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Know Your LotRO Lore: The Ents
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online."I am not going to tell you my name, not yet at any rate. For one thing it would take a long while: my name is growing all the time, and I've lived a very long, long time; so my name is like a story. Real names tell you the story of things they belong to in my language, in the Old Entish as you might say. It is a lovely language, but it takes a very long time saying anything in it, because we do not say anything in it, unless it is worth taking a long time to say, and to listen to. " - TreebeardThis quote from Tolkien's The Two Towers gives us just a glimpse into these fantastic creatures known as Ents. In this week's Know Your LotRO Lore, we're going to explore the "Shepherds of the Trees" a bit more and help you understand their importance in the grand scheme of Middle-earth. Follow along below for more on these curators of the copse, these guardians of the grove, these wardens of the woodland! Ok, I'll stop that now.
Know Your LotRO Lore: Orcs and Goblins
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.Probably the most predominant evil race in Middle-earth, the Orcs come in many shapes and sizes. Their origins are often debated, and their definition has actually been changed throughout the life of Tolkien's work. One thing is for certain though: Orcs are filled with hate, and lead miserable lives for the service of Sauron.They also evoke many unanswered questions from those new to the Tolkien scene. Did Tolkien invent the Orc? Are Orcs really just cursed Elves? Are goblins considered Orcs? What is an Uruk? Luckily for us lore buffs, there aren't simple yes or no answers to these questions. Follow along through this week's Know Your LotRO Lore to find out more answers to your Orc questions. Origins of Orcs >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Elves
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.The Elf is possibly the most intricately-detailed race in all of J.R.R. Tolkien's works. He created their histories, bloodlines and origins throughout his entire life, from before The Hobbit to works published after his death. Did Tolkien invent Elves? No, but he did redefine them as they're portrayed today in modern fantasy settings. Mostly everything we see in WoW, Warhammer, and of course LotRO come from Tolkien's descriptions of the Germanic and Celtic mythological creatures. Follow along below on our journey through the origins and progression of Tolkien's Elves in Middle-earth and beyond. Elven Origins >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The story of Gandalf
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.In this inaugural edition of Know Your LotRO Lore, we thought we'd kick it off with one of the most lore-tastic characters of all time: Gandalf. If you don't know Gandalf, you don't know Lord of the Rings. He's been an iconic figure throughout Tolkien's books, Jackson's movies, countless songs, works of art and prose.Originally, the name "Gandalf" was to be used for another of Tolkien's characters: a Dwarf who we now know as Thorin. Can you imagine Galdalf's Gate or Gandalf's Hall? What changed Tolkien's mind is the actual Old Norse meaning behind the name Gandalfr, which incorporates the words "gandr", meaning both "wand" and "magic", and "alfr", meaning "elf" or "mythical being". So quite literally, his name means "Elf of the Wand", although he technically resembles that of a Man, instead of an Elf. Gandalf's original name of "Bladorthin" was not entirely lost though, as Tolkien eventually used it to name an ancient king, later in the books.
All the World's a Stage: So you want to be a draenei
This installment of All the World's a Stage is the eighth in a series of roleplaying guides in which we find out all the background information you need to roleplay a particular race or class well, without embarrassing yourself.The draenei are one of Warcraft's more unique contributions to the realm of fantasy fiction, the one player race without no real precedent in earlier fantasy worlds. These are not your typical elves, orcs and dwarves borrowed from Tolkien or Dungeons and Dragons; the draenei are tall, with hooves, tails, horns and even face-tendrils -- but they are noble and spiritual people, the last remnants of an ancient civilization of magic and beauty.To begin thinking about what it must be like to live as a draenei, imagine how the human race might be many thousands of years into the future, maybe a quarter of a million years from now. Whatever technology those people might have would probably seem like magic to us. Our descendants might unravel the mysteries of biology to such a degree that they can halt the aging process and live as long as they want to. They may be able to tap on sources of power we haven't even imagined, and act with motivations and purposes we could scarcely understand.The draenei as a people were once like this, 25,000 years before the setting of World of Warcraft. Even at that time, they were already ancient in their history and advanced far beyond what you and I might understand. Their world, called Argus, was a prosperous society full of great achievements and magical wonders, quite unlike anything we see today. They had a different name then, however -- they were called, the "eredar" -- a name which now upsets the draenei as a painful reminder of everything they have lost, the corruption, the betrayal and the near extermination of everything they have ever known and loved.
The Daily Grind: Sick of high fantasy yet?
Alright, we get it. The high fantasy genre is popular. It became massively popular with J.R.R. Tolkien's massively popular The Lord of the Rings trilogy of books, which then became massively popular, massively expensive movies, and now all that has turned into a slightly less massively popular but still impressive massively multiplayer game called The Lord of the Rings Online. Of course, before LotRO there were already lots of high fantasy MMOs. Like, almost all of them, including Ultima Online, EverQuest, Final Fantasy XI, and World of Warcraft. Now there's Warhammer Online. If we're gonna be technical, Warhammer precedes all of these except for The Lord of the Rings and Ultima, but let's at least try to stay grounded here. Point is, developers and publishers keep doing high fantasy MMOs, and players keep buying them.There are a few samples from other genres on the way -- Star Trek Online and The Agency, for example. But non-fantasy MMOs have had a difficult history. The only very succesful ones have been City of Heroes and EVE Online. Maybe Star Wars Galaxies or Anarchy Online, but that's being awfully generous. So really, ya'll; are you sick of this fantasy thing yet? Are you ready to give Sci-Fi another chance, or even something based on (prepare to gasp) the real world?
All the World's a Stage: So you want to be a dwarf
This installment of All the World's a Stage is the fourth in a series of roleplaying guides in which we find out all the background information you need to roleplay a particular race or class well, without embarrassing yourself.Imagine if you were raised in a culture who took playing in the mud very very seriously. As a young lad or lassie, your parents advised you that it would be wise of you to learn digging as your profession, and they hoped that one day you would marry a forger. Your people loved the earth so much that they built their homes and cities underground, and reached as deep as they could into the ground to see what they could find there.Then... imagine if, just a few years ago, someone discovered evidence that your people had once been made by giant Titans out of the very stone and earth you now craft with such care. Wouldn't you be pretty psyched?There's so much more to dwarves than just a Scottish accent and short stature, you see. Dwarves are the Indiana-Joneses of World of Warcraft. After eons of digging into and sculpting the earth of Azeroth, they suddenly have a clue as to where they came from and how everything came to be the way it is for them. They are now spread across distant places of the world, digging and plumbing ancient ruins in order to unravel the mystery of their existence, and discover the ultimate reason for being.
The Daily Grind: How's LotRO treatin' ya?
With the Age of Conan launch not far behind us, and the release dates of Warhammer Online and Wrath of the Lich King coming up soon, The Lord of the Rings Online hasn't been getting much attention as of late. That's a pity, really, since it's just hitting its stride, with the Mines of Moria expansion coming out this fall as well.Turbine has been shy about releasing subscription numbers, but an educated guess could place LotRO in the #2 spot as far as subscription-based, western MMOs go. So to give LotRO a little much-deserved attention, we decided to ask you: how's LotRO treating you these days? Turbine has had over a year to polish the game. How's it coming? And if you're a LotRO player now, will WAR or WotLK draw you away? Or do you expect Mines of Moria satisfy all your MMO cravings this year?
Exploring Middle-earth: Fashat Laug
The lore aspect of Lord of the Rings Online is extremely important, as the game is centered around one of the most popular and influential works of fantasy fiction of all time. This makes the game's own storyline and lore a challenge for the game developer's writers to not only stick to the script, so to speak, but also be able to flesh out the story into a playable environment that is accessible and explorable to hundreds of thousands of players 24/7.Case in point: the newest entry of Codemasters' Exploring Middle-earth focuses on Fashat Laug, the war-camp established by the Earth-kin, near the ruins of Ost Crithlanc. In this story, we get some background into how the camp was settled by the first Hunter of the Suuri-lehma tribe, and how it eventually evolved into the new tribe known as the Rauta-lehma. If you're interested in learning more about the development of the Earth-kin tribe, check out this piece of lore on the LotRO Europe website.
LotRO weekly roundup questions Turbine's intentions with the Rune-keeper
In this week's Lord of the Rings Online forum roundup over at Ten Ton Hammer, some interesting points are made on the state of game, Tolkien's view of magic and the player impressions of the Summer Festival. Don't let the high-brow lore excerpts fool you though, the expected forum negativity still shines through this week.The Summer Festival horse's appearance has been a topic of debate since the photos from Roheryn first surfaced last month. The bright green and yellow saddle has been called everything from psychedelic to nauseating. So it should be no surprise that players are petitioning for a change. Plus, the most-heated debate in this week's roundup revolves around Tolkien's view on magic, its usage by Man and the new Rune-keeper. Does this mean the new magic-user class won't be accessible to the race of Man, or does it mean the lore will need to be stretched a bit? Either way, expect a few complaints here and there.
Lord of the Rings: Conquest debut trailer depicts battles, oliphant violence
Pandemic just released the first trailer for their Star Wars: Battlefront-esque take on Tolkien's beloved fantasy world, Lord of the Rings: Conquest, and despite a few framerate issues, we're as pleased as Miruvor-flavored punch. Though past titles have tried to capture the grand scale of Middle Earth's climactic battles through various methods of interactivity, we've never really felt the exhilaration associated with cutting through swathes of Orcborn adversaries with our trusty Andúril. The familiar Battlefront gameplay formula looks to be just what the doctor ordered -- though PETA might have a few unkind words to say about the Proboscidean homocide apparently featured in the title.
Blogging into Mordor: Finding the perfect name for your Man (or Woman)
Having the most available classes and arguably the best racial abilities in The Lord of the Rings Online, the Race of Man is also the most popular. So it can be hard to find a decent name for your human. Everyone wants to be a hero, for their character to be great and achieve fame and glory. But can you do this without naming your character "Aragorrn" or "Boromier"? You bet! This guide will take you through finding the perfect first name and surname for your man or woman. Unlike the other races, a member of the Race of Man's name relies heavily on its origin/nationality. A man from Dale's name is going to sound nothing like the name of a man from Bree. The conventions for both the first names and surnames are highly varied between each culture. This is mostly due to the fact that men live such short lives and live so far away from each other, and also due to war, which has separated members of the race greatly. The cultures of the four nationalities are so varied that if you want a lore-appropriate name for role-playing, you will have to choose the name first based on your character's chosen nationality. With the other races, this isn't as important.
Blogging into Mordor: Finding the perfect name for your Hobbit.
Looking for a name for your little halfling? Unwilling to settle for "Frodow" "Samwizze" or "Bihlbo"? Have you already named your character one of these but are looking to change it to something decent and lore-abiding? This guide will help you to find the perfect name for your hobbit and avoid the wrath incurred when you turn on your role-playing flag with the name "Kneestabberxx". You will also find tips on choosing a surname. If you've already named your hobbit but are looking to construct an interesting back-story, this guide might be useful to you as well! J. R. R. Tolkien gave each different race and culture in the game its own customs and naming systems. Looking at the names of different hobbits can tell you things about them -- where they might have been born, what family they might be a part of. This gives you the opportunity to give your character a back-story if you wish, though simply using this guide to choose a cool name is good as well. And there is nothing wrong with taking some of the names here and using them in other games! Always make sure to read the naming guidelines of whatever game you play so that you do not break any rules and face punishment. In The Lord of the Rings Online, using a name that is even close to a character from the lore (such as Frodo, Lobelia, or Pippin) is strictly against the rules. So if you want a name that sounds hobbity and not a violation of the rules, you have to get creative. Luckily, Tolkien himself was creative and named enough of these creatures to give us an idea of how to do it! Even after reading this guide remember that the best name is the one you enjoy seeing and think fits your character, no matter how much you play it. What you think of your hobbit's name is more important than what other people think as long as it doesn't violate the naming conditions of your game.
The Daily Grind: What was your gateway MMO?
Some people just don't get MMOs. 'What's the point? You just keep leveling up, but there's no end to it. Where's the story? Why would you pay a monthly fee for the chance to keep getting killed by the same griefer over and over?' Of course, what they don't understand is the feeling of community, the excitement of content updates, and the chance to partake in an ongoing history that's being partly written by the players themselves.But at some point, the heretofore non-MMO gamer decides to take the plunge, whether out of curiosity, or the constant browbeating of his more evolved peers. He might give World of Warcraft a spin, considering how popular it's grown. Or he'll jump into City of Heroes out of love of the comic book medium. Or, being a Tolkien fan, he'll download the Lord of the Rings Online trial. Suddenly, the scales fall from his eyes, he renounces all worldly goods, and becomes one of the converted. Oh, he might still play the occasional single-player game, but he'll never give up his guildies.Which MMO made you see the light?
Upcoming MMO movies (and why they'll suck)
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Upcoming_MMO_movies_and_why_they_ll_suck'; Dorothy Parker once said "The only 'ism' Hollywood believes in is plagiarism." While not technically plagiarism, the practice of mining popular properties of other media is a time-honored mainstay of Hollywood's. Why invent a new franchise when you can adapt one that already exists? Well, if we're talking about translating videogames to cinema, there are at least 3 reasons against that we can think of right away: Street Fighter: The Movie, Double Dragon, and Doom. Oh, and the entire body of work of Uwe Boll.With such a history of failure, why does Hollywood keep banking on videogames as good sources of material? Because it's always desperate for the next big hit, and adaptation is seen as being easier than originality, even though by now it's apparent that it's not quite as simple as it seems. An even better question is: why exactly don't these translations work? What is it about games that makes for poor films? Let's see if we can answer this question and assess the potential success/failure of some upcoming MMO movies.
Turbine, Tolkien to stay in bed together until 2014 (and beyond)
You know what it's like when it's early morning and so toasty under the covers snuggled up against that someone special that you just don't see any reason to get out bed. We imagine that's a lot like the relationship between The Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine and Tolkien Enterprises, as the pair have agreed to extend their relationship until 2014 -- with an option to work together for three more years after that -- ensuring that players will be able to continue to frolic and grind their way through Middle Earth.We're very interested to see where Turbine takes the franchise going forward, especially after comments made by executive producer Jeffrey Steefel in January regarding the developer's console-based aspirations for the license. In addition, while no new game announcements have been made, the recent confirmation of a new 2-part Hobbit film finally getting underway would seem to make excellent fodder for the MMO developer, and we expect that the pair will continue to play footsie beneath the sheets for years to come.
LOTS more LotRO to come; Turbine extends LotR license
We've had punters out there guess at just how long Lord of the Rings Online might be able to last, as well as one particularly detailed and precise look at how Tolkien's Middle-earth might unfold over the years, but Turbine has now given official confirmation that they are in it for the long haul. A new press release (posted in full after the break) sent to us from Turbine's PR company states that they have extended their license agreements with Tolkien Enterprises for Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit until 2014, with the rights to claim them all the way up to 2017 if they so choose.The president and CEO of Turbine, Jim Crowley, affirmed his faith in the license -- and honestly, it's not a bad horse to back -- saying, "With the recent announcement of what are sure to be two blockbuster films based on The Hobbit and a sequel, we expect the success of the license and our relationship with Tolkien Enterprises to grow for years to come." Only time will tell whether Turbine can give LotRO and associated games legs until 2014 (or 2017!), but with this agreement under their belts they can develop away for the foreseeable future. Hit the jump to read the press release in its entirety.
Sci-fi MMO, you're my only hope...
The Ancient Gaming Noob wrote a fascinating article about why sci-fi MMOs haven't flourished. It's certainly not a new topic, but the Noob backs his argument up with credible facts and a strict analytical comparison (as opposed to the boisterous blatherings of the typical forum troll) that prove his point.In Is there hope for a science fiction MMORGP?, the Noob posits that fantasy MMORPGs came about (and became more popular) due to a series of environmental factors that were present for the fantasy genre, but not for sci-fi. He compares four major factors: literature, table top RPGs, computer RPGs, and MUDs (aka Multi-User Dungeons). The body of historical fantasy literature provides the major ground work for the other three categories. While "The Lord of the Rings" might pop into your head first, Tolkien's great novels were not the beginning of the fantasy genre. As illustrated by the Noob, much older works such as Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe," and Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur" existed. But the trump card? The 11th century Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic poem written in the English language. It's a fantasy story. The entire fantasy genre has been ingrained into our collective human psyche for centuries.And what does science fiction have? Uh, not much. At least not compared to those legendary scripts. Granted there are some "old" science fiction tales, but the genre as we know it today didn't exist until the early part of the 20th century. I don't mean to knock the likes of Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, or Kevin J. Anderson, but in a historical context the space traveling genre is the new kid on the block. And as the Noob so eloquently points out, some of Asimov's own underlying scientific theories haven't held up so well over the years.Take a gander at Noob's article then come back here and let us know what you think. Are you a fantasy fanatic? Or do you yearn for a great sci-fi game that will even the decidedly lopsided MMO table back in the favor of ray guns and aliens?
Come discover High King's Crossing in Middle-earth
So you say you like rivers, but even more than rivers you love big, tall statues? Well that's good, because Lord of the Rings Online just added High King's Crossing as a new point of interest for any travelers looking to explore. The three massive statues that guard the crossing of Baranduin river are very ancient ruins (as are most ruins in Middle Earth) that were created in honor of the kings of old. Abandoned after the fall of the North-kingdom and the fading of the Dúnedain of the North, it is now being preserved by the Rangers.Feel free to follow the link if you'd like to read through the lore in full, it's worth a minute of your time if you like anything Tolkien. Aside from the nice injection of lore for anyone who enjoys that sort of stuff, the page also has a great integration of the Google maps application. The first thing you might find yourself doing after reading through the lore entry is to wander around the interactive map -- at least if you're anything like us.
Happy Birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings Online website carries a small note reminding us that the man behind the rise of high fantasy, J.R.R. Tolkien, celebrates his birthday today, January 3rd. The team at Turbine of course owe LotRO's concept and lore to Tolkien, but it's important to remember that plenty of other games -- and the fantasy genre in general -- take inspiration from his works as well.Tolkien was born in 1892 and passed away in 1973, at the age of 81. His body rests at the Wolvercote Cemetery in Oxford, alongside his wife Edith, and among other things engraved on their tombstone are the names Beren and Lúthien. Fans of Tolkien's writing will recognize these characters as the mortal Man and immortal Elf-maiden who shared love and adventures, and were inspired by the love of his own wife.Rest in peace, sir.
