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Elder Scrolls Online walks you through crafting writs
Fun fact: Elder Scrolls Online's Update 5 is about a month old at this point and is now able to roll over and distinguish shapes. Among its treasure trove of new features was the introduction of crafting writs. However, in case you are a little confused or curious what these are and how to do them, ZeniMax has crafted (get it?) a new dev diary to walk you through the process. To be able to take on writs, players will first need to become certified in a desired crafting profession by undertaking a related quest. Once completed, players can accept a task from a writ board to craft specific goods and turn them in for rewards. Each category of writ can only be fulfilled once a day, and completing them can even net you survey reports to point you toward a cluster of harvest nodes.
Elder Scrolls Online's Update 5 goes live, reduces VR grind
ZeniMax has published Elder Scrolls Online's Update 5. The patch features improved facial animations, chat bubbles, dungeon and solo-instance scaling, and the Veteran City of Ash. Speaking of veterans, they'll probably be happy to know that the devs are continuing to roll out the previously announced veteran rank revamp with Update 5. Veteran Ranks are now earned via experience points, and each rank will grant an attribute point and a skill point. It now takes 1,432,550 experience points to earn a VR, and ZeniMax says that it expects "this to reduce the amount of time it takes to gain a Veteran Rank." [Thanks Matthew!]
Elder Scrolls game director talks Update 5, performance upgrades
Elder Scrolls Online game director Matt Firor has just released a new Road Ahead update post. Much of what he has to say relates to the forthcoming Update 5, which includes a new vet dungeon, new facial animations, repeatable pledges and writs, dungeon level-scaling, and additional stuff like the Dwemer crafting style and chat bubbles. Firor also mentions "a series of stability and performance improvements for Cyrodiil in the works right now." Additionally, ESO players will be getting new performance options to "cull visual effects" and improve client framerates.
ZeniMax seeking feedback on Elder Scrolls' Update 5
Elder Scrolls Online's Update 5 is big. It's so big that ZeniMax is offering test server players a lengthy list of suggestions as to what they should be testing. More specifically, the dev team is seeking feedback on the veteran City of Ash dungeon as well as on crafting writs and the new crafting tutorials. That's just a partial list, too. You can view the full breakdown on the official ESO forums.
Allods Online Heart of the World update patch notes translated
As a Russian-developed game, Allods Online usually gets each game update in Russia before it hits the rest of the world. Luckily for those of us who don't speak the language, fansite Allods Oracle has been translating these Russian patch notes into English so we know what to expect. The latest update to hit Russia is entitled Heart of the World and it brings a new allod, a new adventure, and the highly anticipated Engineer class to the game. The game's stat system has also been completely revamped with this patch, and a wardrobe system has been added to allow characters to change costumes at any time. Check out the complete translated notes, including side articles detailing the major changes, over at Allods Oracle.
The Road to Mordor: A guide for returning players
Coming back to an MMO that you used to play is a whole different ball of wax than getting into it for the first time. While you have less to do and absorb than beginners, it can be just as overwhelming in its own way. What are all these skills again? Why do I owe some Hobbit mortgage company a zillion gold to unlock my house? Why is the screen throwing a fit with a non-stop parade of deed announcements? Recently, I returned to another MMO after a half-year or so absence (it's RIFT, if you must know), and I was almost frozen with apprehension over all the changes. Because the world I used to know had changed in so many ways, I didn't know how much to rely on my memories and where to go to figure out what these changes were. Fortunately, an enterprising member of the dev team created a wonderfully handy post that quickly outlined all of the changes over the past year so that returners could get caught up quickly. I like this idea so much that I decided to do the same for Lord of the Rings Online. Ever since free-to-play hit, it's become so much easier to drift in and out of this game, and as Turbine's been ramping up the changes, it's possible to feel the same apprehension upon reentry that I did with RIFT. Freak not, fair friend, for I am here to guide the way.
The Road to Mordor: Riders of Whoa-han!
This past week we heard from Turbine about its general plans for Lord of the Rings Online in 2012, and while it may not have hit everything on my personal wish list for the year, it was a good start. I was mulling over the question of whether it's better for MMOs to show all of their big cards up front like Turbine or to parcel them out over the course of the year. Both have advantages, of course. Front-loading the year with a broad overview like this gives players long-term reasons to stick with the game, but it also can steal the exciting thunder from these events down the road. On the other hand, measuring the big news out during the year would probably give Turbine more publicity, but it could frustrate players who might feel "in the dark" about the company's plans. In any case, we got what we got, and there's a lot to chew over for this week's column: unbound skirmish soldiers, Riders of Rohan, the Great River, and the fifth anniversary. So let's get started!
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."
Lord of the Rings Online releases new Armies of Isengard screenshots
Lord of the Rings Online's latest update, Update 5: Armies of Isengard went live last week, signaling the first major update since the Rise of Isengard expansion was released. The update brings five new Isengard-themed instances (as well as a group finder function) to the game and continues the epic story. Perhaps in order to draw in some unsuspecting souls, Turbine has released a new set of screenshots showing off the new content. To see the screenshots, click on through the gallery below. Then head on over LotRO's official site to get in on the action. [Source: Turbine Entertainment press release] %Gallery-142132%
LotRO's Update 5: Armies of Isengard storms servers today
It's Big Honkin' Patch Day for Lord of the Rings Online as a platoon of content is double-timing it to a server near you. Update 5: Armies of Isengard is the game's first post-Rise of Isengard release, and it's been highly anticipated as it will finally add the long-awaited instance cluster to the endgame. This cluster contains five new dungeons: three three-person, one six-person, and one twelve-person. In addition to the cluster, Update 5 is including the next book in the epic storyline, The Prince of Rohan. Through it, players will gain a nifty set of Ranger cosmetic armor and participate in an epic battle at the gates of Orthanc. The update also will add an instance finder, unified currency, a LUA plugin manager, a reputation update, and far, far more. Oh, and there's finally coffee in the game. Mmm... coffee. Turbine has posted the official patch notes for Armies of Isengard on the site, so you can read up on all of the changes while you're patching the game!
LotRO gains +500 faction with players due to improved reputation system
Among the many quality-of-life improvements coming to Lord of the Rings Online with Update 5 is a significant change to the game's reputation system. Previously, players would assemble entire stacks of items to turn into vendors for point boosts, but this will soon change. Starting with Update 5, players can simply click on reputation items and get an instant point increase, similar to using any other one-shot item in the game. This change will render certain barter NPCs obsolete, with some being removed from the game entirely and others continuing to offer quests and tradable items. Turbine's also added special instant-reputation items to Moria to help with gaining faction with the esteemed Iron Garrison Guards and Miners. The changes to reputation items along with the many other features of this patch will take effect when Update 5 hits servers on December 12th.
Lord of the Rings Online's Update 5 invading Dunland next week
Turbine's asking you out on a very special date next week -- December 12th, in fact. That's when the studio will show up to your door dressed in a sharp-looking tux, bearing flowers, and eager for you to head out on a magical tour around Middle-earth on a carriage ride. It's on December 12th that Lord of the Rings Online will be releasing its first major post-Rise of Isengard patch, Update 5. The update comes loaded with endgame activities, including a huge instance cluster, an instance finder, and a new book in the epic storyline: Volume III, Book 5. You can read more about Update 5 with our Turbine interview, head over to A Casual Stroll to Mordor to listen to what questions fans have about the patch, or check out the gallery below for five new screenshots of one of the instances, The Foundry. [Source: Turbine press release] %Gallery-9579%
LotRO dev diary details the Instance Finder
In today's Lord of the Rings Online developer diary, game systems engineer Leo "Ransroth" Zelevinsky takes some time to provide players with information on the Instance Finder coming with Update 5. In a nutshell, it works like this: The tool exists in order to allow players to easily find instance parties and to reward them for participating in random content. Joining and completing an instance or skirmish using the Instance Finder, which can be done with or without an existing fellowship, will grant players instance currency, which can then be redeemed for spiffy loot. For the full details on how the Instance Finder works, head on over to the official dev blog.
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!
Turbine confirms five new LotRO instances by the end of the year
While a new expansion is usually a cause for celebration, some Lord of the Rings Online players have expressed disappointment that September's Rise of Isengard lacks new instances outside of the much-ballyhooed 24-man raid. Between convention appearances, Turbine's Sapience confirmed on the forums that while Isengard players won't be enjoying any additional three-man or six-man dungeons, more will come by the end of the year in Update 5: We are currently preparing five new instances for release post-Isengard. Rise of Isengard will be released on September 27 along with a 24-player raid. There will be 3 three-player, 1 six-player and 1 twelve-player instance released in Update 5, the first update after the release of Rise of Isengard. These instances will be free to any player who has pre-purchased the Rise of Isengard expansion or who purchases after launch via the Turbine web store. Update 5 will be available before the end of the year. Rise of Isengard will be on display at Turbine's booth this weekend at PAX in Seattle.
Turbine announces details, screenshots, and release date for DDO Update 5
Evil carnivals, Rogues that build traps, and flying guild halls. If you can't find something to love in Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 5, you're not looking hard enough. Turbine announced today that Update 5: Rise of the Guilds will arrive June 28th, bringing with it a huge list of updates and a brand new adventure pack. The update is centered around guilds. Guild renown, guild trophies, and the long-awaited guild airships will all arrive with this update, encouraging guilds to work together to earn them. Before those of you in OneDAwesome even ask: Yes, we'll be chasing all of these shinies as well as the adventure pack. Watch for this Friday's Exploring Eberron when we will we take a closer look at the update, but for now check out the details and new screenshots on the DDO site.
Age of Conan video walks players through new Tarantia Commons zone
This has been a really big week for Age of Conan. They released Update 5, "Gangs of Tarantia", which has introduced new zones and content, but more than that, completely reworked some of Age of Conan's existing game mechanics. The amount of written content that Funcom has put together on these changes is substantial -- in fact we linked to all of it in our post on Update 5 earlier this week. Funcom can write all they want about the new changes to the game, but when it comes down to it, actually seeing these places they've described may have a stronger impact. With that in mind, Funcom released a video tour of the Tarantia Commons zone today, narrated by game director Craig Morrison.Tarantia Commons is what he describes as "the urban underbelly" of the capital city of Tarantia, a place Morrison says is "wracked by gang warfare and civil unrest." In other words, there's always a lot going on in Tarantia Commons and the video walkthrough shows this, revealing how players will choose which side to take in riots -- either aid the city guards or stick it to the man with fellow rioters. The riots then trigger other events. Specific quests become available and certain bosses spawn, depending upon the general state of chaos in the streets of Tarantia Commons. There are two warring gangs in the new gameplay area, The Wharf Rats who exist at ground level in the streets of Tarantia Commons, and The Crows whose area of influence shows off a different aspect of the game: rooftops. Interacting with The Crows above Tarantia Commons gives a different perspective on the city, with some impressive views of the zone. Of course there's content on the outskirts of Tarantia Commons for players to experience as well, including a leper colony where NPCs will lash out at you, intentionally trying to infect you with disease. As an added bonus, or spoiler depending upon your point of view, the walkthrough also shows off a boss encounter and the tactics he'll employ against players. If you're on the fence about returning to Age of Conan to see the new content, this Tarantia Commons walkthrough might just be the tipping point. We've got a video embed for you after the jump:
