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Layoffs hit Infinite Crisis developer Turbine
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment confirmed today that a round of layoffs will soon affect The Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine, Inc. "As part of our normal business process, we're routinely looking at the strategic alignment of our company," a Warner Bros. representative told Joystiq. "Unfortunately, in order for us to invest in growth areas at Turbine, we have to eliminate some positions. These are always tough decisions, which we don't approach lightly, but it's crucial that Turbine is structured in a way that reflects the current and coming marketplace." After debuting its landmark MMORPG Asheron's Call in 1999, Turbine continued with a string of successful PC follow-ups and expansions, including The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online. The studio's latest project, the DC Universe-based MOBA Infinite Crisis, is currently in open beta, with a final release due by the end of the year. [Image: Turbine]
Warner Bros. confirms Turbine layoffs [Updated]
Turbine appears to be going through another round of layoffs that are possibly affecting the Lord of the Rings Online team, according to Twitter messages. Former Community Manager Rick Heaton seemed to confirm this in a tweet sent earlier today: "Thinking of my friends at #Turbine and #LOTRO and elsewhere today. I'm easy to find if you need me." Massively has reached out to the studio for an official comment. [Update: Warner Bros. has confirmed unspecified layoffs by issuing the following statement to Massively: "As part of our normal business process, we're routinely looking at the strategic alignment of our company. Unfortunately, in order for us to invest in growth areas at Turbine, we have to eliminate some positions. These are always tough decisions, which we don't approach lightly, but it's crucial that Turbine is structured in a way that reflects the current and coming marketplace."]
These LotRO Update 15 vids are all about the Beorning
Ready for some more videos from Lord of the Rings Online's forthcoming Update 15? Unlike this morning's crop, these latest blurbs are all about the new Beorning class. Click past the cut for a look at character creation, the new Beorning starter area, and some level 50 combat. [Thanks Joel!]
Lord of the Rings Online begins Update 15 testing
Good news for those spinning their wheels in Lord of the Rings Online: Update 15, with its brand-new class and additional high-level content, is heading to the test server this Friday. Executive Producer Aaron Campbell posted an update of LotRO's development on the forums today. He said that Update 15 would be the final big release for the year, and it includes the Beorning class, Central Gondor, a continuation of the epic story, and a new epic battle centered around Pelargir. As for the shapeshifting class, the Beorning will have three trait lines that will allow for choices between tank, DPS, and heal/utility, and will begin in a new mini-zone, Vales of Anduin. Campbell did notify players that there would be a few adjustments to the previously stated schedule, most notably that the legendary item update is now pushed back to Update 16 in early 2015. Other 2015 additions include Osgiliath and Minas Tirith.
Infinite Crisis reveals Stargirl, complete with pink stars
Turbine has today previewed Infinite Crisis' latest playable MOBA hero, the youthful Stargirl, who fell into her sidekick role after discovering and donning her stepfather's old costume. In her heroic form, she's a blaster who wields a glowing staff to damage and crowd control enemies. Her skills include a cutesy buff called Family Heirlooms and a even-more-cutesy nuke that beams pink stars at her enemies; her ultimate, however, is a powerful nuke, slow, debuff, and shield all in one. Stargirl goes live on October 15th. We've included new screenies and her intro video below.
The Daily Grind: Are you playing Lord of the Rings Online?
Lord of the Rings Online has had a busy year in 2014, as the title took its first steps into Gondor, announced a brand-new class, and recently opened up the Dead Marshes for adventurers. I've been playing off and on this year, glad to be moving into the territory defined by the Return of the King. However, I won't deny that the lack of an expansion and the year's other big news have overshadowed this once prominent title. So out of curiosity, I wanted to ask you if you're currently playing LotRO. Are you? Be truthful and remember that this is for posterity, so do be clear. 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!
DDO beefs up melee characters in Update 23
All hail patch day for Dungeons and Dragons Online! Hear the mighty dragons roar and witness the ancient vaults break open and spill their content goodness! For Update 23 hath arrived to change the game forevermore. Update 23 may not be the largest DDO patch to date, but it does contain several significant improvements. The biggest of these is a large buff to melee characters to balance that playstyle with those of other roles. Melee characters have new stats to help them with their efforts, including melee power, ranged power, and magical resist rating. Turbine has also unlocked the epic version of the Orchard of the Macabre instances, added in a new raid, included guild storage, and offered players the ability to create cosmetic variants of armor pieces with the new Mirror of Glamering.
Infinite Crisis recruits Nightmare Robin and Atomic Joker
An absolutely massive update for Infinite Crisis has landed, boasting over 6,000 changes and tweaks, not to mention the addition of a pair of new champions: Nightmare Robin and Atomic Joker. Nightmare Robin is actually Bruce Wayne's son Damian, who got infected with the vampiric curse and is a little miffed at being one of the undead. At least he has two large knives and a lot of bleeding-edge training to compensate. Atomic Joker is a bit more lighthearted, what with being a head in a jar who is trying to rebuild civilization in his image. The September release overhauled the launcher, improved the new player experience, polished many of the map visuals, tweaked animations, and added a Crime Alley map where champions can test out skills against the computer. You can check out Atomic Joker and Nightmare Robin in the gallery below and in the videos after the break.
Is Turbine developing an MMO for mobile devices?
No. Yes. Maybe? We're going to level with you, dear readers: We frequently have no idea what Turbine Entertainment is doing. We had no idea the studio was going to bring back Asheron's Call 2, for example, and our bets about Infinite Crisis were way off. So when we say that the company might be developing an MMO, well, it's a shot in the dark, but there's reason to suspect this might be happening. The studio is looking for both a Senior Mobile Engineer (that is, an engineer experienced with mobile engineering, not an engineer who is both a senior and mobile) and a new Art Director, both of which seem to imply that the studio is developing something completely new rather than a mobile port. Or maybe it's baseless speculation. Who knows?
Elder Scrolls designer ventures into The Long Dark
Ken Rolston, lead designer of Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind and ES4: Oblivion, has partnered with Hinterland Games for The Long Dark, the studio's first-person, apocalyptic survival simulator. Rolston's high-profile credentials add to Hinterland's portfolio of experience, which includes Far Cry 3 Narrative Director Raphael van Lierop, lead writer for the PS3 God of War trilogy, Marianne Krawczyk, and Sascha Dikiciyan, who scored Mass Effect 3 and Borderlands 2. Regarding whether Rolston will remain with Turbine, the team he joined one year ago as its director of design, Turbine has shared a statement with our friends at Massively: "We don't normally comment on personnel issues, and we definitely can't comment on work Ken is doing for other studios, but I can confirm that he continues to consult for us." Fans won't have to wait much longer to test their aptitude at surviving the frozen wilderness – The Long Dark's Sandbox mode will welcome Early Access patrons into the cold on September 22, though beta members began reducing themselves to snowy corpses a few weeks ago. [Image: Hinterland Games]
Lord of the Rings Online Update 14.2 adds collections system
Update 14.2 might not be the biggest that Lord of the Rings Online has ever seen, but it's substantial enough that the developers took the time to livestream some of the additions and changes that it will be bringing. Coming in 14.2 is a new collections system to reward players for snapping up mounts and pets. The new system will also help to point you in the direction of where and how to find these creatures as well as give a preview of each one. The team also gave a preview of a rarely visited Middle-earth location, the Dead Marshes. You can watch the full stream after the jump!
DDO's Update 23 to buff melee characters and add guild storage
Preview patch notes are on Dungeons and Dragons Online's forums for the upcoming Update 23. These notes paint a picture of a considerable patch that includes a significant buff for melee fighters. "Update 23 brings a series of changes aimed at improving the ability of melee-focused characters to face some of DDO's toughest challenges, and bring increased balance between melee, ranged, and spell-casting characters," the team posted. Also slated for Update 23 are epic versions of the Orchard of the Macabre, guild storage on airships, a special mirror that allows the user to make a cosmetic variant of an armor piece, and a new feat called Epic Power that gives +3 melee power to characters level 21 and up.
LotRO Farmer's Faire going on now through September 16
Is it just me, or does Lord of the Rings Online have one of its annual festivals every couple of weeks? Not that I'm complaining, mind you, since I'm level-capped and have no real desire to roll an alt. It seems like I was grind-fishing my way through Middle-earth's Summer Festival not too long ago, though, but whatever. Now it's time for the Farmer's Faire! CSTM says that the 2014 edition runs through September 16th, and the website also features its usual breakdown of quests, rewards, and guides.
Previewing LotRO's Dead Marshes patch on the test server
The next major update for Lord of the Rings Online is up on the test server now. If you want to explore Update 14.2, you can. But what if you aren't in the mood for going through the process of a beta install just to wander around in the new area? Wouldn't it be easier if you could just get a quick look at the zone without having to roam about yourself? Good news, then, as a new video from LOTRO Players highlights the Dead Marshes and what players can expect in the new zone. The patch is quite large for a small update addition, and it contains some new enemy arrangements, some new pets, and plenty of new activities for players. Check out the full video just past the cut if you'd like to take a tour without going yourself. [Thanks to Andang for the tip!]
LotRO heaps love on its music system with Update 15
This news should be sweet music to many Lord of the Rings Online players: Turbine is making improvments to the music system come Update 15. "This system has such a net positive effect on the game, and more importantly on community, [that] it was long overdue for some developer love," the team posted. In the patch for sure are adjustments to the music system's pitch, volume, and balance, as well as a tuning pass. Turbine also is toying with adding two additional instruments, the string bass and serpentine, although it makes "no promises" that it will be able to do so. Another stretch goal for the update is player-spawnable stages.
Water-powered phone chargers are coming to downtown Seoul
Unless you've made a habit of carrying around a solar charger, topping off your phone outdoors can be a bit of a challenge. Well, unless you're living in South Korea. The city of Seoul just announced that it's building a series of outdoor recharging stations along the Cheonggyecheon, a manmade stream in the city's downtown area. The chargers won't draw from the city's power grid, however -- they'll draw current from a collection of hydroelectric turbines embedded in the stream. The project's developer says the stations will be able to fully charge most devices in 2-3 hours. If the five stations currently in production turn out to be a hit, the city says it will consider expanding the network. See? Low battery life is no excuse for avoiding the great outdoors. [Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Lord of the Rings Online fans clean up old models
Lord of the Rings Online has been running for quite a while, and while it's not an ugly game its graphics are getting a bit long in the tooth. That's no one's fault, really, just the march of time making itself known. One fan has taken up the challenge of seeing what can be done with a bit of adjustment and retexturing, and the results are available on Reddit for fans to admire. The "new" models all have the same technical specifications as the models currently in the game, but have simply been adjusted and had their textures improved. Currently five of the models have been done -- male and female elves, male and female hobbits, and female humans. You can browse through to see how the updated geometry looks, although there's no way to put these models in the game at the moment. [Thanks to Emilia for the tip!]
3D-printed wind turbine puts 300W of power in your backpack
For the most part, portable energy generators are intended for modest uses. They can charge your phone, but they won't drive high-powered laptops or small appliances. That might change if Omni3D gets its crowdfunded AirEnergy 3D off the ground. The 3D-printed wind turbine should fit into a backpack, yet produce up to 300W of power -- enough that you can keep a whole slew of devices running, including those that wouldn't run at all on solar or thermoelectric systems. It will be open source, too, since part of the goal is to let those in Africa and other developing regions create their own reliable, renewable power sources.
The Road to Mordor: Has LotRO grown too big for its own good?
Jumping into an MMO that's been out for several years -- let's call it "more than five" -- lends itself to several blessings and curses. While the game has more content, stability, and a playerbase that isn't drunk on launch drama, it can be overwhelming and even lonely to the latecomer who is just trying to figure out the basic ropes while everyone else is milling around at the Level Cap Country Club. Often I see people asking whether it's "too late" to join an MMO, wondering if they're getting into a game that everyone else is getting out of, not to mention considering how long it might take to do meaningful content with those who have been around longer. Lord of the Rings Online is now most assuredly in that zone. It's been out for seven years, adding along the way numerous updates and systems, a free-to-play conversion, two classes, 50 more levels, a class overhaul, and five expansions. A game that used to occupy a relatively small swath of Middle-earth is now an empire that stretches from the icy bays of the far north to the shoreline of southern Gondor. It's absolutely huge when you step back to consider it, which is what both a new player and a reroller must do. My question this week is this: Is LotRO getting to be too big and too long for a player to start from scratch these days? Is it suffering from a case of too much of a good thing?
Jukebox Heroes: Lord of the Rings Online's housing music
One of the interesting features (but by no means unique) of Lord of the Rings Online's housing system is the option to slot a music box item so that visitors can enjoy your favorite tunes while they check out your pad. Like the rest of the housing system, music boxes haven't been added to or expanded much over the years, but I still think they're pretty keen. Most of the music boxes contain a medley of three or so similarly themed tracks. Most of these are pulled from all over the game, but some are rarely heard outside of houses, so I thought these deserved another look. Plus, the original music for LotRO is quite gorgeous in spots and holds up very well over the years. For those looking for a buyer's guide to these ambient themes, may I point you to CSTM? For the rest of us, I have six favorite music boxes waiting for you after the jump.
