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Turbine takes on new CEO
Turbine, the company behind Asheron's Call and Lord of the Rings Online, has announced the surprise appointment of Jim Crowley, in place of former, long-standing CEO Jeff Anderson. Crowley was the Chief Operations Officer of mobile billing firm m-Cube, which was acquired by Verisign for $250 Million USD in 2006, and is described by Turbine as being key to m-Cube's growth and success to-date. No reason has been given for Anderson's departure from Turbine, only a generically neutral "the move is one of many that Turbine has recently made to invest in new talent that will drive the next wave of the company's growth." [via Gamasutra]
Turbine gets new CEO, but what happened to the old one?
Turbine Studios, developer of Lord of the Rings Online and D&D Online, announced a new CEO yesterday to replace long-time CEO Jeff Anderson (pictured). New CEO Jeff Crowley, who came from outside the industry, was brought on board a couple months ago as "one of many [hires] that Turbine has recently made to invest in new talent that will drive the next wave of the company's growth." Translation: The Turbine board wasn't happy with the management or money the company was making and decided to make changes.There's no mention of Anderson's fate in the press release, but word is that he's been pushed out of the company. It'll be interesting to see how Crowley handles the company, Anderson was always the public face of Turbine and its games. It'll also be interesting to see if Crowley survives the behind-the-scenes issues which caused the shakeup in the first place.
Lord of the Rings Online free 7-day trial
Turbine announced today that they're offering a free 7-day trial for their successful Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. The offer is available for North America, Australia and New Zealand. The press release finally gives us some numbers for LoTRO and says there are "4 million characters calling Middle-earth their home." That's a pretty slick way of avoiding how many actual accounts there are, but we'll totally believe them that it's the "second largest MMORPG" behind the unfathomably successful World of Warcraft. In that race, second place is a perfectly respectable place to be.LoTRO recently had their second content update which continues to drive the MMO in a good direction. The game seems to be doing well enough that it's been mentioned as being part of Midway's increasing fiscal fortitude. The first full expansion for LoTRO, which will cover the events in The Two Towers and its peripheral story lines, is expected to be announced early next year.
1.2-megawatt underwater turbine project delayed
Apparently, Marine Current Turbines is having quite the time trying to install what would be "the world's largest tidal power project," as the installation that was slated to begin Monday will now be lucky to see completion this year. Dubbed SeaGen, the project will reportedly utilize "twin underwater turbines to generate 1.2-megawatts of electricity off the coast of Northern Ireland," which are said to "look and work very much like wind powered [alternatives]." Notably, the company even mentioned that the devices spin "too slowly to affect marine life," and just in case you're concerned about its future plans, it "intends to eventually build farms of turbines consisting of 10 to 20 pairs each." [Via TechMeme]
LotRO updates Aug. 20 with 'The City of the Kings'
Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online is getting another free content update with Book 10: The City of the Kings on Aug. 20. Turbine has been pretty solid in delivering content updates for their games on a regular schedule, releasing Shores of Evendim shortly after launch. The new content includes: Spending Destiny Points to play as a Ranger or Troll during monster play in the Ettenmoors. Playing as a "critter," the first of which is a chicken. LotRO players can now explore Middle-earth from the non-humanoid perspective. A reputation and bartering system, which allows players to gain rep. for rewards with factions and the bartering system allows players to trade trophies for gear. 100 new quests UI is now more customizable Although Turbine won't talk about how many players they have, they're boosting US publisher Midway's bottom line so they can't be doing all bad. LotRO game looks to get continual updates leading up to the expansion, which should be announced early next year.[Via press release]
Australian develops diminutive wind turbine for household energy
Generally speaking, wind turbines have been reserved for more macro-scale operations, but a West Australian inventor "believes he has developed a way to generate electricity for homes using wind power." This residential approach utilizes a modular turbine that is minuscule enough to perch atop nearly any roof without causing too much unsightliness, and can create power for the house to consume as the wind pushes its blades. Additionally, Graeme Attey suggests that solar panels could be used in conjunction with his creation, giving you double the renewable energy opportunities (at least during the day). Currently, Mr. Attey's device is being partially funded by the West Australian government, and homeowners who toss one up on their crib could receive a rebate if in fact this is ready for commercialization next year.[Thanks, Strayan]
Orange UK's wind-powered charger to blow into shops?
It seems Ben Jandrell -- the brains behind Orange's recent wind powered charger -- is considering launching the little orange-colored charger if interest is there for his product. Ben was commissioned to build three prototypes for Orange which were subsequently shown off at the Glastonbury festival. The yet unnamed contraption -- though we're feeling "The Engadget Mobile Charger" rings nicely -- generates about a half-watt of power, enough to trickle charge the batteries you eventually tap into to juice up your mobile. If you are inspired to show yer green (both types) for this type of technology, hit up Ben's site and leave your contact info.
Turbine won't deny possibility of console Lord of the Rings MMO
Ever since people got word of the stealth-action MMO The Agency, a lingering question in the back of everyone's mind has been "will other MMO's get console attention now?" The answer is complicated. Blizzard probably won't bring World of Warcrap to consoles, but other developers are more open to the possibilities of console gamers who don't feel like getting a new computer every six months. Turbine Entertainment, creative minds behind The Lord of The Rings Online, are open to the idea. "I actually think Lord of the Rings is a platform we can build from," said executive producer Jeffrey Steefel. Even though the PS3 supports keyboards and mice, they've still got to think of a way to translate the game from PC to consoles. Steefel vaguely explained, " ... you've got to do everything in a thoughtful way and know why you're doing it, for who you're doing it, and then, what is an MMO on a console? What is that really? It has to be different." However different it may be, we'd be honored to start getting some MMO's on the PlayStation 3. Whether or not the game would feature cross-platform play is not known, but we'd like to see it exist someday.
Orange hopes to harness the wind to charge your mobile
With O2's recent green move, it seems Orange has cried "me too" and hopped on the enviro-friendly train. The Orange commissioned turbine -- which will be unveiled at the Glastonbury festival this week -- weighs just 150 grams and can be mounted on a tent where it will spin and charge some type of battery pack. Once your day of hard trekking is done, simply plug your mobile into the device, and voila, instant power while far from home. While we are fairly confident that O2 just looked for something to let them into the sponsorship inner circle at the Glastonbury Festival, that doesn't stop us from wanting one -- but make ours hat-mounted, thanks.[Via textually.org]
Jet engine-powered go-kart roars onto eBay
Here's one that's sure to make Toad weep, even if he's toting a golden mushroom or two. In a bid to make every Mario Kart (or speed demon) freak's dream come true, a bloke in Inverness has concocted a jet engine-equipped go-kart that actually sports a functioning afterburner. Similar to a number of other jet-powered vehicles we've seen, this one is fitted with a military spec JFS-100 jet engine and a push button afterburner that emits "extra thrust, noise, and spectacular fire / smoke effects." Moreover, you'll find an EGT gauge, MOMO steering wheel, and digital RPM meter crammed inside the wee vehicle, and if you just so happen to reside in the UK, you can get the bidding starting for a mere £5,000 ($9,864). More drool-worthy snapshots after the break.[Via El Reg]
LotRO updates and takes a trip to shores of Evendim
Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is apparently the #1 selling PC game in North America, Germany, UK and France and they're about to give players a free content update. Book 9: Shores of Evendim is the first in the expected quarterly content updates. The content update will go live June 13, some features include: Discover Evendim, a region dominated by the Lake Nenuial, the 'Lake of the Twilight'. Amidst the ruins are powerful artifacts now threatened by evil creatures and the nefarious forces lurking in Angmar. What, you thought there would be cute puppies? Over 100 new quests Raid in the Battle for Helegrod, challenging the dragon Thorog in a 24-player raid in the Misty Mountains. Major updates to the music system, players can now utilize a new music notation system that enables them to compose music offline and upload it to your character in-game. Seven new sets of epic armor enable players to gain progressive bonuses for each piece of armor worn from a set. We haven't received any player numbers for LotRO, so we don't know if Turbine has hit the magic million user mark, but from all accounts things are going solidly with the game. LotRO: Shadows of Angmar follows the adventures of the fellowship through the first book in the trilogy and fills in the gaps of the story. A few more content updates are expected before the full expansion pack next year.[Via Press Release]
Boston mayor wants more developers, but backs Jack Thompson
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino really can't seem to craft a clear message on the video game industry. Despite numerous attacks against the industry, including his full support to pull GTA ads on the T for purely political reasons and supporting a Jack Thompson drafted bill, he wants to bring more gaming companies to the city. The city of Boston currently has no notable game companies within its borders. The best up-and-coming companies (meaning they aren't Blizzard, EA, Activision or Ubisoft just yet) like Turbine (Lord of the Rings Online), Harmonix (Guitar Hero, Rock Band) and Blue Fang Games (Zoo Tycoon) are all located outside the city in Westwood, Cambridge and Waltham respectively. Meaning they bring neither tax revenue or help "creative industries flourish" within the city.It would be great to see some creative energy be injected into the city with tax incentives given to game companies. This is also part of the mayor's plan to retain young professionals, which the city continues to hemorrhage after the students leave university due to cost of living. Now if the mayor could just be schooled that one of the ways to attract game companies is not to align yourself with Jack Thompson there might be hope for the city yet. Looks like Thompson is leaving more than a few politicians looking stupid in his wake.[Via GamePolitics]
Lord of the Rings Online midnight launch in Beantown
At the Prudential Mall in Boston last night, Turbine and Gamestop held a midnight launch for the Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, this was one of the five sites across the country where LoTRO fans could get their MMORPG on early. The game is going into a very different MMORPG climate post-World of Warcraft and is doing its best to compete, with the first free content update already expected in June.We had a chance to speak with Jeff Anderson, president of Turbine at the event, and he was looking forward to showing players who never experienced a Turbine produced game the company's strength, "Most companies throw a project out there and don't update for six months to sometimes over a year. Turbine has been good at episodic content and we're looking to launch strong and keep adding content every quarter."The little gallery we put together of last night's event was supposed to be up this morning, but due to some technical difficulties that we're blaming on fat hobbits, we can now show off some images that survived the melee. We now wait to see if LoTRO can fair better than every other MMO that's entered the market over the last two years.%Gallery-2785%
Turbine announces LOTRO update 'Shores of Evendim'
Lord of the Rings Online is barely in Open Beta, but Turbine already announced its first free content update, called Shores of Evendim. Coming in June, Shores of Evendim will challenge players to "secure the valuables of the abandoned city," "defy Angmar's encroaching grip on Annúminas," and "experience revolutionary new Prancin' Hobbit Mode (PHM)." Okay, we made that last part up. But one of these days, somebody needs to come up with a game featuring Prancin' Hobbit Mode. (Or at least Prancin' Ewok Mode.)[Thanks, Bripod!]
UK Court: videogame ideas can be copied
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/UK_Court_Rules_Game_Developers_Can_Plagiarize_Others_Work'; The terrific Tobold points us to this article about a ruling in the UK's Court of Appeal that has ramifications for our whole industry. The judge there says that ideas behind computer games can be freely copied-- it's only the source code and the graphics that cannot. Tobold ties this directly into connections players have been making between Lord of the Rings Online and WoW-- the two systems have lots of similarities (the UI layout is almost exactly the same at first glance)-- and says that Blizzard, for example, would never be able to sue Turbine, maker of LotRO.Of course IANAL, but I'm pretty sure this isn't a groundbreaking ruling. While graphics and the code are undoubtedly covered by copyright (because you can clearly look at them to tell whether they're identical or not), it doesn't seem like gameplay ideas would be-- game designers have always borrowed popular ideas from each other, going all the way back to the idea of experience points and hit points. Even something like Madden's "Playmaker" feature can be copied-- while other companies can't call their feature "Playmaker," they can definitely use the analog stick to direct plays.Besides, if you ask me, Blizzard has nothing to worry about, especially from LotRO (I hear Turbine couldn't get the rights to the movies, so while you may see the Treants or visit Lothlorien, it won't be anything you recognize from the films). The magic of Blizzard's game is in the design and the polish of how it's put together. Even they borrowed familiar MMO ideas to try and improve on them, and I'm sure they have no problem with Turbine doing the same thing.
Lord of the Rings Online team confident entering MMO market
Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar has the unpleasant honor of entering into the MMO market where the shadow of World of Warcraft looms over all. From what we've seen and heard, the Turbine developed game is the first real contender to enter the market in a long time. It may not usher an immediate deathblow to WoW, but the fellowship of the ring has a long journey and they're ready to battle.Joystiq spent some time at Turbine meeting with the team behind LotRO. One of the key things that stood out was the polish of the product and the fact that those we spoke to weren't being deceitful in their presentation of the game -- a rare occurrence to say the least. The team knows they've got something good on their hands.
Lord of the Rings Online rewards earlier adopters
In this, the post-Warcraft society that we live in, it means everything if you can jump out of the gate running. With shades of The Matrix Online, Midway and Turbine have announced their pre-order bonus plans for The Lord of the Rings Online, due out this April. By pre-ordering the title now, players will be automatically enrolled into the Founder's Program which offers two very different payment options. Players can opt for a discounted monthly fee of $9.99 (the regular monthly price has yet to be determined), or they can press their luck and dish out a staggering $199 dollars now for a lifetime pass to Middle-Earth. Quite a bit to ask up front for an unproven product, wouldn't you say?Also on the platter for this pre-order feast is early access to the game itself via an ongoing beta. Not only does this mean you can start playing today, but your beta character will also roll over to the final game. Folks who don't pre-order and start the game at level diddly will love this decision come day one when everyone else is flying around on laser-spewing dragons while hamming it up with Gandalf. Oh, and they also get some sweet rings to beef up their characters. Sup, +1 agility?
Quiet Revolution's QR5 addresses wind turbine issues
If you ask a person on the street what they think about wind turbines in general terms then the reaction will in most cases be favorable. Ask what they think if someone was about to place wind turbines within direct sight of their home, and the response probably won't be one of glee. Common concerns often include the whooshing sound that regular turbines produce, as well as their divisive visual aesthetics -- some love it, some loath it. A new type of wind turbine intended to address both of these issues is Quiet Revolution's QR5 Vertical Axis Wind Turbine, or VAWT for shawt. The QR5 is smaller, quieter, and way better looking than your typical windmill, plus it should produce the equivalent of its £25,000 price tag in clean energy within 15 years or less. We're down with the futuristic design and the company's noble aims, but we feel that the QR guys should spice up the name of this particular turbine. Our suggestion? Pigeon Dicer, Mark 5.
Joystiq impressions: Lord of the Rings Online
Turbine's upcoming Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar will usher gamers into a massively multiplayer online version of Tolkien's fantasy universe. I got to play some of the still-beta game at a recent media event; the title's setting and story will be its main selling point, otherwise it resembles other MMOs -- not to say that's a bad thing.It takes a little work to learn an MMO, and Turbine said the company isn't trying to change Lord of the Rings just to be different. Instead, game controls and quest system felt like other titles, and I was killing defenseless forest creatures right away. Lord of the Rings also looked like other MMOs; what I saw didn't set any new standards, but it matched competitors. I was told that game art and other assets were still being updated for the Spring, 2007 launch.Lord of the Rings Online's story-driven approach and setting should be unique. The game is based on the original three books and The Hobbit, not the recent movie properties. So while the game looks similar to the movies -- hobbit houses have round doors and passages, and Gandalf looks like Ian McKellen -- Turbine says that's because the game matches the original, detailed prose.
Middle-earth expands to the Middle Kingdom
According to a press release from Turbine Entertainment, the MMO maker is partnering with China's CDC Games to bring Lord of the Rings Online: The Shadows of Angmar to Chinese gamers -- a market with a strong affinity for online fantasy games. Turbine has already experienced success with Dungeons & Dragons Online in China and Japan, thanks to some effective content localization, and CDC will use a similar strategy by giving Middle-earth a distinctly Asian makeover. I hope this just means substituting tofu and rice for lembas bread, and not giving Gandalf a Fu Manchu moustache.See also: LOTR Online gameplay footage
