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: The 10 most memorable quests in LotRO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/05/the-road-to-mordor-the-10-most-memorable-quests-in-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/05/the-road-to-mordor-the-10-most-memorable-quests-in-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/05/the-road-to-mordor-the-10-most-memorable-quests-in-lotro/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

LotRO
I honestly have no idea how many quests we're up to in Lord of the Rings Online at this point. Thousands, for sure. And as with many other facets in life, 90% of these quests are fated to be unmemorable tasks that blur together with all the rest. However, I've always felt that LotRO has a decently high cool quest-to-forgettable chore ratio, at least compared to other MMOs.

What makes a memorable quest? Here's my litmus test: When I sat down first thing in the morning, all bleary-eyed, to write this article, these quests bubbled up to the forefront of my mind. They've "stuck," for lack of a more precise term, in my head. They've made an impression, and because of that I feel they're among the cream of the crop in LotRO's repertoire.

For today's Road to Mordor, I'm going to simply list the first 10 most memorable quests that came to me. I actually was going to just do six, but couldn't stop myself there; I could barely halt at 10, if that gives you an indication. These might not be your most favorite quests or even the best in the game, but they've been the ones that have stuck with me through thick and thin.'

Warning: Past this point thar be spoilers! Beware!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: The 10 most memorable quests in LotRO

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: The 10 most memorable quests in LotRO originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ale-associationepic-storylinefeaturedfrodofrostblufffrostbluff-theatregollumhauntinglord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriaquestquestsrise-of-isengardstoriestookturbinevolume-2volume-iiwatcherwatcher-in-the-waterSat, 05 Nov 2011 15:00:00 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balrogdwarfdwarveselfelvesepic-storyfeaturedfellowshipfellowship-of-the-ringflashbackflashbacksfrodogandalfiron-garrison-guardslegendary-itemslegendary-traitslord-of-the-rings-onlinelothlorienlotromazgogmines-of-moriamirkwoodsauronsiege-of-mirkwoodskirmishskirmishessoloficationspoilersturbineturbine-entertainmentvolume-1volume-2volume-ivolume-iiwatcherwatcher-in-the-waterFri, 06 May 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's the hardest boss you've ever fought?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/15/the-daily-grind-whats-the-hardest-boss-youve-ever-fought/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/15/the-daily-grind-whats-the-hardest-boss-youve-ever-fought/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/15/the-daily-grind-whats-the-hardest-boss-youve-ever-fought/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The video game boss is as traditional as it is feared. From the earliest days of the console generation to our fancy-schmancy Eminem-Os, gamers have cut their teeth on challenging villains such as the Sleeper, Mallyx, Tarinax the Destroyer and the Watcher in the Water. Boss battles always seem impossible at the outset, punishing parties with a complete wipe at a single mistake. Strategies are memorized, patterns are ingrained and teamwork polished until that big baddie hits the floor, sobbing like a baby.

So what's the hardest boss you've ever fought in a MMORPG? Was it an epic one-on-one battle, a harrowing party fight, or even a raid boss so mighty that its mere gaze stopped you in your tracks? What made this confrontation so difficult -- the sheer pool of hit points, the complex strategy or the way it almost seemed to cheat to win?

And no, "Hogger" doesn't count for this Daily Grind. These memes have a statute of limitations, you know.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's the hardest boss you've ever fought? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh Turbine. Just when we were starting to wonder how many more of these Moria preview videos you could bring out, you hit us with the best one of all. In this most recent video trailer from Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria, we get a look at a group of players battling the Watcher in the Water as part of the 12-man raid instance in the game.

Luckily, we've fed you all the info you'd ever want to know about the Watcher in a recent Know Your LotRO Lore article, so you should be well-prepared for this video. Our sister site, Big Download, plays host to the low and hi-res versions of this video, so check it out embedded after the cut below, or at BigDownload.com.

Continue reading LotRO Watcher in the Water raid video

MassivelyLotRO Watcher in the Water raid video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-man-instancelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriaraidtrailerturbinevideowatcher-in-the-waterFri, 21 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Know Your LotRO Lore: The Watcher in the Water]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/know-your-lotro-lore-the-watcher-in-the-water/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/know-your-lotro-lore-the-watcher-in-the-water/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/know-your-lotro-lore-the-watcher-in-the-water/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.

With Mines of Moria releasing today, we thought we'd focus this week's Know Your LotRO Lore on one of the key monsters you'll encounter on your trip into the mines: The Watcher in the Water. This is the tentacled creature that lives in the dark pool of water, just outside of Hollin's Gate (aka Durin's Door). There are many theories as to the nature and origin of this creature, and most of it is either pure speculation or educated guess.

In this article, we'll explain the creature's role in Tolkien's Lore, the many speculations of its purpose and how it pertains to Lord of the Rings Online and the first expansion, Mines of Moria. Follow along through the link below... and beware!

Gallery: Know Your LotRO Lore

LothlorienThe EntsGimliThe ValarOrcs and Goblins

MassivelyKnow Your LotRO Lore: The Watcher in the Water originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredjoystiqfeaturesknow-your-lotro-lorelord-of-the-rings-onlinelorelotromines-of-moriawatcher-in-the-waterTue, 18 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST