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[Lord of the Rings Online discusses this year's Yule Festival]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-discusses-this-years-yule-festival/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-discusses-this-years-yule-festival/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-discusses-this-years-yule-festival/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The forces of evil can wait while we build snowmen.
Generally, holiday events aren't seen as content in major need of updating. Usually a game that runs an event one year will run more or less the same event the next year with a handful of extra toys. But the holiday events in Lord of the Rings Online are still an important part of the game experience, which is why the Yule Festival has undergone some serious revamping and changes to hopefully make this year the best Yule ever.

As outlined in the new developer diary, the original incarnation had a lot of space in Winter-home that didn't tie together, leaving the area feeling empty despite the abundance of content. The changes were thus focused around making full use of the space as well as making the existing quests a bit friendlier to players to address some long-standing complaints. The overall effect should make the area feel more lively and the event more fun for everyone, whether you've done it for years or this is your first Yule in Middle-earth.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online discusses this year's Yule Festival originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christmaschristmas-2011developer-diarieseventsf2pfree-to-playholiday-eventlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrlotronewspatchesturbineturbine-entertainmentwinter-holiday-2011yule-festivalyule-festival-2011Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Festivals and you -- a love story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/the-road-to-mordor-festivals-and-you-a-love-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/the-road-to-mordor-festivals-and-you-a-love-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/the-road-to-mordor-festivals-and-you-a-love-story/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's a shame that Lord of the Rings Online's fourth anniversary will probably be remembered more for being a mismanaged festival event than for the achievement that reaching four years signifies. But things are as they are, and the "Grindaversary" has now gone down in LotRO's history of what not to do for an event.

If you're only tangentially tuning in to the LotRO news these days, last week Turbine launched its first anniversary celebration in the game (previous anniversaries were marked only by gift tokens dropping in the world). The celebration was a lesser type of festival that borrowed elements from previous events, namely, the horse races and the beer brawl. Players were challenged to participate in both to gain tokens to acquire special rewards, such as a new horse mount, housing decorations, and cosmetic outfits.

The problem was twofold: The tokens were gained so slowly that it took a long time to get enough for even one moderately priced reward, and the only endlessly repeatable activity (the beer brawl) could be failed if you were knocked out of the area by another player. As a result, players heavily protested what should've been a fun time and Turbine ended up with egg on its face.

In participating myself, talking with friends, and reading through the many, many responses to the event, I got to thinking about how Turbine's approached festivals over the past year or so and how the studio can learn from this to avoid another stumble.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Festivals and you -- a love story

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Festivals and you -- a love story originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4th-anniversaryanniversaryanniversary-eventanniversary-festivalbeer-brawldepantsingDoily-Destriereventfeaturedfestivalfluffgrindgrindaversaryhaunted-houselord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroshrew-stompingskeeballspring-festivaltreadmillturbineturbine-entertainmentwinter-festivalwinter-homeworking-as-intendedyule-festivalFri, 29 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/through-turbines-palantir-developers-outline-lotros-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

In J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, characters would use magical orbs known as palantírs to see and communicate with far away places. While Massively's own palantír is at the shop, we had access to the next best thing -- a one-on-two chat about Lord of the Rings Online's future with Turbine's Aaron Campbell and Adam Mersky.

A lot's been happening since LotRO's free-to-play version went online last fall -- the closest thing to a relaunch that this game is likely to ever see -- and both Campbell and Mersky have one important message for fans: We're just getting started. Even as the Turbine team gears up for LotRO's third expansion, Rise of Isengard, the devs want you to know that they're also dedicated to bringing a good amount of content between now and then.

Everything was on the table during this discussion, from this weekend's anniversary celebration to next month's update to the new expansion. Join us after the jump for a look through the palantír to see what information we can pry from the future!

Continue reading Through Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future

MassivelyThrough Turbine's palantír: Developers outline LotRO's future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24-man-raidaaron-campbelladam-merskyanniversaryattack-at-dawnbarrow-downsbeer-brawlbeer-fightcharacter-modelsdunlande3e3-2011echoes-of-the-deadentsered-luinevendimf2pfeaturedfourth-anniversaryfree-to-playgap-of-rohangiant-dragongolfgoonieshall-of-nighthalls-of-nighthousingicy-crevasseinn-of-the-forsakenisengardlevel-caplord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromay-updatemirkwoodmounted-combatraidrevamprise-of-isengardRohirrimsarumanskirmishesthe-hobbitthe-riftthe-two-towerstreasure-huntturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-2update-3yule-festivalzone-revampThu, 21 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: The Professor]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/07/the-road-to-mordor-the-professor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/07/the-road-to-mordor-the-professor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/07/the-road-to-mordor-the-professor/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This past week on January 3rd, J.R.R. Tolkien celebrated his 118th birthday -- or rather, we celebrated it for him. Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892 and lived a rich and full life, from fighting in the first World War to working on the Oxford English Dictionary to taking a position at several universities that would earn him the nickname "The Professor."

He is, of course, most well-remembered for his seminal works of fantasy -- The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion -- although his writings didn't end there. Due to Tolkien's love of nature, linguistics, and mythology, his creations were born out of comprehensive backgrounds and rich histories, which he seemed to love making up just as much as the stories themselves.

For years now, Tolkien fans around the world have remembered his birthday by raising a glass on his birthday and giving a simple toast, "The Professor," at 9:00 p.m. wherever they lived. Likewise, in Lord of the Rings Online, many players gathered at their tavern of choice to do the same.

Today I thought I'd remember the Professor in a slightly different way by exploring the quest chain "Missing the Meeting." While it's not completely overt if you happened to come across it, "Missing the Meeting" is a tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien and his life, and it's worth going through at least once if you want to pay homage and get a nifty token by which to remember him.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: The Professor

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: The Professor originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bird-and-baby-innbirthdaybrandywinebullroarers-swardcarlo-williamscharles-williamschronicles-of-narniacs-lewiseagle-and-child-pubelfevendimfeaturedfrostbluff-theatrehomagehugo-dysoninklingsjack-lewisdownjrr-tolkienlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelost-doglost-leaflotrolotro-wikimiddle-earthmissing-the-meetingnarnianpcowen-barfieldowen-farfieldoxford-english-dictionarypipepostal-servicequestronald-dwaleroverandomsouth-africathe-hobbitthe-inklingsthe-professorthe-silmarilliontoasttolkientolkiennaturbineuniversity-of-oxfordworld-war-iyule-festivalFri, 07 Jan 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: A year in Middle-earth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/31/the-road-to-mordor-a-year-in-middle-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/31/the-road-to-mordor-a-year-in-middle-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/31/the-road-to-mordor-a-year-in-middle-earth/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

What a difference a year makes, eh? One year ago, and you didn't have to put up with me yammering at you every Friday like a hyperactive badger with a personality disorder. One year ago, and we weren't free-to-play-anything, Turbine was its own company, the festivals were nowhere near as cool as they are today, and shrews freely roamed the land without fear of reprisal.

So in my last Road to Mordor (of the year, stop rejoicing over there!), I thought it'd be great to look back at the wild rollercoaster that was 2010 in Lord of the Rings Online. I also thought I'd get an easy column out of all this, but that was before I had to read through 1,337 posts and my eyeballs began to lose pressure.

January

Stuff happened. Let's move on.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A year in Middle-earth

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A year in Middle-earth originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarybilboclosed-betacodemasterscontestcraftingddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinee3end-of-the-year-2010enedwaithexpansioneyeball-pressuref2pfall-festivalfree-to-playfrostbluff-theatrehaunted-burrowisengardisengard-private-preview-programjeff-jungejeffrey-steefelkate-paizlord-of-the-rings-onlinelore-masterlotrolotterieslotterylua-scriptingmoddingmodsoath-of-the-rangerspaxpax-2010pax-primeqareputation-mountsrise-of-isengardrune-keepersapienceshrew-stompingshrewssiege-of-mirkwoodspring-festivalsteed-of-nightsummer-festivalsyp-is-so-dreamytalk-like-a-pirate-daythe-road-to-mordorthird-anniversaryturbineturbine-entertainmentvaultvolume-iii-book-1wardrobewarner-broswbwinter-homeyule-festivalFri, 31 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Figgy pudding]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/the-road-to-mordor-figgy-pudding/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/the-road-to-mordor-figgy-pudding/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/the-road-to-mordor-figgy-pudding/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

For those of us who celebrate the holidays, right now is an insanely busy time of the year. There are presents to be wrapped, eggnog to be nogged, and looks of annoyance to be thrown at the radio when the music station decides to play that Do They Know It's Christmas? song for the sixth time that hour.

It also means that winter holidays are hitting most major MMOs, including our beloved Lord of the Rings Online. This year, the Yule Festival is marked by the addition of a whole new area -- Winter-home -- and players are already neck-deep in the quests, snowball fights and theatrical hilarity. Turbine's done a spectacular job this year infusing a lot more life and fun into the festivals, from the shrew stomping this past spring to the Haunted Burrow this fall. Winter-home is, in many ways, a perfect capstone to a terrific year for the game, and it's a pretty enjoyable event from what I've seen so far.

So grab that cute Hobbit or Dwarf and join me as we travel to the merriment of Winter-home this week!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Figgy pudding

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Figgy pudding originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-casual-stroll-to-mordora-christmas-carolBah-humbugcharles-dickenschristmascosmeticcosmetic-outfitdickensdo-they-know-its-christmasdwarfeating-contestfeast-beastfeaturedfrostbluff-theaterfrostbluff-theatreglittering-yule-steedglobehaunted-burrowhobbitholiday-eventin-game-eventlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromuppetpretty-in-pinkrich-vs-poorrise-of-isengardshakespeareshrew-stompingsnowball-fightsparkle-ponysparkleponystatler-and-waldorftolkienturbinewinter-homeyule-festivalFri, 17 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's your favorite in-game winter holiday?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/13/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-in-game-winter-holiday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/13/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-in-game-winter-holiday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/13/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-in-game-winter-holiday/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

There's nothing better to cement the mood of the holidays than a cup of hot liquidy beverage, a roaring fireplace (or, lacking a fireplace, a carefully controlled indoor fireworks display), and an internet-capable computer that allows you access to your favorite MMOs. Of course, this is the time of year when most MMOs pull out their annual winter-themed holiday events, which are packaged in such a way to offend no one while calling on the spirit of the season.

So granted that you're fond of these holidays, we want to know which MMO winter event is your fave? It's not as if you lack choices at this point: Frostfell, Yule Festival, Wookiee Life Day, Winter Veil, Wintersday, First Night, Frostburgh, Solorius, Attack of the Misfit Toys, Festivult, Snowflake Festival, Starlight Celebration, Midwinter Festival, Festival of the White Hart, Snowdays, Junkadoo, Festival of Gloriann... the list just goes on and on.

For a bonus question, what are your winter event goals this year? Do you have your eye on a special prize, decoration or outfit?

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's your favorite in-game winter holiday? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attack-of-the-misfit-toyschristmasdecorationfestival-of-gloriannfestival-of-the-white-hartfestivultfirst-nightfrostburghfrostfelljunkadoomidwinter-festivalopinionoutfitsnowdayssnowflake-festivalsoloriusstarlight-celebrationtdgthe-daily-grindwinter-eventwinter-festivalwinter-holidaywinter-veilwintersdaywookie-life-dayyule-festivalMon, 13 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO's Yule Festival Theatre transforms players into actors]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/lotros-yule-festival-theatre-transforms-players-into-actors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/lotros-yule-festival-theatre-transforms-players-into-actors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/lotros-yule-festival-theatre-transforms-players-into-actors/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It started as a simple idea: To include an interactive theater experience with Lord of the Rings Online's revamped Yule Festival. However, as Turbine's "Rhidden" writes in a new dev diary, the simple idea became fiendishly complex in application.

With the advent of next week's festival, players will be invited to Frostbluff Theatre in Winter-home to watch "The Curious Disappearance of Mad Baggins," the story of Bilbo's vanishing at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring told from the Hobbits' point of view. What's interesting is that Turbine wants players to be involved, both as audience members (throwing flower petals or rotten fruit, based on the performances) and as potential actors (who may "choose their own adventure" with emotes to complete the story).

Because the LotRO team wanted this to be more than just a "Simon Says" game, they created an intricate script and whipped up a powerful, yet invisible, NPC called "The Audience" that handles the interaction and score-keeping. Based on performances, actors can be rewarded with titles for stellar performances as well as horrible ones. Rhidden promises that no two performances should play out the same.

Read more about this truly unique festival event over at LotRO's site!

MassivelyLotRO's Yule Festival Theatre transforms players into actors originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actingbilbobilbo-bagginschoose-your-own-adventurefellowship-of-the-ringfrostbluff-theaterin-game-eventinteractive-theaterlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromad-bagginsrhiddensimon-saysthe-curious-disappearance-of-mad-bagginsthe-fellowship-of-the-ringtheatertheatreturbineTurbine-Entertainmentyule-festivalFri, 10 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Bits 'n' pieces]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/03/the-road-to-mordor-bits-n-pieces/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/03/the-road-to-mordor-bits-n-pieces/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/03/the-road-to-mordor-bits-n-pieces/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Three wolves. A full moon. One incredible cloak in the Lord of the Rings Online store. As a forum poster asked, is the Cloak of the Mountain Wolves too powerful and too intrinsically sweet?

I think it is a distinct possibility. I already own six and have Sauron on farm status because of them. Forget piddly rings -- this is the one cloak to rule them all, and in the darkness, blind them.

I'm a bit all over the place in today's column, so bear with me as I spew forth a 427-line stream-of-consciousness poem devoted to Aragorn's stubble. You totally know you want to hit the jump to read it. I triple-dog-dare ya.

[Editor -- No, Justin, you have to write a normal column. Don't make me get the fire hose.]

Darn.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Bits 'n' pieces

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Bits 'n' pieces originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaron-campbelladam-merskybreakingbusy-beecosmeticcosmetic-systemdourhanddungeonsdunlandeager-beaverenedwaithettenmoorsf2pfeaturedfedexfellowship-of-the-ringfirst-agefree-to-playgap-of-rohangondorikeaisengardjourney-to-winter-homelegendary-itemslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelore-masterlotromad-bagginsmiddle-earthmines-of-moriamonster-playnon-combat-petorthancoutfitpvmppvpraidsrandiancerise-of-isengardrohanrune-keepersarumanshadows-of-angmarsiege-of-mirkwoodstarter-zonestudly-mcawesometask-systemtasksthe-road-to-mordorthe-two-towersturbineTurbine-Entertainmentwardrobewhite-handwinter-homeyuleyule-festivalFri, 19 Nov 2010 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Best holiday event of the season]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/the-daily-grind-best-holiday-event-of-the-season/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/the-daily-grind-best-holiday-event-of-the-season/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/the-daily-grind-best-holiday-event-of-the-season/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We've only just made it to Christmas Eve here in the real world, but the traditional MMO holiday events have been going strong now for weeks. Like clockwork every year, when December rolls around, we expect our game worlds to be flooded with gift-giving NPCs, have our quest logs filled to capacity with festive tasks, and cop a handful of digital snowballs to the face. This year is no different -- but which MMO was host to the most fun and refreshing holiday event?

To jog your memory, we've had the Yule Festival in Lord of the Rings Online, the Saving Santa event in Lineage II, Keg End in Warhammer Online, the Feast of Winter Veil in World of Warcraft, Frostfell Wonderland Village in EverQuest II, the Winter Event in City of Heroes -- we'll cut the list short there for obvious reasons, but that doesn't mean you can't root for a game we didn't mention. Tell us which one deserves the Candy Cane of Excellence in 2008!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Best holiday event of the season originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's that time of year again -- when every MMO on the market decides to break out in some form of winter-y celebration. Festivities abound! AoC is handing out gifts, EVE offers snowball fights, Nexon holds festivals, Warhammer celebrates Keg End, Lineage II lets you save Santa, the World of Warcraft celebrates Winter Veil, Guild Wars players celebrate Wintersday, City of Heroes and Villains hold their uncreatively named Winter Event, LotRO hosts the Yule Festival, EverQuest II celebrates Frostfell, Final Fantasy XI hosts the Starfall Celebration, and probably a number of other events in a number of other games that have slipped our immediate notice.

Whew! If you haven't been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of holiday cheer provided by that simple list of events, then here's the question(s) from Massively HQ to you. Are you celebrating this holiday season MMO style? Seeking out every seasonal quest and seeing how many MMOs have virtual eggnog to indulge in? Would you prefer not to have real world holidays barging into your virtual reality? Or does celebrating in real life provide you with more than enough holiday cheer for one lifetime?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: 'Tis the season originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>holidayholidaysholidays2008keg-endtdgthe-daily-grindwinterwinter-eventwinter-veilwintersdayyuleyule-festivalMon, 22 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's guide to LotRO's Yule Festival]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/massivelys-guide-to-lotros-yule-festival/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/massivelys-guide-to-lotros-yule-festival/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/massivelys-guide-to-lotros-yule-festival/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Now that the Yule Festival in Lord of the Rings Online is in full swing, you may find yourself in need of a proper guide nudging you in the right direction. Well, that's why we're here! Whether you haven't had a chance to try the festival yet, or you're just stuck in a quest, this guide will help you get the most out of the event.

This year's Yulemath has many features that are identical to other events we've seen previously. You can head on over to any Town Crier for a complete list of events going on around Middle-earth. Because of so many similarities, I will refer to a previous guide we've done for this year's Summer Festival and explain only the differences. Plus, you can visit our Yule Festival gallery for a visual aid to this guide. It all starts just after the cut below.

Gallery: LotRO Yule Festival

Yule HorsesBree QuartermasterShire QuartermasterYule Woes questGathering Apples in the Shire

Continue reading Massively's guide to LotRO's Yule Festival

MassivelyMassively's guide to LotRO's Yule Festival originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christmasfeaturedjoystiqfeatureslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroseasonturbinewinteryuleyule-festivalFri, 12 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Much too bright to sneak here!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/one-shots-much-too-bright-to-sneak-here/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/one-shots-much-too-bright-to-sneak-here/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/one-shots-much-too-bright-to-sneak-here/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's been a while since we've been able to feature a Lord of the Rings Online One Shot. Of course, we figure that's because everyone is buried in Moria and is way too busy playing to send us screenshots. However, with the holidays now being in full swing for many areas, it appears some folks have wandered out of the Mines to once again send us some Lord of the Rings Online love. Today's One Shots is a great screenshot of one of those tricksy Hobbits, ReijMan, who noted: So much for sneaking around here! ^_^ Picture is taken south of Thorin's gate, outside on Frerin's court when I was doing the Yule Festival.

Have you been enjoying the holidays in your favorite MMORPG? If so, we want to see some screenshots of what's going on for you! Just take a quick screenshot and send it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and what game it's from. You're welcome to add your own note, message, or holiday shout-out to your friends in there, but it's not required. Then grab a cocoa and relax; we'll take care of the rest!

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Much too bright to sneak here! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hobbitlord-of-the-rings-onlinelortoone-shotsreijmanscreenshotscreenshotsstealth-failyule-festivalFri, 12 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO's Yule Festival has begun!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/lotros-yule-festival-has-begun/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/lotros-yule-festival-has-begun/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/lotros-yule-festival-has-begun/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The Town Crier is going to be busy these next few weeks as the Yule Festival has officially arrived in Lord of the Rings Online. These winter festivities include contests similar to those at other seasonal events in each of the starting zones: The Shire, Bree, Duillond and Thorin's Hall. There's a return of token collecting, gift boxes, the Inn League and more!

In addition, we have a new horse for Yulemath, as shown in the screenshot above. You can certainly expect a complete guide to the Yule Festival coming very soon from us at Massively, but in the meantime, be sure to check out the official forums as players uncover more in-game goodies!

MassivelyLotRO's Yule Festival has begun! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>forumshorsesin-game-eventlotromines-of-moriaturbinewinter-eventyule-festivalyulemathThu, 11 Dec 2008 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Get ready for LotRO's Yule Festival]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/09/get-ready-for-lotros-yule-festival/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/09/get-ready-for-lotros-yule-festival/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/09/get-ready-for-lotros-yule-festival/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It's that time once again. As the winter holiday season approaches, what could arguably be considered the best time for in-game events is beginning to arrive. In Lord of the Rings Online, this season is called the Yule Festival, celebrated during the last month of the year.

Yule is considered a time of hope for all free peoples of Middle-earth. It is celebrated with traditional decorations, warm cider, rich feasts and more. As with all LotRO festivals, each home land has its own version of Yule, adding to the variety and excitement of the season. Be sure to check out Bree-land and Michel Delving which will once again host some exciting horse races where the winner will take home a sturdy winter mount. The festivities begin on December 11th, so get ready!

MassivelyGet ready for LotRO's Yule Festival originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eventholidayhorselord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromountturbinewinteryule-festivalTue, 09 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST