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More Info On Books 13 and 14 w00t!!
8hammer8
Member Posts: 1,812
Here is some cool info about the upcomming expansions of the game through books 13 and 14. Realize that Turbine is not sitting back on their heels conserving ideas and content for the paid expansion, they are heading into the expansion at full force. This truely is an exciting time to be a part of this game!
Following yesterday’s worldwide press announcement about the new Lord of the Rings Online expansion “Mines of Moria” at Connect 08 in Birmingham, UK, Turbine and Codemasters gave another presentation about the forthcoming interim updates and the new retail expansion.
This morning I managed to get a quiet 5 minutes with Jeffrey Steefel, Turbine’s Executive Producer of LoTRO to ask a few questions on behalf of Allakhazam’s subscribers.
Nobby:
Before I ask about the Mines of Moria, what aspects of Books 13 and 14 should we be most excited about?
JS:
Well a lot of it's about drawing the Shadows of Angmar storyline to a conclusion, but specifically, Book 13 introduces the new Zone – Forochel north of Evendim. It’s kind of an icy place with Winter Forests, Tundra, Icebergs and a Glacier. There’s also a new race, the Lossoth.
Nobby:
Can you tell us more about the Lossoth?
JS:
Well I like to think of them as the Eskimos of Middle Earth. They have some cool gear that you will probably want get your hands on, and they ride War Mammoths. That introduces some new AI where you attack the War Mammoth, and once you’ve killed it, the rider will jump off and attack.
Nobby:
And what else can you tell us about Book 13?
JS:
Well it’s due this Spring and it’s called “Doom of the Last-King”. As for other new stuff in 13? Well with Forochel being a cold place we’ve introduced Frost damage, so if you stay out in the cold too long, your morale falls. That’s when you need to find a nice warm fire or a drink - and you don't want to spend too much time swimming there!
Then there’s fishing – catch something neat looking and have it made into a trophy for your Player House. And we’re really trying to enhance the Looking For Fellowship features, so you can search for other players working on the same Quest you are doing, and there’s the Mustering Horn that summons a Fellowship member to where you are.
Nobby:
And Book 14?
JS:
OK, that’s “Ring Forge of the Elven Rings” coming in the Summer. This is really the climax to the “Shadows of Angmar” epic story. I don’t want to say too much, but this will take you to Eregion for the first time. That’s where the Forge is where the Eleven Rings were made, and paves the way for Mines of Moria round about October.
Nobby:
Well I have to ask you to expand on your presentation about Mines of Moria. You mentioned changes in the technology for this zone?
JS:
That’s really driven by our ambition to make Moria the most amazing zone. I don’t know if you recall the books, but the Fellowship pretty much take a straight line through Moria. But Tolkien writes a whole heap of references to the sheer size and magnificence of the mines and we want you to experience that. We really wanted to avoid the need to teleport or zone between parts of Moria, so we’re developing ways of making it a single, massive area so you can explore all the places that Gandalf and Gimli talk about. And of course there’s the dynamic and player lighting that we’re introducing.
Don’t forget, Eregion won’t be a stroll in the park; there’s a heap of content there. And of course, we’re really excited about Lórien. I mean, if you want to get your hands on some seriously cool items, who better to ask than Lady Galadriel?
Nobby:
As you can imagine, there was a huge buzz in-game last night after the announcement. A lot of the questions were about Legendary Items. Can you tell us how that will work?
JS:
Sure. Basically it means certain weapons or armor pieces will sort of grow with you. They’ll have their own exp points and stats that improve as you use them, and then you can enhance them at forges with slotted items and decorations.
These things will almost develop their own personalities as they complete deeds; almost like a pet.
Nobby:
And will they be mainly crafted or quested?
JS:
It can be either – and you’ll be able to visit a forge to deconstruct slotted gems and stuff and reconstruct the item. Of course, they’ll be Bound to the player, but you may acquire a better gem, deconstruct the item, upgrade the gem and put the old one in the AH for a small fortune.
Oh, and these items can create a legacy; at Higher End you can name them. One of my developers describes it as the weapon “becoming its own Quest Hub”, where quests will relate directly to the Legendary Item.
Nobby:
With all the ideas that go into such a complex game, what’s the most ridiculous suggestion you’ve had to turn down from the Dev Team?
JS:
Ooh that’s a tricky one! Of course for every idea we implement we probably reject a hundred. And of course, most of the sillier ones come from the Marketing guys (JS winks).
Actually one does spring to mind.
At the beginning of the game, one guy said “Could we have the players arrive at the Prancing Pony while the three Hobbits from the Fellowship are still there? And we could have them go on quests to gather straw that Strider uses to stuff the mattresses to fool the Dark Riders”
I was there thinking “Yeah, that sounds like an awesome quest – gathering straw” (He rolls his eyes). No we didn’t go with that one.
Nobby:
Last question: You visited some of Tolkien’s old haunts around Birmingham yesterday. Did seeing them have any effect on the way you think about Middle Earth and the game?
JS:
To be honest, not really. But it was cool seeing the two towers and stuff. It did remind me of how imaginative Tolkien was. I had visions of this small boy who could see the most amazing things in everyday life; you know, like seeing a bus or a train and imagining it as a marching rank of Orcs.
"It is easier to be cruel than wise. The road to wisdom is long and difficult... so most people just turn out to be assholes" Feng (Christopher Walken)
Comments
wow it all sounds so great.
"Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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So if they are implementing summoning horns, what use will the captains summon be?
In America I have bad teeth. If I lived in England my teeth would be perfect.
"Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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Captain can revive the fallen fellwship mate. Never heard of them being able to teleport people around middle earth...
Ya captains can port one person at a time to the captain's location.
See you in the dream..
The Fires from heaven, now as cold as ice. A rapid ascension tolls a heavy price.
"Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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C) I really thought more people would be excited about book 13 and 14 info, looks like the hype meter red-lined and drowned out the nex two books before Moria.
"It is easier to be cruel than wise. The road to wisdom is long and difficult... so most people just turn out to be assholes" Feng (Christopher Walken)
Good find, thanks for the link.
I'm actually foaming for 13, personally.
I don't want to write this, and you don't want to read it. But now it's too late for both of us.
C) I really thought more people would be excited about book 13 and 14 info, looks like the hype meter red-lined and drowned out the nex two books before Moria.
Keep up the faith 8hammer8I'm very excited about Book 13. New hobbies (yeah fishing), a new area, a new npc race and feature (mounted combat for the npcs), a new type of damage, and an enhancement to the LFF tool. Sounds like an awesome Book!
Just another example of Turbine offering more in no additional fee update releases than a lot of MMOs offer in their paid expansions.
"Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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We all know you're excited Solareus... you and that dancing banana... in fact I'm getting a little worried that you may be a bit TOO excited.
"Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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Pet weapon sounds pretty neat. I wonder if they are making some system other than traits to make your character unique or improving the traits?
Maybe the horn will cost quite some money...
Don't get me wrong I am totally excited about Book 13 and 14 and the Mines of Moria expansion. I was just curious to find out what they would do with the captain's ability to summon people to them if they give this ability to everyone.
Will they make the Captains summon free, allow them to summon multiple people at a time? Will they get rid of the captains summon and give them a different skill? People here need to settle down a bit and not take questions as an attack. It's just a question.
If your class has an ability to do something that no other class can do and they said they were going to allow everyone the ability to do this wouldn't you have questions also?
And yeah, this is the only question I have because everything else they have done so far has been done well and implemented well.
In America I have bad teeth. If I lived in England my teeth would be perfect.
Seabass, I do not see your concern as an attack at all, I am just curious as to why this is a concern. As I mentioned I don't know any of my captain friends who rolled one just to be a teleporter for people. It is nice to be needed like that I suppose but I think of Captains I think Buff Buff Buff Heal Damage Buff again.
It would be like me, a minstrel, arguing that heal pots should not be in the game because that is a minstrels main job. But obviously that hunter who wants to solo does not want a minstrel tagging along when he needs heals. When that champ/minstel combo that wants to invite their loremaster friend, they would like to summon him without finding and inviting a captain into their fellowship to do it for them.
I see it as an added feature and not an augmentation of the captain class.
*edit: spelling*
"It is easier to be cruel than wise. The road to wisdom is long and difficult... so most people just turn out to be assholes" Feng (Christopher Walken)
Maybe I am coming off wrong here. I don't care and am actually happy that they are giving this skill to everyone for the convenience of getting groups together. I am by all means not arguing that it should be a captain skill only.
I am only wondering what they will do with the captains ability. Will it be changed or removed if it is given to everyone?
As for your example of heal pots and minstrels, let's just pretend heal pots were not in the game. Then they decided they were going to add them. Wouldn't you wonder what they were going to do with your heal ability?
Well either way its a long ways off and we will see how it all works out.
EDIT: I forgot to mention its not a concern so much as just a curiosity and sorry for basically going off topic.
Bk 13 and 14 woot can't wait! Seriously!
In America I have bad teeth. If I lived in England my teeth would be perfect.
perhaps the captains skill should become a group summon,like the reversed version of the hunter call to camp skills?
Make the horn of mustering a fairly expensive consumable. That way other classes get the benefit of getting groups together fast... but at a cost. Captains on the other hand can do the same thing, for no cost at all.
Basically works exactly like heal pots do.
"Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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Well, I can put it this way...
Health pots and healer classes quite often co-exist in MMOs. They've been in every MMO I've ever played. It's never left a healer out of a job, nor has it rendered heal pots useless. There's always going to be a need/use for both.
Likewise.. I've played many MMOs where there were classes who could teleport/warp other players around and, yet, you could buy warp scrolls, or items with a number of charges on them. Again, the existence of one has never affected the other.
Heck, I never go anywhere in FFXI without a warp scroll or warp cudgel on me. Many times in that game you'll find yourself in areas where there's no other way back civilization but to hoof it. An item that allows you to do that even with no mage around is invaluable.
I don't see why the Capt. ability should need to be messed with in this case.
Just like was explained - sometimes you're not going to have a Captain handy to do it for you. So, the alternative is to have some item that can do it as well. If a Capt. is handy, they can do it. If they're not, the horns can be used.
I think your concern, while well-reasoned on its own, is nothing to be concerned about based on precedent set in many other MMOs that have had the same thing.
and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
"Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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As a captain, I too am curious how this skill will be compared to this other summon skill. My impression was the new one would summon more than one person at once. What remains to be seen is how much this will cost. Depending on how much it costs will determine if the captain's summon remains viable. I don't see this summon as critical to my class roll, so I'm not too bothered by losing it if this other summon superceeds it. Besides, it sounds like this new summon will be for all classes, so it's not like I'm losing anything out of the deal, and it'll be a whole hell of a lot easier to group afterwards.
Check out my LOTRO Blog: www.middleearthadventurer.blogspot.com
This is how the Mustering horn is going to work. The quote below is directly from the devs.
The Mustering Horn is a new component to the various Campsites found on landscape. Anywhere with a bindable campfire will have a Mustering Horn as well. It isn't a player inventory item.
).
The exact specifics of what it does I can't talk too much about (I don't know the game-system particulars, I just placed them
Well, that pretty much clears everything up. Won't be an actual skill but sounds like it will be a clickable item at bindable campsites.
In America I have bad teeth. If I lived in England my teeth would be perfect.
TTT for two great sounding books and expansion. I can't wait for them all, should be fun stuff.
Boldar