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The Breaking of Isengard: A play session with Lord of the Rings Online's Update 13
It's strange to realize that Lord of the Rings Online players have been exploring Volume III of the epic story for four years now. With Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard, all of that is going to end. Volume III will wrap up, Saruman will get what's coming to him, and players will have a new endgame before heading out to Gondor. We had a play session with the LotRO devs today covering the final eight chapters of Volume III and chatting a bit about what players will fill their time with as they wait for Update 14. Update 13 is certainly replete with plenty to do and see, from an upgraded inventory, mail improvements, a scaling Ettenmoors, revamped zones, and new crafting challenges, but the main story is what pushes the game forward. In the final chapters of Volume III, players will not only investigate what happened to Isengard during the Battle of Helm's Deep but will have the option of jumping into the shoes (roots?) of an Ent for a unique perspective of an important character in the books. It'll be worth the journey, if only to have a shot at obtaining the first (non-Lore-master) cosmetic pets in the game. You read that right.
LotRO Update 5.1 shoots Saruman in the knee
Lord of the Rings Online is bringing its servers down today to apply Update 5.1 across the board. While it's certainly not a content patch like its predecessor, it does have a sizable number of fixes and tweaks that should improve quality of (game) life for all. Some of the changes include eliminating dyes from lootboxes, a nerf to Minstrel codas, many tweaks to the Tower of Orthanc raid, the option to timestamp chat messages, and small improvements to the treasure hunt. The devs have also posted an updated list of known issues for the game. As always, it's worth going through the patch notes to try to find the funny asides. In this update? "Addressed a number of typos. Probably added some new ones."
The Road to Mordor: A prisoner of Isengard
With Update 5 on the horizon, there's certainly plenty to look forward to in Lord of the Rings Online, especially if you've exhausted all of Rise of Isengard's content to date. Personally, I'm still trucking along: level 73, in the middle of the Gap of Rohan, picking flowers and pontificating on Hobbit meal schedules. As you can tell, I haven't been in any particular rush to get to the end. However, I realized this past week that somewhere along the line I had abandoned my pursuit of Volume III, Book 4, so I went to pick it back up. It turned out that I was on the verge of some of the most interesting and gripping quests in the game, and for the first time since forever, I stayed up really late to see how the questing would pan out. Obviously, there's going to be some serious spoilers in this here column, so if you haven't finished Book 4 of Rise of Isengard, you may wish to just bookmark this for later reading. I'm not typically eager to spoil story points, but this quest line got me so worked up that I simply had to talk about it this week.
LotRO's Devs of the Roundtable sally forth on Update 5's instance cluster
What's better than one developer sharing the thought process behind a major update to a game? Six. Cut out the middleman and go right to "six," we say. Ergo, it's lightning development caught in a bottle to see a half-dozen Lord of the Rings Online designers and worldbuilders gather together to talk about the instance cluster of the upcoming Update 5. Update 5's five instances -- including an epic raid confrontation with Saruman -- presented unique challenges and exciting opportunities for the team. Worldbuilder Dan Ouellette says that Turbine didn't want to limit itself to merely Orthanc: "After looking at all our ideas we knew we didn't want to have them all in the tower, because that would be a very boring cluster. It's a very small space and in general... just really long." Instead, the team branched out to focus on the surroundings, inner workings, and underneath of Orthanc for the five instances. The different types of instances -- three-, six-, and 12-person -- allowed the team to try out different tricks as well. "It's an exciting and difficult demand when working on a three-man," Content Designer Bob Hess says. "The types of challenges you present to people have to be a little more outside-the-box." It's a smörgåsbord of delectable information, so if you're craving good group content in LotRO, you'll definitely want to scoop this up.
The Road to Mordor: Thoughts on Update 5
Update 5: Saruman's Obviously Not Compensating for Anything With That Tower will undoubtedly be the last hurrah of Lord of the Rings Online -- this year, that is. It's an interesting update that looks to patch in the rest of Rise of Isengard's content (namely, the instance cluster) and provide a little something-something for players who have already reached the end of the epic storyline and are looking for more. Earlier this week I took a dev tour through some of the main parts of the update, and while I wasn't able to see all of it (such as the non-raid instances), what I did preview certainly filled my head with opinions, analysis and further questions. Generally I came away pleased with what we're going to experience next month, although the comments section of the tour showed split feelings on what's in store for the patch. Is this a case of too little, too late for those dissatisfied with Rise of Isengard's release? Will it breathe new life into dungeon-running, especially for the many soloers out there? Is it what this game needs right here and now? Hit the jump and I'll give you my honest thoughts on it all, both the good and the bad.
Rings and words of power: Going inside LotRO's Update 5
It's been a couple of days since the news broke that Lord of the Rings Online's Update 5 is going to be bigger than previously thought, with not only a new instance cluster but an additional book in the epic storyline and an Instance Finder system. As Update 5 goes up on the test server for the remainder of the week, we got in touch with Turbine to talk about the details of this mountain of content heading our way, including an epic confrontation with Rise of Isengard's big baddie himself, Saruman. It wouldn't be a conference call without a few notable surprises as well, and Adam Merskey, Aaron Campbell, Jeff Libby, and Joe Barry were eager to share what the team has been working on for the first update after the expansion. It's time to wave goodbye to the Rangers, stop putting off instance runs, and take the fight to the bearded dude himself. It's time for Update 5. Get all the skinny after the jump!
Instance finder coming to LotRO in Update 5
When Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard launched, it did so with the understanding that it wasn't quite completed. The expansion had no new instanced content apart from a 24-person raid, and Turbine promised that this would be rectified by the end of the year. Enter the redemption of Update 5, where a new instance cluster will be introducing five additional dungeons into the game. These instances include a walk through Fangorn Forest and a personal encounter with Saruman. Ten Ton Hammer got a chance to talk with the devs about Update 5 and discovered a few previously unreleased details. The biggest of these is word of an instance finder feature -- AKA a "dungeon finder" -- that is similar to those found in World of Warcraft and RIFT. Through the instance finder, players will be able to queue up for level-appropriate runs and be matched up with other eager adventurers. Update 5 will also include the next book of the epic storyline titled The Prince of Rohan in which players will part with the Grey Company for new vistas. Stay tuned to Massively as we'll have a hands-on look at Update 5 later this week!
The Road to Mordor: Believing in Isengard
I find it's always awkward, to say the least, when someone tells you outright he dislikes something and then asks you to convince him otherwise. "I hate marmalade, it's so sticky! Why should I think it's awesome?" "Uh... you sound like you've made up your mind already." However, if the person in question isn't being an outright marmalade troll, I'll do my best to answer him because usually contained in that bizarre request is a frustrated non-understanding of what he wants to like, what others seem to like, but what he cannot quite grasp. Sometimes a better perspective helps us appreciate something we may have formerly disliked, so there's no reason not to engage such queries. This past week, a Massively forum poster expressed disatisfaction over Rise of Isengard, citing an abundance of kill 10 rats quests and a lackluster storyline. He finished by throwing down a challenge: "If anyone has some good things to say about Lord of the Rings Online that could convince me I am wrong, I would love to hear them." Now, I'm not here to say that he's wrong; that's a matter of opinion and taste. But I'll gladly step up to the plate and share why I don't think this is the worst expansion yet -- far from it, actually. Without presenting a full post-mortem on Rise of Isengard, I can tell you what I do think is worth a player's investment of money or TP in this expansion. Hit the jump and the Road to Mordor will take you there!
Turbine celebrates Rise of Isengard's launch with monsters and movies
"The more we pretend that Middle-earth is safe, the blacker the enemy's shadow grows," an ominous voice proclaims at the start of the Rise of Isengard launch trailer. While Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion was officially slated to be released today, Turbine jumped the gun and got it out yesterday afternoon -- complete with patch notes. We'll be digging deep into Rise of Isengard this week on Massively, including broadcasting it on Massively TV and analysing the first few days of play in the next Road to Mordor column. To celebrate Rise of Isengard's arrival, Turbine is treating its fans to an inspirational launch trailer and several new screenshots demonstrating the fearsome might of Saruman's forces. You know the drill: screenshots below, trailer after the jump! %Gallery-9579%
The Road to Mordor: 'Twas the night before Isengard...
I feel it. It's those excited butterflies that appear somewhere in my navel region when I realize that I'm on the verge of something new, fun, and possibly involving an alien xenomorph bursting out of my insides. It's the thrill of anticipation almost realized. For this time next week, we'll be well on our way to Isengard. I've never been around for a Lord of the Rings Online expansion release, which makes this a first for me. Sure, I have my concerns about Rise of Isengard, but on the whole I'm ready to jump into an untamed region and explore the living deeds out of it. I'm not in a rush to get through it all and start raiding or anything, so my Lore-master will be taking his sweet time milking each quest for the calcium-rich story within. Oddly enough, I'm most excited about the prospect of cool new cosmetics because I have a sick obsession with them that's going to require a full-scale intervention. I'm not quite sure how LotRO's third expansion will be taken by the larger community, and I probably won't know until the launch fever dies down and we evaluate how useful, entertaining, and engaging it is over the long term. I'm just glad we're moving forward. In this week's Road to Mordor, I want to look back at the build-up to Isengard's release, what we know so far, and what changes are in store for our characters. Might as well tidy up the place since it's going to get hecka messy soon enough.
LotRO dares you to photograph the White Hand of Saruman
Rise of Isengard launches next week for Lord of the Rings Online, and Turbine is trumpeting the expansion the best way it knows how: by encouraging players to dip their hands in white paint and slap everything in the world around them. OK, maybe not that extreme, but close enough! With the studio's White Hand of Saruman contest, LotRO players are tasked with photographing people, objects or environments plastered with the iconic sigil of Isengard's key bad guy. Turbine's not encouraging players to flirt with the wrong side of the law, as it adds the disclaimer "Permanently defacing property or committing illegal acts is not permitted" to the contest rules. Players can download the white hand template from the contest website, set up an interesting picture, and then submit it for a chance at one of several prizes. These prizes include a custom-built Alienware PC, lifetime memberships to LotRO, and in-game Turbine Points. The contest will end on November 15th, after which the winners will be declared.
The Road to Mordor: Inside Isengard
It's one thing to sit down during a beta and poke around on your own, making educated guesses about why what went where and who what is wherefore. It's another thing entirely to pick up the phone and go, "Hey Turbine? Drop everything -- no, not your pants! -- and take me on a tour of Rise of Isengard! Um, magic word? Oh! Pretty please? With a cherry on top?" The first approach is good, but I wanted to get a more in-depth look into the making of Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion from the people who actually made it. How does one approach fleshing out an area that received relatively little source support from the books? What is Turbine trying to do differently in its fourth year of LotRO development? And why should we be afraid of an old guy in a bathrobe who won't come out of his tower? See? These are good questions to ask, which is why I sat down with Bob Hess, Aaron Campbell and Adam Mersky, who graciously took me on a whirlwind tour of Rise of Isengard. I wanted to cut through the PR-speak and learn about the real stories of the making of the expansion and what we'll be encountering within, and the devs were happy to oblige. Hit the jump as we travel further down The Road to Mordor and take the Hobbits to Isengard!
The Road to Mordor: The unfinished expansion
This week I want to switch from the general optimism of last week's Lord of the Rings Online forecast and future suggestions to something that's been troubling me the more we read about Rise of Isengard. To put it frankly, it's coming across as an unfinished expansion. An expansion with promise, but one that needs a little more... oomph, for lack of a better grunt. More of an "it" factor, if you will. Am I excited about Isengard? Oh, most definitely; that's not in question. I'm looking forward to exploring new lands, to meeting new people, and to killing pretty much everything in sight. I wouldn't kill them, but they're refusing to give me that loot, see? I'm pumped for skill consolidation, giving Saruman a taste of rebellion, and a new book in the epic storyline. I'm not going to be complaining come September 27th, I can tell you that. And yet, I have to be up front and voice a few concerns that need to be said, even if it's just me being a worry-wart. I've been concerned that Isengard is not going to be up to the standards set by previous expansions, and perhaps there are forces of time, pressure, and external competition that have caused this to not measure up to true potential. Hit the jump and follow my convoluted line of thought, and see if you come to the same conclusion.
The Road to Mordor: Power to the levelers
With Rise of Isengard creeping up on us, I've seen an increasing number of people begin to freak out about it, not because they're upset it's coming but because they're not prepared to partake in the expansion on day one. Now, this might not be important to you, but I assure you it's quite important to many -- lots of people like to be in on the excitement from the very beginning, and it's a special kind of torture to contemplate having to sit there and listen to your friends oohing and ahhing over the new zones and content while you're still poking your way through Moria. So because of this, some players really, really want to get a character up to level 65, prepared to do a dive roll right into Dunland when September 27th hits. It's understandable. Even I, a normally laid-back type of guy, am pushing hard to finish up Enedwaith with my Lore-master so that I'll have one character good to go on I-Day (that's Isengard Day). But what about those who don't have a level 65 in their pockets? Is it too late to get your act in gear and get up there before it's too late? Of course it isn't. I'm pretty convinced that you could even roll a fresh toon today and get him or her up to the endgame by I-Day, depending on how much time you can dedicate to it. Today we're going to look at a few leveling tips I've picked up over the years to aid those of you who want to kick in the afterburners of the leveling process so that you can make sure you're where you want to be. It's not even that hard!
LotRO displays the true power of Saruman
As Lord of the Rings' Rise of Isengard nears, players grow ever more curious about the foe that sits in the middle of his twisted fortress and his plans. Today Turbine released six new screenshots that show Saruman up to no good, and he certainly gives the impression that he's not a wizard with which to be trifled. For an old guy in a bathrobe, that is. Two of the screens show Saruman looking into his palantir and calling down the forces of nature on his enemies, two give a better view of his incredibly detailed Orthanc tower, and the last pair shows the sort of warm welcome we'll be getting from the denizens of Isengard. Rise of Isengard is slated for a September 27th release, and it will bring a number of welcome changes to the game including itemization improvements. You can check out the new screenshots in the gallery below. %Gallery-9579%
LotRO rides through the Gap of Rohan and into Orthanc with new screenies
The long wait for Lord of the Rings Onine's third expansion is coming to a middle, but it seems even longer every time Turbine teases us with a few inside glimpses of Saruman's zip code. Today we've been treated to six new pictures from Rise of Isengard: three from the Gap of Rohan, and three from the tower of Orthanc (spoiler alert, it's one of the titular "Two Towers"). The Gap of Rohan shots primarily show off the various types of camps in the zone, whether they be friend or foe, whereas the Orthanc pictures demonstrate the twisted grandeur of the white wizard. These pictures come hot on the heels of another trio of screenshots showing off the expansion's third zone, Dunland. Rise of Isengard is slated for a September 27th release, but the closed beta begins today! %Gallery-9579%
LotRO's Rise of Isengard beta begins July 27th
Feel like the road trip to Mordor isn't getting there as fast as you'd like? Good news, everyone -- Turbine's about ready to pull out of the gas station and truck toward Isengard! Today the studio announced that the beta program for Lord of the Rings Online's Rise of Isengard expansion will begin next Wednesday, July 27th. Invites will be going out to select players across North America and Europe, although the NDA forbids participants from even mentioning that they're part of the program. Those who have pre-ordered the digital expansion will have "preferred access" to the beta, so that seems like your best bet if you're interested. Rise of Isengard will release on September 27th, and contains a level cap increase to 75, three new zones and a 24-person raid against the dragon Draigoch. The expansion heads deep into the territory mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers.
LotRO gives us a glimpse into Isengard's Dunland
Dunland, one of Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard's three new zones, promises to be a treat for bold Hobbits and nebbish Elves alike. Today we've gotten a better picture of what Dunland will look like as Turbine's released six screenshots giving us a feel for the wide range of vistas we'll be encountering. Dunland is located at the southern reaches of the Misty Mountains, with hilly, swampy and woodsy areas awaiting our discovery. The zone is dominated by the many clans of the Dunland peoples who are being tempted by Saruman into joining the forces of the Enemy. We've got a little over two months to go until LotRO's latest expansion hits the streets, so take your time to peruse all six of these new screenshots in the gallery below: %Gallery-9579%
The Road to Mordor: Packing for Isengard
Isengard. Isengard. ISENGARD. It's all I can think about since last week's E3 reveal, and I know I'm not the only one. For some reason, having a firm launch date for Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion feels like a starting pistol's gone off, and we're beginning the race to the expansion in earnest. Of course, we're not in that much of a hurry at this point. We still have well over three months to go, the beta has yet to begin, and something tells me that Turbine's got a few more tricks to pull out of its top hat before all is said and done. Still, I'm officially in "Go!" mode, and I bet I'm not the only one. While I can't make September 27th come any sooner, I can think of six ways that we can prepare for our upcoming journey into Dunland and beyond. Seven, if you include putting together the absolute perfect outfit to slay Saruman in, but that's a given. Hit the jump and I'll walk you through everything you should be doing this summer to get ready for Rise of Isengard!
E3 2011: A ride through LotRO's Rise of Isengard
With the news that Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion, Rise of Isengard, was finally given a release date, it became our quest to hunt Turbine down at E3 and make the team give up the One Ring of Info. We spoke with a couple of the devs about the lands and wonders that we'll get to experience come this fall. We began our journey at a village in one of the starting destinations in Dunland. It's there, Turbine told us, that an army had recently pulled out to fight the Rohirrim, leaving so-called "Oathbreakers" behind for you to handle. Players are tasked with figuring out what's going on and how these left-behind invaders will fit in with the local populace. The devs told us that one of the recurring themes of LotRO's latest expansion is the influence of others on the Dunlendings. With the war stirring across the world, suddenly this isolated area has become a major thoroughfare for enemies and good guys alike, and both sides are seeking to woo the Dunlending tribes. If you're thinking "tug o' war," you're not far off.
