lotro-lore
Latest
Will we ever be able to fly in Middle Earth?
The ability to fly is one thing players ask for in practically every online game! But not all games feature soaring superheroes, so most gamers turn to the next best thing: flying mounts. The ability to mount up on a fire-breathing dragon and fly as far and high as one can has been the dream of almost every child (and adult) who has read a fantasy novel ... so why not allow flying in the MMORPG adaption of the greatest fantasy novel of all time?One of Turbine's greatest strengths in developing Lord of the Rings Online is their adherence to the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien. This is partially because they must run any large game changes past Tolkien Enterprises to make sure they reasonably fit within the lore that Tolkien created, and also because the developers themselves are quite dedicated to the source material. Therefore, there would have to be either justification in the lore for allowing regular players to fly mounts, or enough silence on the issue so that Turbine could implement them without technically breaking any lore.So what mounts would be possible in Tolkien's lore? Obviously there would need to be a creature or machine big enough to carry a fat hobbit, hefty dwarf, muscular man or freakishly-tall elf. This narrows it down quite a bit.
It's starting to feel like Christmas in Turbine games
Turbine is spreading the holiday cheer with winter seasonal events in three of its games. Lord of the Rings Online is introducing its first Yuletide event. From December 14 until January 3, players can embark on a quest that will reward them with a snow-covered tree for their yard. While not on the scale of other seasonal events introduced in the game, the reward will be sure to please the many new homeowners who are looking for status symbols to display in their online neighborhoods.Next, in Asheron's Call, Santa Sclavus will be traveling the lands handing out presents to the good little boys and girls. But the naughty ones will only be getting coal. Be sure to be on the lookout for the jolly gift giver and see what he has for you.FInally, in Dungeons and Dragons Online, The Festival of the Twelfth Moon has arrived in Stormreach and brings with it the Festivult Jester. Players can collect Festivult Coins from chests and turn them in for special holiday prizes. Overall, Asheron's Call looks like the most fun of the three events. A GM controlled NPC can have great fun interacting with the players if he is not mobbed by 80 at once. But we're also curious how the LotRO devs have incorporated Christmas into Tolkien lore. They have a tricky balance to maintain to meet the expectations of their customers, but not violate the spirit of Middle-earth's well-detailed culture.
