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The Road to Mordor: Hands-on with Riders of Rohan's mounted combat
I remember the very first thought I had when Turbine announced Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan: If the mounted combat isn't very, very good, this expansion's going to be a big dud. I don't think we've ever had an expansion that leaned so heavily on a core system for not only the bulk of its gameplay but also its style. Crude my thought may have been, it felt like the truth. I don't know any other successful MMO that utilized mounted combat as anything but a sideshow curiosity. The LotRO team was putting too much emphasis on mounted combat for it to fizzle. I think I can breathe easier now that I've had a chance to spend an hour fiddling with mounted combat while talking to Senior Producer Aaron Campbell. What I saw was an alpha build of the expansion (the beta is scheduled to start soon, perhaps as soon as next week), but once I got used to careening over the plains at 88 miles per hour, it felt just right. It felt like LotRO.
LotRO shows off the vistas of Rohan in new video and stills
Many a Tolkien fan has looked forward to traversing the regions of Rohan ever since Lord of the Rings Online was first announced way back when. Now, with the release date for the Riders of Rohan expansion set for September 5th, those fans are literally champing at the bit to run with the horses. To give players a taste of the area, Turbine has released numerous screenshots of the beautiful landscapes of the Rohan region. A flythough video also highlights waterfalls in East Wall, fields in The Wold, settlements in Norscrofts, and the forests in Eaves of Fangorn, as well as other notable areas. Check out all of the new images in the gallery below and head past the break for the video flythrough of the gorgeous scenery of Rohan. And for more information about the expansion, check out The Road to Mordor's recent feature focusing on Riders of Rohan. [Source: Turbine press release]%Gallery-158706%
E3 2012: Exploring the freedom of LotRO's Riders of Rohan
Saddle up, pard'ners: Riders of Rohan is coming! Lord of the Rings Online's fourth expansion in its full equine glory at this week's E3. At Turbine's booth, we got a first look at the expansion's highly touted mounted combat and were able to ask the crew some of our burning questions about the differences between the editions. It's apparent that Riders of Rohan has a ton to give LotRO subscribers. Turbine's chosen to release the east side of Rohan first, leaving out the west side for future development. The expansion features customizable mounts, impressive graphical upgrades, a slew of customization options, new NPCs, new content, and even a new orchestral soundtrack. Without further ado, let's dive in to explore the freedom of Rohan!
LotRO: Riders of Rohan instance cluster coming after expansion launch
Even with all of the information flying around about Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan expansion this week, players were left wondering about the question of the expansion containing any new instances, skirmishes, or raids. In a forum post, CM Sapience addressed the instance issue directly by saying that it's being worked on, it probably won't arrive in time for the expansion's launch, and the team is waiting until the content is fleshed out some more before giving solid details. "We are working on an instance cluster," Sapience confirms. "Currently it is planned to be part of an update due to release after the Riders of Rohan expansion has shipped." He also mentions that Riders of Rohan will contain "a new type of repeatable content" that Turbine has yet to disclose. Sapience promised that further information on these two topics will arrive later this summer.
LotRO: Riders of Rohan website, pre-purchase available [Updated]
Turbine's sounded the rallying horn today to its legion of Lord of the Rings Online fans to come south to Rohan. The official Riders of Rohan website has launched, and the fall's expansion is now available to pre-purchase for special bonuses. The website shows off the mounted combat, epic story, and regions of Rohan through images, descriptions, and a teaser video. There's also an interesting story section that boasts a short film with live actors portraying some of the key characters in the expansion. While we're still some time off from the expansion's release, Turbine is tempting us into pre-purchasing Riders of Rohan by offering a slew of different packages and bonuses. There are three editions ranging from $39.99 to $69.99. The editions include different amounts of extra content including a special mount, older zone quest packs, and the much-desired sixth inventory bag. By pre-purchasing, players will get many of these bonuses immediately as well as a few extras that won't be available after the expansion launches. You can watch both the teaser video as well as the story trailer for Riders of Rohan after the jump! [Update: Turbine has confirmed that the expansion will release on September 5th, 2012.]
The Daily Grind: Do you play classes you don't like?
I recently returned to Lord of the Rings Online in anticipation of the Rohan-themed expansion pack due later this year. As I was looking over my character page and deciding which of my toons I should take to 75, I reluctantly decided to abandon my highest level avatar. You see, he's a Guardian, and despite the fact that I'm basically throwing away 58 levels and some pretty decent gear, I simply can't bear the thought of playing what is absolutely the most boring class in any MMO, ever. Why did I roll one, then? Mainly because my launch-day guild was going for class balance, and no one else wanted to play a tank. And that's my long-winded way of leading into today's Daily Grind question. Do you play classes you don't like (and if so, why)? 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!
The Road to Mordor: Rise of Isengard report card
It's been a half-year since Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion, Rise of Isengard, opened the doors to Dunland and beyond. It was an interesting expansion compared to what came before in several ways: It finally took us into the pages of The Two Towers, it introduced Rohan and the Rohirrim, and it introduced what I consider to be the most compelling villain this game has seen to date. While the game's hinted and alluded to Saruman and his White Hand back-up dancers leading up to RoI, the expansion finally unveiled the mastermind behind many of the machinations of Middle-earth's mischief. His was not an overt city-crushing type of evil; instead, he's a crafty politician-type who attempts to woo and seduce minds to his cause. More than the Witch-king of Angmar or Sara Oakheart, Saruman gives us a perfect target for our justified outrage. This is a guy we don't want to see succeed, ever. So with six months under our belt, I thought it would be a great time to evaluate as much of Rise of Isengard as I've experienced with the ol' report card treatment. Where does it get good marks -- and where does it need tutoring?
The Road to Mordor: Ride to ruin and the world's ending!
Mounted combat's been on my mind a lot lately, particularly when I was galloping around Dunland and various clansmen knocked me off my horse. It was then that I wished I had a skill called "Trample to a Bloody Pulp -- For Rohan!" and that Turbine would finally earn that AO rating it's always craved. Barring that skill, I would just love a massive war horse that would send enemies fleeing from me instead of making a beeline for my knees (which are a prime target for arrows). I'm both excited and nervous about the mounted combat system coming in Riders of Rohan. I'm excited that it will open up a new style of gameplay in this five-year-old game and nervous that it'll drag Lord of the Rings Online down if it's not done right. Whatever type of horseback combat we might envision will surely be different than the final product, and that uncertainty leaves me feeling in limbo. More than anything else, Riders of Rohan is about mounted combat. Turbine's centering the expansion around it, dedicating an entire zone to it, and developing loads of assets and skills for it, and the company will undoubtedly be hyping it strongly over the course of the summer. It's a bold step to take but a necessary one as well, as the IP and nation of Rohan are steeped in mounted combat, and it's been a little weird that we've had to dismount to swing a sword ever since leaving the shire. So will mounted combat prevail, fail, or muddle in the middle?
The Road to Mordor: An Update 6 play date with Turbine
This past week, Turbine called my parents and asked if I could come over to play Lord of the Rings Online. "Sure he can," my mother replied. "As long as he wears his galoshes. What? It's wet outside!" And thus I ended up hanging out with the Turbine crew -- Aaron Campbell, Jared Pruett, and Jeff Libby -- as they walked me through Update 6 with the optional developer commentary mode set to "on." I highly recommend you rent a developer for the same experience, as it helps to have someone giving you a Cliff's Notes version of the game's complicated lore. Pruett first caught me up on the major PvMP changes of this coming Monday's update. The team wanted to increase rewards and turn progression into a seasonal mechanic to keep players coming to the Ettenmoors. As such, PvMP now has a universal currency -- that's account-wide, by the way -- that will allow players to purchase top-end gear. The team also tweaked down what the devs saw as a DPS race in order to give players time to deliberate and make strategic choices during fights. Beyond PvMP, the devs marched me right into the next epic storyline book that whisked us away to a strange new land: The Great River. What did I find waiting for me there?
The Road to Mordor: Fording the Great River
At 1388 miles, the Anduin is the longest river known in Middle-earth, hence the name The Great River. If I put that into real-world perspective, it would vie for the 52nd longest river on Earth, somewhere between the Colorado River and China's Pearl River. Impressive, if not a record-breaker. The Great River flows from the Misty Mountains down out to the Great Sea (lots of "greats" in Middle-earth, which is great), and it's on this waterway that the Fellowship of the Ring traveled from the solace of Lothlorien to the tragedy at Parth Galen. The river represents transition in many ways: from safety to peril, from unity to dissolution, from north to south, from The Fellowship of the Ring to The Two Towers. For Lord of the Rings Online players, the Anduin will mark another transition: the bridge between Rise of Isengard and Riders of Rohan. Seeing as how we got a major taste of this brand-new zone this week, I thought we should take a gander at what The Great River will add to our journey toward Mordor.
Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out 2012
In the words of Frank Sinatra, 2011 "was a very good year" for Lord of the Rings Online. Executive Producer Kate Paiz and Director of Communications Adam Mersky sat down with us to talk about the future of the game, but before they got to the juicy details, they wanted to give a quick recap of the previous year for the game and the studio. The big emphasis for LotRO in 2011 was the unifying of the global community and the release of the game's third (and best-selling) expansion, Rise of Isengard. While the aforementioned unification of the NA and EU sides of the game presented many challenges for the team including localization, it paid off in spades. Turbine plans to continue to add more payment options for those used to methods other than the ones currently available. The team was most proud of unveiling Saruman "in all of his glory" and the inclusion of free players into the sphere of Monster Play. "The game definitely grew last year," Mersky said in response to a question about the current number of players. He noted that the playerbase has changed somewhat in the past two years, becoming more casual in some respects. But it's time to move forward! Turbine is prepared to take LotRO players on a dizzying chase around the wilds of Middle-earth with a few significant changes and additions to the game -- and the release of the brand-new expansion later this year, Riders of Rohan. Mounted combat, ho!
The Road to Mordor: Wish lists, past and future
Hobbits love making lists, don't they? In The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo had a lengthy list of friends and relatives to invite to his eleventy-first birthday party, and he didn't have the luxury of Facebook to help him out. I love lists as well, although I try to save most of that for my Perfect Ten column. At the beginning of the year, I sat down and drafted up a "wish list" for Lord of the Rings Online's 2011 year, populating it with 11 changes and additions I was hoping to see by now. To my surprise, Turbine actually pulled off quite a few items on the list, and I thought it'd be a good idea to go back and examine which of my goals the team met and which remain elusive. Also, since 2012 kicks off tomorrow, I'll look forward as well and draft up a dozen -- yes, one more over the year before -- wish list items that I'd love to see come true in the new year. It's my column; I can cry if I want to, after all. Let's get this party started!
YNK Interactive giving gifts for the holidays!
As we approach the end of 2011, the crew at YNK Interactive is offering up some festive items to help Massively readers ring in the new year. YNK Interactive is the developer and publisher behind both ROHAN: Blood Feud and SEAL Online, and we've got some gift packs for players of both games. For ROHAN: Blood Feud, the gift package includes a Snow Kruger mount for players level 30 and up, a Harmony Seal that grants a three-hour 400% XP boost to your entire party, and Celebration Glasses that give a bonus to STR, DEX, and INT. Pick up your code on our giveaway page, make sure you have a ROHAN account, then enter your code in the Gamer Code box of ROHAN's redemption page. Log into ROHAN and retrieve your items from your mail inventory. [Sorry, all codes have been claimed] SEAL Online players have some great items as well. The set includes three potions, each giving a bonus to defense, dexterity, or evasion. You'll also find a golden chest key that unlocks chests in the Monster Survival Dungeon. Pick up your code on our giveaway page, then redeem it using the Gamer Code section of SEAL Online's redemption page. Log into SEAL Online and you'll find your new items in your cash bank. Enjoy both giveaways, and thanks to YNK Interactive!
Turbine teases Rohan content with new LotRO screenshots
Oh Turbine, how you're teasing us with visions of Rohan, Rohirrim, and desperately suicidal cavalry charges punctuated by raucous shouts of "DEATH!" OK, now that we're all hot and bothered, let's have a look at the latest Lord of the Rings Online screenshots. The new batch coincides with the continuation of the game's epic storyline, and the shots primarily center around Theodred, prince of Rohan and son of King Theoden. If you've read Tolkien -- or seen Peter Jackson's films -- you're probably familiar with Theodred's fate and thus it might surprise you to learn that you'll be aiding him in Turbine's version of Middle-earth. It all fits, though, and you can find the prince in the game's new Dunland region, preparing his troops for battle and waiting on the timely assistance of heroes like you. [Source: Turbine press release] %Gallery-9579%
Hear me roar: Become the voice of a monster in R.O.H.A.N.
Ever listen to video game sounds and go, "I could do that 20% better!"? Well, now's the time to prove it. YNK Interactive has launched a Roar & Win contest in which players are encouraged to record their most terrifying monster voice and submit it for possible use in R.O.H.A.N.: Blood Feud. The best sound clips will be implemented into the game as the voice of the Boreal Hell Demon, a two-headed monstrosity in the Elemental Dungeon. Players are asked to record three phrases, including the lovely "I can just taste your filthy blood," in an effort to not just become part of the game, but to win prizes like a Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset, in-game currency, and in-game items. YNK's Derrick Lee thinks this contest meshes well with the season: "Just in time for Halloween, the Roar & Win event will surely release the monsters within our players. Our year's focus is the community, and this event is a great way for our players to be a part of the game they love." The contest ends at midnight on October 26th, and the winner's voice will be added to the game on November 1st.
Take a ride through LotRO's Gap of Rohan with a new walkthrough video
Lord of the Rings Online is gearing up for the release of its next expansion, Rise of Isengard, and the fine folks at A Casual Stroll to Mordor have your needs covered. After the recent Dunland walkthrough video, the Gap of Rohan is up for display. Of course, fans of the series will recognize Rohan as the home of the horse-loving Rohirrim. But even players encountering the lands of the Horse Lords for the first time will find plenty to love (and plenty to kill). The video shows off some gorgeous scenic landscapes, a variety of cities and settlements, and of course plenty of baddies just waiting to be whacked. Just saddle up and ride on past the cut for the full video.
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!
R.O.H.A.N.: Blood Feud looks toward Hero expansion with new Divinity server
YNK Interactive has formally announced the introduction of Divinity, a new server for its R.O.H.A.N.: Blood Feud free-to-play fantasy MMORPG. The release marks the first step toward the forthcoming Hero expansion, and new players will find that the Divinity server provides several perks designed to help those new to R.O.H.A.N. get acclimated in a hurry. All characters created during Divinity's first month will receive a starter package containing XP bonus items, a styling ticket, and a +5 stat costume. R.O.H.A.N. will also be featuring numerous drop rate and bonus XP events in the coming weeks to prepare for the expansion. "Divinity is just the start of a new beginning with R.O.H.A.N. this year. We're thrilled on the release of the new server update, as it sets the foundation for the many events and exciting game content to come," says YNK's Derrick Lee.
The Road to Mordor: What if?
By the time you read this, I'll be scurrying around PAX East in Boston, feeling much like a Hobbit: unable to see over the crowd, far out of my element, and deeply wishing I purchased shoes. I'll of course be talking with the folks at Turbine to see what information I can wheedle out of them about the future of this terrific game, so if you don't hear from me again, I'm most likely languishing in a PR dungeon somewhere for being too nosy. It's a good week, therefore, to be thinking about the future. My mind never stops thinking about future possibilities for any franchise, and even if they never come to be, these speculations are a great pastime of any fan. I'm always wondering "What if?" as I play Lord of the Rings Online -- what if I could mug Frodo and become the Ring-bearer? What if those lazy bums finally finished the repairs to the tavern in Frogmorton? What if Elves could kill innocent woodland creatures and go to the dark side? Playing "What if?" with LotRO is tougher than with other games because of the limitations imposed by the IP. Despite what some say, Turbine's struggled hard to stay within the boundaries of lore and setting, and while that's helped the company to be creative in ways that it might not have otherwise, it does present some unique obstacles that aren't present in competing MMOs. So to celebrate PAX, LotRO, and the future, here's a column of "What ifs?" for your consumption!
Turbine: LotRO revenue tripled since going F2P
Lord of the Rings Online's future is so bright, it's wearing shades these days. At least, according to a new interview at TTH, where LotRO's Kate Paiz and Adam Mersky opened up about the success of the free-to-play conversion. Turbine has seen LotRO's profits triple since F2P along with a huge influx of new players, and that spells good news for the future of the game. The duo turned its attention to the upcoming year for LotRO, which includes the Rise of Isengard expansion. While Paiz and Mersky didn't indicate whether there would be any new zones between now and then, they did confirm that the epic story would be continued, leading up to the confrontation between the rangers and Saruman's growing forces. Rise of Isengard will feature a push to the south with the Dunland and Gap of Isengard zones, whereas Isengard proper will pit players against the foul forces of the Tower of Orthanc. Isengard isn't the only thing players have to look forward to in the next year -- a big cosmetic system revamp is planned along with non-combat pets. Hardcore players also have a new raid cluster to look forward to before Isengard's release. Other possibilities for the future? Cosmetic weapons, a Rohan expansion and the Battle of Helm's Deep are all on the table. [Thanks A Casual Stroll to Mordor!]
