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Turbine sweetens Riders of Rohan's editions, includes instance cluster
Frustration and confusion have been the name of the Lord of the Rings Online pre-purchase game these past couple of weeks, with some players feeling that the editions were overpriced and others bewildered over whether or not this fall's instance cluster would be included in the cost. Turbine announced today that all three of Riders of Rohan's editions will be boosted with Turbine Points and that the instance cluster will be given to all who buy one. In a forum post, CM Sapience said that the studio is dishing out bonus Turbine Points for all of the editions. Base and heroic edition holders will receive 1,000 TP, while legendary edition purchasers get 2,000. This applies to both players who have already bought the expansion and those who will in the future. He also addressed the confusion over the instance cluster: "While we are still not ready to talk about the details of the cluster, we did want to confirm that we will be releasing a new instance cluster in an update after Rohan launches, and that the cluster will be free to all players who have purchased the Riders of Rohan expansion."
Win a trip to Turbine by making a LotRO fifth anniversary fan video
With the fifth anniversary of Lord of the Rings Online a little over a week away, Turbine has sprung a most excellent contest to reward the hardiest Hobbits and most fanatical Fellowshippers in the community. By creating and submitting a fan video, one lucky player will win a trip to visit Turbine's studio in Boston, Massachusetts. Entering the Who is the Biggest LotRO Fan Contest is pretty simple. To do so, you'll need to head over to the contest site, download a package of assets, and then create your own fan video celebrating the game's big milestone. Each player can submit one entry, due by May 4th, which is then judged on creativity, composition, and appropriateness to theme. While there will be 500 TP daily winners in the contest, the big grand prize is a trip for two to Boston, a three-day stay in a hotel, a tour of Turbine's offices, a lifetime membership to LotRO, and 1,000 TP.
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.
Turbine unveils LotRO expansion point costs
Those of you who didn't get around to pre-ordering Lord of the Rings Online's Rise of Isengard expansion earlier this summer will probably want to mosey over to the game's official forums. Turbine has revealed the point costs for all of the new content, and due to the variety of items on offer, it may take you a few minutes to piece together what you want (and what it'll cost you). The short version is that the expansion quests and deeds will set you back 3,250 Turbine points, while the new Draigoch raid will cost an additional 1,250 TP. There's also a bindable item called Derudh's Stone that grants a permanent 25% XP bonus on monster kills through level 64, and it is priced at 995 TP. Finally, the new Update 5 instances, currently slated for a December release, will run you 1,495 TP. There's more info, and a load of comments and discussion, at the official LotRO boards.
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!
Turbine sweetens the deal for DDO subscribers
Dungeons and Dragons Online's free-to-play model has been the belle of the F2P ball since it was released in 2009, but that doesn't mean that Turbine's given up on luring players into subscribing. Today, the studio announced a "summer gift" to those who sign up for VIP status: double bonus points per month from July 11th through September 11th. This means that every month a player is subscribed, he or she will receive 1,000 Turbine Points to spend in the DDO store instead of 500 TP. Turbine's also made sure that the price point for VIP subscriptions is attractive, as it's offered players the ability to sign up for three months at $29.97 (effectively $9.99 a month). By taking advantage of both deals, players can enjoy three months of VIP status and earn 3,000 Turbine Points for just $30. VIP status means that all of DDO's adventure modules are available to enjoy, including the new ones that came with Update 10.
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!
The Road to Mordor: Shopping at the LotRO Depot
About 99% of the time I'm in Lord of the Rings Online I never think about the LotRO Store. Ever since the store came online last year, it's been adventure as usual in the Olivetti household. Sure, I mock the "You got 5 Turbine Points! Now you can retire in the Caymans!" popups like everyone else, but I've always felt that Turbine does a good job balancing the store presence between the polar extremes of obnoxious and invisible. That isn't to say I haven't used the store at all; on the contrary, I've been a sporadic if loyal customer of sorts, trundling my shopping cart through the aisles of Shire-Mart looking for a good deal. Thus far I haven't dropped any additional cash into the game, choosing to subsist on my monthly allotment of TP with whatever I earn through deeds. Every once in a while I'll boot up the store and see what niceties I can give to my character as a reward for slaughtering his 5,000th Neeker-beeker. The LotRO Store has two categories of customers: the free-to-players and the upper class. Does that sound snooty? It's not intentional -- all I mean is that some folks use the store to provide basic necessities for gameplay (like quest packs, riding skills, class unlocks) while others are already well-off in the game and shop for luxury items. I'm in awe of the F2P gamers who can get a good chunk of their content by methodically knocking deeds out so they can purchase the next zone, but I'm fortunate enough not to have to do that. So today I wanted to give myself an audit of what I've spent in the store so far and analyze whether they were wise purchases, wasteful frivolities, or overpriced insanity.
LotRO's Siege of Mirkwood discounted to become the one price to sell them all
While many of us have spent a great amount of time and money shopping for other people this holiday season, it's sometimes easy to overlook yourself in all of the hustle and bustle. Treat yourself to something nice this week -- you deserve it! May we suggest a gaming Snuggie for those long nights of raiding, or perhaps 50% off of Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood? As part of the Turbine Tuesdays sales, the LotRO store will be selling the game's second expansion for half off the regular price this Tuesday, December 28th. Siege of Mirkwood is priced at 995 Turbine Points in the NA store (which is around $10), but on the 28th the cost will be halved to 498 ($5). The Siege of Mirkwood expansion unlocks over 150 quests, zone deeds, five instances and plenty of content for high-level players. Currently, free players may access the zone and experience the epic storyline, but the rest of the content is walled off unless this quest pack is purchased.
The Road to Mordor: You've beaten Sauron. New game? Y/N
Huh... what is there to talk about these days? Really? Such a slow news cycle for LotRO... hm. I guess there's that whole "getting rid of pesky radiance" thing that's going to save me from having to write a column on that convoluted system, so thanks Turbine! Other than that, life in Middle-earth is as quiet as... As... as a... GEEKQUAKE! RUN FOR COVER! EMPLOY EXCESSIVE CAPS LOCK STATEMENTS! LOTRO AHOY! OK, so I might have been a bit facetious there. Shocking all of us, Turbine brought up the servers with the new patch an evening early, granting access to the head start of F2P on Tuesday night. I sort of suspected the devs were up to something when they kept rubbing their hands and cackling maniacally at PAX last weekend, although they claimed it was just a nervous disorder. So it's here -- the biggest non-expansion update to the game yet and a literal game-changer to boot. F2P, wardrobe, scaled instances, Enedwaith, the LotRO store, and lots and lots of new (and returning) players have existing players giddy and twitchy. So how'd the first couple days go so far? Is LotRO F2P really all that and a bag of Shire Sweet-leaf? Read on, my short and stout brethren!
The Road to Mordor: Frugal free-to-play
Two weeks! Two weeks, people! Why are you just sitting there, all calm-before-the-storm-like, instead of following my lead and running around like a chicken with its head... well, you know. Two weeks until Volume III Book 2 launches (and a little earlier for current subscribers), and I am psyched. There certainly is something for everyone here: a F2P version, store options, a new zone, instance scaling, more dungeons, DX11, the wardrobe, a revamped beginner experience, three new servers, the next chapter in the epic story, class tweaks, a haunted cellar, and, of course, demonic goats. Did I miss something? I probably did, but it's kind of crazy around here. One of the highlights I'm anticipating is all of the new (and returning) players giving LotRO their time due to the multiple payment options, including F2P bliss. I'm always a huge fan of options in my games, and I truly feel that the implementation of this free-to-play model will benefit a wider range of players than the current subscription core. Mmm, that Kool-Aid tastes great! If you're thinking about heading into LotRO in two weeks but are unsure how much "free" will come with your F2P, when you'll be hit with the big catch, or whether you'll be forced to subscribe at some point, I have some great news for you. There are a variety of routes you can take to experience a good chunk of Lord of the Rings Online without denting your bank account. Read on for five valuable strategies to save a buck while saving Middle-earth!
Exploring Eberron: My shopping cart
Today I was hoping to open up my full purchase history at the Dungeons and Dragons Online store and do an analysis of everything I've bought since the store was put into the game. Unfortunately, I've since discovered that -- short of saving each and every confirmation email that Turbine sends me -- there's no accessible store history, either in the game or outside of it. Clicking "View Purchase History" in the store simply showed me a couple Turbine point buys, but that's it. That makes me a sad panda barbarian. So pushing aside the issue of why Turbine doesn't want me to see my order history ("Perhaps so you don't question future purchases," the quiet cynic inside me whispers), I'll have to do this via questionable memory. I've been a subscriber since the DDO F2P switch, which nets me a portion of "free" TP per month, but I've also dropped additional money -- perhaps three times -- to beef up my TP reservoir so that I could get a couple big ticket items. So seeing as how I don't have to worry about purchasing adventure packs, on what have I been spending my allowance? Hit the jump to find out!
Poland's Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. testing HD IPTV
News flash: Poland has gone absolutely berserk here lately, with a slew of carriers introducing HD channels / services all within the last few weeks. Keeping the trend alive is Telekomunikacja Polska S.A., which we'll refer to from here on out as TP. Judging by local reports and the image above, said telco is currently testing out HD IPTV. As you can see, an HD set-top-box is connected to an ADSL router in order to beam Filmbox HD to the set. Unfortunately, a go-live date is still unknown, and the biggest hurdle yet to be overcome is the purported dearth of ADSL availability (or possibly just affordability) in the region. Baby steps, baby steps.[Thanks, Arsenal]
Vista SP1, SP1 toilet paper hit japan
The Japanese are hyping Vista SP1's impending release, but a roll of toilet paper printed with highlighted features is kind of uncalled for. You kind of have to feel a little bad for Vista -- it just keeps getting crapped on these days.[Thanks, kaztm]
Sony quietly launches VAIO TP1 Living Room PC
If you can force your brain to remember back to January, you may recall Sony's curiously designed TP1 HTPC. Interestingly enough, it seems that Sony has indeed launched the device and didn't even bother to tell anyone, but that doesn't mean you can't be brought up to speed. Be warned, however, that Living Room PC does not equate to high-end AV center, as this modestly-spec'd machine lacks an HD optical drive and CableCARD option. Internally, you'll find a 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo chip, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 300GB 7,200RPM SATA hard drive, dual-layer DVD writer, ATSC / NTSC TV tuner, GMA 950 integrated graphics set, and HDMI / DVI / VGA outputs. Moreover, Sony included a 4-pin FireWire connector, audio in / out, four USB 2.0 ports, Memory Stick / SD slots, 802.11b/g, and Vista Home Premium to run the show. So if you're still intrigued by this ho hum (albeit Viiv-certified!) PC, you can snag it right now starting at $1,599.99.[Via CNET]
Trade in your old ports for a new port
If you're lucky enough to have a Hastings store nearby, the entertainment retailer is offering to exchange your moth-eaten copies of Super Paper Mario or The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for a waggle-fied edition of Resident Evil 4. They'll also accept Rainbow Six Vegas (360) and God of War II (PS2), but not without scowling at you first.According to the rest of Hastings's weekly ad, there's a buy-1-get-2nd-for-free sale on body jewelry, so be on the look out for that deal too! Put away the other two RE4 games you've already bought for previous platforms, throw on a shirt that shows off your belly-button-ringed midriff, and check past the post break for the full flyer.
The Abridged Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
We've gawked at speedruns before, but this one is unique in that it's a speedrun of a Wii game. Daniel Hart recorded himself completing The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in an incredible 5 hours and 39 minutes. That beats our best time by roughly infinity. We didn't watch the whole thing, because five and a half hours, while short for a Zelda playthrough, is long for a video. Honestly, the speed-goatherding in the first segment is entertainment enough for us. But if you're stuck in Zelda, or need some strategies, this would be a great resource since the dude knows how to play.[Via Aeropause]
Zelda tops a million
Well, that was quick. Turns out, Link's latest adventure is quite the popular one as NOA's VP of Marketing, Perrin Kaplan, confirmed to IGN that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has sold more than one million copies in the Americas alone. Now, she doesn't say if this figure is exclusive to the Wii-based Twilight Princess alone, so we'll just assume this figure reflects sales of both the Wii and GameCube version.Shocking news, we know ...
One figure to rule them all
Set tot release in May, the pictured figure of Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is just about the coolest figure we have ever seen. Like Gollum, we needs it and will do anything to have it. Of course, with every possible chunk of happiness we may gain, there is something horrible looming to keep us in check. See, the figures do not have a price yet (it'll probably be a lot) and are only available in Japan. There are a total of 5 figures planned, with only the pictured Link and Wolf Link & Midna being revealed. Others planned are Zant and Zelda, with the last remaining figure yet to be revealed. The figures are also only the smaller size, coming in at a height of around 120mm.See also: Adult Link awes gamers Beautiful Twilight Princess standee Samus figurines drop jaws
Evil fun: killing the postman in Twilight Princess
Quite possibly some of the most evil laughter that has been emitted from the Wii Fanboy staff in a long time, the embedded video that shows the fast-footed postman receiving his due has won many over at digg, eventually gaining our attention. We felt that it was our duty to show this to all who have not been able to. So, be merry, be evil and watch the video! Be warned though, that if you do this in your game the framerate will drop to less than one-per-second.[Via digg]
