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: For want of a horseshoe, my sanity was lost]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/the-road-to-mordor-for-want-of-a-horseshoe-my-sanity-was-lost/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/the-road-to-mordor-for-want-of-a-horseshoe-my-sanity-was-lost/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/15/the-road-to-mordor-for-want-of-a-horseshoe-my-sanity-was-lost/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boarboarsepic-questepic-storylineerebrandirs-horseshoeevendimf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhorseshoehorseshoesistienlegendary-itemslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroluckluckylucky-horseshoemadolionsmind-gamesaurontheoriesturbineturbine-entertainmentvolume-3volume-iiiFri, 15 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online: "Solofication" is the word of the day]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/lord-of-the-rings-online-solofication-is-the-word-of-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/lord-of-the-rings-online-solofication-is-the-word-of-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/lord-of-the-rings-online-solofication-is-the-word-of-the-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ever since Turbine modified the first volume of its epic storyline for Lord of the Rings Online, players have eagerly anticipated the same revamp of Mines of Moria's Volume II. With the upcoming Echoes of the Dead patch, this will in fact take place, and Turbine's ready with another illuminating dev diary to shed some light on the process on the "solofication" of Volume II.

It turns out that reworking Volume II wasn't as simple as scaling down mob health or just slapping Inspired Greatness (a huge buff) on characters. Every stage of the journey -- which contained many large group instances -- had to be reconsidered, and Turbine's Bob Hess details how the content team broke down the journey, adjusted it and then reassembled it to be a more solo-friendly experience. "Overall, I feel as though the changes made will allow a great number of players who previously could not proceed through the epic to see the rest of the story unfold," Hess said.

Volume II's solofication includes taking battle instances and transforming them into skirmishes, adjusting the levels of the different books and making quest objectives simpler. You can read the entire article over at LotRO's website, and don't miss out on five new screenshots from Echoes of the Dead below!

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online free-to-play

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online: "Solofication" is the word of the day originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle-instancesbob-hessechoes-of-the-deadgalleryinspired-greatnesslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriaskirmishessoloficationturbineturbine-entertainmentvolume-1volume-2volume-3volume-ivolume-iivolume-iiiTue, 08 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Just around the bend]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-just-around-the-bend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-just-around-the-bend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-just-around-the-bend/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

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[Volume 3: The Fury of War coming to Allods Online this December]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/02/volume-3-the-fury-of-war-coming-to-allods-online-this-december/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/02/volume-3-the-fury-of-war-coming-to-allods-online-this-december/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/02/volume-3-the-fury-of-war-coming-to-allods-online-this-december/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The free-to-play developer gPotato has announced a third volume for its popular F2P fantasy title Allods Online. The Fury of War follows in the footsteps of the second volume, Rise of Gorluxor, by offering more free options, items, and content. However, this volume will focus more on guilds and high-level content. Two completely new zones will open up for players: the level 40 PvP areas (Melting Isle and the Junes Catacombs) and a level 40 allod called the Lost Isle.

The Melting Isle is a faction-forgotten free-for-all PvP arena with a greater chest guaranteed to spawn if there are more than 20 participants. The Junes Catacombs also ignores factional alignments in this PvP maze, but as an added challenge, there are three bosses, including an ultimate boss, that groups must defeat in order to claim the instance rewards. Each time you enter this maze, it changes.

After the launch of Volume 3, guilds in Allods can claim ownership of specific allods or entire astral sectors by a new guild-leveling mechanic. This new addition will pit guild against guild for control -- if you claim ownership, you must be able to defend it. Other guilds will want what you have.

The Fury of War will launch before Christmas. For more information, visit the Allods official website, where you can download the game and try it out for yourself.

Gallery: Allods: Fury of War

MassivelyVolume 3: The Fury of War coming to Allods Online this December originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allodsallods-onlinefury-of-wargallerygpotatoguild-vs-guildguildsgvgnew-zonespatchscreenshotsthe-fury-of-warupdatevolume-3Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO announces Volume III, Book 1: Oath of the Rangers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/lotro-announces-volume-iii-book-1-oath-of-the-rangers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/lotro-announces-volume-iii-book-1-oath-of-the-rangers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/lotro-announces-volume-iii-book-1-oath-of-the-rangers/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Lord of the Rings Online fans have been speculating for a while, wondering what the name of Volume III, Book 1 was going to be. Turbine's Sapience has been giving increasingly specific hints in a hangman-style game in the forums. Now the game's over, he's had his fun, and we have a title.

Volume 3:Allies of the King, Book 1: Oath of the Rangers is on the way, bringing with it plenty of new additions to the game.

Players will be returning to Dol Guldur for four skirmishes in the brand new twelve person mode, and a fifth skirmish in the Depths of Nûrz Ghâshu. Crafting will receive a some attention as well: players will be able to craft items up to level 65, and there will be crafting updates for Jewellers, Cooks, Woodworkers, Farmers, and Weaponsmiths.

Of course, these are just a few of the highlights for the newly-titled Volume. All the current details are on the official site, so take a look, and we'll keep an eye out for more information!

MassivelyLotRO announces Volume III, Book 1: Oath of the Rangers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allies-of-the-kingBreakingCodemasterslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-craftinglotro-expansionoath-of-the-rangersskirmishesturbinevolume-3volume-iiiThu, 28 Jan 2010 18:45:00 EST