the class' primary form of avoidance will switch from blocking to evading (although the Warden's shield will still provide plenty of the former). As a result, one block-based trait is being reworked to feature evading, and the devs are looking for ways to beef up Wardens' mitigations now that might is no longer a primary stat.

Because the change will impact Wardens who have stocked up on plenty of might gear, Turbine is offering a lengthy grace period to allow the class' players to start switching over to agility gear while keeping both might and agility as primary stats. The grace period is said to last the full length of Update 10 and perhaps longer.

MassivelyLotRO's Wardens get grace period to adjust to stat changes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-diaryf2pfantasyfree-to-playgrace-periodlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrostat-changesturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-10wardenwardensWed, 27 Feb 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Quartet edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/choose-my-adventure-quartet-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/choose-my-adventure-quartet-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/choose-my-adventure-quartet-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Reach out to the truth.
It's that time again, ladies and gentlemen. After three rounds of letting my fate be chosen by the whims of my readers, I have chosen to do the exact same thing all over again. I'm getting back in the big seat and running through Choose My Adventure with a new list of games, a new set of bonus polls, and a new set of whatever else people expect when I do these columns.

Plus, while the third installment usually has a lot of pressure, the fourth installment is rarely assumed to be anything special. So I feel as if I'm off the hook.

This time around, I'm putting in some old favorites, some candidates that are often voted for but never make the prime time, and some games that might just raise some eyebrows. So let's meet our contestants past the break, and get your votes in here by Friday, March 1st!

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Quartet edition

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Quartet edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionallodsallods-onlineascensionastrum-nivalchoose-my-adventurecmacrypticcryptic-studiosddodnddungeons-and-dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivegala-netgameforgegameforge-berlingpotatohands-onlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromail-ru-gamesmail.ru-gamesmailru-gamesncsoftopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpollpollspwereaders-choiceromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentsci-fisoesonysony-online-entertainmentstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotaboreatruly-freeturbineturbine-entertainmentvotevotingWed, 27 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New LotRO dev diary details Update 10 instances]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/new-lotro-dev-diary-details-update-10-instances/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/new-lotro-dev-diary-details-update-10-instances/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/new-lotro-dev-diary-details-update-10-instances/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

New LotRO dev diary details Update 10 instances
A few weeks ago we previewed Lord of the Rings Online's Update 10 raids. Now, you can get even more info straight from the horse's mouth thanks to the latest Turbine dev diary. The lengthy piece offers up detailed mechanical peeks at the new six-man Bells of Dale instance, the Flight to the Lonely Mountain raid, the Fires of Smaug Raid, and the Battle for Erebor raid.

There's also a blurb on the ITA ("in their absence") instance cluster that you can read at the official LotRO website.

MassivelyNew LotRO dev diary details Update 10 instances originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfantasyfree-to-playinstanceslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-update-10turbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-10Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO's Update 10 converts your Seals to Medallions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/lotros-update-10-converts-your-seals-to-medallions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/lotros-update-10-converts-your-seals-to-medallions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/lotros-update-10-converts-your-seals-to-medallions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

LOTRO
Lord of the Rings Online's Update 10 is bringing in some shiny new content, and with that shiny new content comes the problem of currency and reward. LotRO uses a unified currency system of Marks, Medallions, and Seals. In order to make sure that players aren't immediately able to purchase new gear solely on the merits of all the hours they've dumped into the game previously, the LotRO devs have decided to convert players' top-tier tokens to slightly-less-than-top-tier tokens.

When Update 10 hits, each Seal a character has will be converted into 20 Medallions. Items that could be bartered for with Seals previously will have a Medallion cost or barter option added to make up for the conversion. Players will be able to run level 85 content to replenish their stock of Seals, which can then be used to purchase some of the shiny new content rewards.

MassivelyLotRO's Update 10 converts your Seals to Medallions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-diaryeconomyf2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromedallionsealturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-10Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO players pick devs' brains over upcoming changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/lotro-players-pick-devs-brains-over-upcoming-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/lotro-players-pick-devs-brains-over-upcoming-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/lotro-players-pick-devs-brains-over-upcoming-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

LotRO players pick devs' brains over upcoming changes
Lord of the Rings Online players had a third go-around with Turbine's staff in the latest dev chat series. Well over 50 questions were asked and answered during the Twitter event, many of which concerned the upcoming class changes, housing revamp, and player council. There was even talk of a new monster play class, although the devs were careful to cage answers in "maybes" and "we've discussed it."

So what are some of the possibilities for housing? "Just ideas for this month but... more/better storage, better item placement rules, ways to display armor/weapons." The team also hinted that "rewarding choices" will be tantamount to class builds, getting away from the hybrid design that was prominent in the past.

It's a long and perhaps rewarding read, so get thee to the transcript if LotRO is your bag!

MassivelyLotRO players pick devs' brains over upcoming changes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classescommunity-q-and-adev-chatf2pfantasyfree-to-playhousinglord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroq-and-aturbineturbine-entertainmentThu, 21 Feb 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New LotRO screenshots sneak another peek at Update 10]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/new-lotro-screenshots-sneak-another-peek-at-update-10/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/new-lotro-screenshots-sneak-another-peek-at-update-10/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/new-lotro-screenshots-sneak-another-peek-at-update-10/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

New LotRO screenshots sneak another peek at Update 10
Wondering what to do while whiling away the time waiting for the second half of Lord of the Rings Online's promised Riders of Rohan instance cluster? How about lose yourself in some of the imagery that will be awaiting you when Update 10 finally hits servers! Turbine has released 10 new screenshots showing off scenes from all three raid instances -- Flight to Lonely Mountain, The Fires of Smaug, and The Battle for Erebor -- as well as the single group instance, Bells of Dale.

Feast your eyes on the images in the gallery below. And if that isn't enough to tide you over, you can get more up-close and personal with Massively's hands-on preview.

[Source: Turbine press release]

Gallery: LotRO: Riders of Rohan

MassivelyNew LotRO screenshots sneak another peek at Update 10 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bells-of-Daledungeonsexpansionf2pfantasyFlight-to-Lonely-Mountainfree-to-playgalleryinstanceslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroraidsriders-of-rohanrorscreenshotsThe-Battle-For-EreborThe-Fires-of-Smaugturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-10Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST