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Lord of the Rings Online: Interview with Jeffrey Steefel
Dana
Member Posts: 2,415
Jeffrey Steefel, the Executive Producer of Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online, has a tall task on his plate. As the man in charge of the adaptation of the famed books into an online RPG he has a lot of tough decisions to make. Find out some of the mechanics that will support this game in our exclusive interview:
;) MMORPG.com: Ive heard the timeline for the game has been changed. Can you tell us when/where we are when we log into the game?
Jeffrey Steefel: Our current plan is to begin the timeline roughly when Frodo leaves the Shire (from Crickhollow in Buckland). Where you begin depends on which race you belong to; the four races have different starting points and different newbie experiences. Human characters will begin their stories in the town of Archet, outside of the Chetwood Forest. The starting points for the other races are still unannounced. The simplest answer is that the launch version of the game essentially happens during the time of the first book, and then will expand beyond there after launch. |
You can read the full interview here.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
Comments
Their "take" on instancing is the exact way I always thought it should be done. Keep the larger persistant world and just have the instance for the particular quest that requires it.
I'm actually starting to be intrigued by this game.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
Thank god there is no PvP in it, at least in a traditional sense. This starts to sound better and better. I guess they will implement some sort of battlefield RvR, but that's much less of a nuisance.
Many people seem to be looking forward to this one, especially those who like games with popular storylines. I have heard that entire guilds in SWG are planning to move into LOTRO for example.
I must agree, the instancing system seems to make perfect sence, also really liking what the graphics, they have a pretty real feel to them.
Some of the non-answers are disappointing. What should be core elements of the game have yet to be decided upon?
I'd rather not even know about a game if all we're going to get are "we're not sure yet" and "that's still in development and we can't talk about it".
Do other companies like Sony, Mythic, and Blizzard give these politician-like answers when interviewed?
Would you rather they said one thing for certain and then turned around 5 months later only to change it, because they found a better solution?
In answer to your question, I'd have to say yes. Right off the top of my head, I'd say Blizzard has been notorius for keeping info about new content, release dates, etc VERY close to vest. Heck, Valve has become famous for their response to queries about release dates ("When it's done").
I understand you may want more concrete info, but I'd rather they be a bit ambiguous and (hopefully) get things right, than constantly jerk around with declarations and contradictions.
"First you wanna kill me, now you wanna kiss me...Blow."--Ash, "Army of Darkness"
A better solution I think would be to keep things under wraps until they've been tested and proven, then release the info.
To announce features early on and then change or eliminate some altogether doesn't exactly foster confidence in the game and/or developer, regardless of the fact that they may have found better solutions. It makes it seem as if the company itself doesn't know what it wants.
I'll be purchasing D&D Online and LOTR Online, so this is really a moot argument
LOL, I agree, and I'll be doing both myself. But this is an old argument/discussion, and one that will be continued for a long time. I guess it boils down to a particular person's patience level. I for one like getting little bits every so often, with nothing concrete, knowing that the nature of a development phase is 'ever-changing'. Actually keeps my level of interest up, and shows me that they are actively working on the project. Other's disagree and feel differently. Such is life.
"First you wanna kill me, now you wanna kiss me...Blow."--Ash, "Army of Darkness"
Turbine-made one of the best pvp based mmos (ac1) but sadly they SOLD OUT! Maybe Im over reacting but you guys are morons. People love pvp and youve left your roots. Your alienating that HUGE sector of gamers as well. I hope your game sales feel it.
Dungeons and Dragons-- NO PVP
Middle Earth Online-- NO PVP
Maybe Im way out in left field when I say this but imo its a good thing when companies find there niche and stay with that niche. Whats next, is Mythic going to start making sports games?
You know what-- Im happy about this. You no challenge wanting little bluebies can play your PVE and stay out of my pvp. I wont hear any crying about my class being overpowered. This is a good thing. The bluebies get there games and it wont affect the pvp'ers.
Bring it Darkfall Bring it Trials Of Ascension
Just because Turbine started with a PvP-centric game, doesn't mean they're going to stay with it making that type of game. They've obviously decided to branch out and go in a different direction. Probably driven by company economics, the bottom line. I'm sure they realize that the PvP 'niche', is just that, a small portion of the MMO gaming whole. Why would they keep themselves from making huge profits just to appease a relatively small portion of the market.
Oh, and given your attitude, I'll assume you won't be buying LOTRO. I thank you for that. It's people with an attitude like yours that give PvPers a bad name.
"First you wanna kill me, now you wanna kiss me...Blow."--Ash, "Army of Darkness"
I'm against PVP because it becomes an opportunity for griefers to ruin the game. So I'm praying they keep PvP out of this game.
Now RvR is a total different story. If they implement evil races at a later date I'd love to see RvR added. Much like in DAoC.
I whole heartedly agree, PvP no, RvR yes, yes, yes!
I take it that they do not intend to make evil races playable from the offset? That really is a shame. From my experience, there's alot of players who love playing the bad guys, and really don't find being the "good guy" enjoyable at all. I personaly can't imagine a World of Warcraft without the player controled Horde. I think that the devs are denying themselves a substantial player base with this decision. I know I myself would love to play a LotR Orc. An elf or hobbit....not so much.
ok. does anyone else get the nasty feeling i do?
firstly let me explain. even if this game blows i will buy it. the chance to explore tolkienesque lands is enough for me to buy it.
so moving on.
re read the interview with the lead guy from LoTRO and substitute the phrase LoTRO with AC2 and this reads exactly like the things we were told in AC2. Before you go getting excited, let me explain that i left AC2 long before it was pulled so im not some bitter troll here.
However, i was hoping that Turbine would have learned some valuable lessons from AC2. Many of the things they are saying here were the things that riled the beta testers and the early adopters of the game.
Yet they are doing it all over again. I found myself moaning "no no noooooo" out loud while at my desk here at work. Yes people looked at me oddly.
Many people from the community felt strung along by turbine previously and this set off the warning bells. in particular:
- For the most part there really is no death; instead, your character is defeated and regains consciousness elsewhere, in relative safety.
Ok is anyone else thinking lifestones here? lifestones in AC2 ended up being where people hung out instead of towns. fine, but i found it ruined emersion for me.
- Mounts are not in the game at launch, but we expect to introduce them in a later expansion (most likely Rohan).
I have heard this old line before too. oh it will be ther im sure. perhaps in a year or so?
- We are planning to have live events, but the details havent been worked out yet
This bit really worries me. ummmm shouldnt the game have been designed and built with live events in mind? i mean they really are important to peoples level of enjoyment and involvement with the game. surely the game would need to be designed to make live events easy to hold and schedule. but they havent worked the details out yet? OMG. this really concerns me.
- At this time, individual player housing is not in the plan for launch. We do believe this is an important feature down the line and hope to include it in the game sometime after launch
From AC1 and AC2 i would have thought that turbine would have realised by now that people want housing. they just do. period. sometime after launch? sounds like what they said in AC2. hmmm never did appear did it? it was promised. further down the road. always further down the road. but then i guess it could have been implimented after i left but i dont think it was....
- Were not ready to talk about crafting yet, sorry
What? so they wont even say that they dont have the details worked out yet like they did with live events. they just arent ready to talk about it? errrrr. sounds like there isnt any crafting yet. I pray to God that the they dont nerf crafting like AC2. well infact it never did work and there never really was any reason to craft.
- This is still in the design phase, so stay tuned
OMG. perks for guilds.........this is basic basic stuff. you want people to form communities cos when yo have a tight community they are loyal and stay in game. they help out and generally make the game good to be in and keep up subscriber numbers. Again. guilds have to be catered for. they just have to. im guessing that the guild perks such as guildhalls fall into the same category as player housing. ahem.......
- An interesting question indeed stay tuned for answers
right. ok. in AC2 we were promised this game where we could impact upon the world. shape its growth and change it. what this equated to in reality was when they propped a build, they would change something. but that had nothing really to do with us. nothing. "interesting question"to me says. ok your not going to be able to impact this world your in at all. infact we didnt even consider it. im going to go back and see what the designers say. then when they fall off their chairs cos they werent told to design it into the code then we will hear back (but with spin) that we wont be able to impact the world. but they may monitor our behaviour and give the illusion of things changing when they prop builds. just like AC2. sigh.
Ok i realise that this all sounds negative. i know it does. i will still buy the game, i know you will too. but does no one else feel at all like turbine are producing an (_insert_name_here) clone of a game that was full of problems. that people complained about, that alienated the community and ultimately was shut down?
i see the same phrases, the same lines, the same spin, just different names.
I really hope i am wrong. i really want this game to do Tolkeins creation justice. But by turbine. I just hope, really hope they arent just playing the same record. They have some v talented people there. but something just seems to go wrong.
Regards
Paul
They can't talk about something that they don't know what it will look like. For example: the crafting system. Maybe they haven't even started with it. How can they talk about it then? And if they talk about something they aren't sure about and then change it. It's better to have the info that won't change than the info that will change. If it is possible it will change, I don't want it at all, then it's better to don't know.
You are wrong! There was PvP in Middle-Earth Online. But this interview is about the Lord of the Rings Online! Those're not the same games.And why don't they have PvP? That would be totally against the lore. The free people of Middle-Earth didn't fight each other. Of course the hard-core gamers want PvP, but the Tolkien lovers? No, they want Middle-Earth! If you want Pvp, just play another game! You don't have to play this. This game is for those who love Tolkien's books.
Also, they have stated that PvP may come in one of the expansions, but they haven't said anything for sure.
They've told us you will wake up in the nearest town or outpost...
Hiya Jeffrey,
I'm a 60 year old grandmother who loves MMORPG's, and looking very very forward to LOTR.
For many years now, I have played qutie a number of rpgs' ....some (to my way of thinking)
haven't faired so well [and kept their members interested] because they make the games too, too complicated. Bare in mind a lot of mature people play these games....therefore......................
My comment about LOTR is K.I.S.S.
'Well-behaved women seldom make history. Laural Thatcher Ulrich.
An Expectant Fan of LOTR
You're right. My commenting on your attitude may have been too much. No real offense meant. I'm just referring to hard-core PvPers that just with elitest attitudes regarding it. I had taken from your posts that you were of that type. My fault for the assumption.
Well, from what I understand DDO is not based on a card game, which is a fairly new incarnation of the D&D name. Everything that I've gotten from the Dev's about DDO is that they wanted to recall the days of the Pen and Paper D&D, which is decidely NOT PvP.
And yes, many games do include PvP. But that's not what I mean by small niche. Rather, when I play a certain game, granted besides WoW but that's another story, it has always seemed to me at least, that the game population was much more PvE.
In any case, we seem to have hijacked this thread away from it's subject, which is Mr. Steefel's interview. I'm all for debate, and if you'd like to continue a discussion of this via in-site mail, or maybe another thread elsewhere, let me know.
"First you wanna kill me, now you wanna kiss me...Blow."--Ash, "Army of Darkness"
Jeffrey Steefel:
Advancement is primarily through combat and questing. Although combat is the focus (you are, after all, a heroic adventurer), there are many quests which dont involve killing things, and there are other activities besides combat.Of interest, too, is that our version of advancement (for quests and for combat goals) has multiple dimensions that involve Accomplishments and Traits in addition to more standard things like class, level and skills. Were not saying much about this system just yet, but stay tuned.
...Were not ready to talk about crafting yet, sorry!
Great another mindless, endless quest for loot where everything is tacked on after the combat system
Enjoy your favorite MMO with us!
crimsongamers.com
Yeah I like RvR better too. Everyone knows what there there to do. No lowby griefing, no killing someone over and over thats just trying to to level or finish a quest--RvR is good stuff. DAOC-love that game.
RvR in my opinion has more pvp availability than pvp ffa games like shadowbane. Where as anyone can pvp anywhere like shadowbane, in RvR (daoc) you are put into a area to pvp in whether it be the bgs or out in big boy rvr. My point is that when you go out there to pvp (rvr) you know your gonna get some action. In shadowbane you might not run into anyone because everyone can pvp anywhere, so they do pvp everywhere and not in one place.
If LOTR had RvR it wouldnt interupt the questing or leveling and it wouldnt cut into anyones "fun". They said they might implement a form of pvp. One can hope.
After reading that I am now 100% sure that I will NOT be playing that game. It just seems like a half thought out game, with nothing new at all and actually downgrading from other mmorpg's out there.
Its sad too. The game could of been great. If only then implemented the option to be evil or good and take part in the actual battle of middle earth. Now THATS a game I would like to play.
Poo??
First off, I really like their ideas for the use of instances in this game. To actually see the aftermath of your actions on the world is definitly a new idea. They seem like they have really put a good amount of thought into that part of the game.
The lack of pvp is really not much of a concern to me, because ffa PvP like WoW has (at least on some servers) takes away from the fun of questing. I was always worried about some gank squad corpse camping me while I was trying to quest. I think ffa PvP in general just opens the door for griefers and people who only play mmorpgs to ruin other people's fun. Not to mention that the community goes to hell because people come to only be concerned about how bad they owned you.
I must admit I am a bit concerned about their lack of information on guild perks and crafting, but as others have said I would rather them take their time and carefully plan out what they want, rather then give us something that will most likely be changed in a month or two.
---War Kills---
---Peace Lives---
They were going to fight each other, yes, but they did never do it... So, no it wouldn't work. And that was the closest battle between the free people Tolkien wrote about in LotR and the Hobbit. It would work if there was orcs and such, but not with only elves, dwarves, men and hobbits. And in ME the orc were much less powerfull, so it would be hard to make the race of orcs to fit the lore, and be fun to play...
Nothing Here is NEW - sheesh people .... Instancing where when you come out of the instance and the world has changed ??? Can you say GUILD WARS ?? DONE THAT ... Been there ... Beat em to it ....
We got plans for PVP but it is hush hush ?? GUILD WARS PvP ..... Clone on the way ... mark my words ..
Sorry NO CRAFTING .... if, and when, they do ?? Guild wars crafting style here they come ....
Everything I Have heard, and read about this game Stinks of, , BEEN THERE, , DONE THAT. It feels like they have taken the AC2 Engine and Game and all along they have just been tweeking the artwork to reflect a Tolken world from the one they had, called AC2 ...
No mounts - no housing - no crafting - no PvP - No Guilds - No Clans - I am shocked they left in the Party system and did not just opt for SOLO play ??
They will have NON kill Quests --- OH LIKE THAT IS A NEW CONCEPT ?? Can you say Gather/collection Quest ? Escort Quest ? Hunt and Fetch Quest ?
Once again ! ! Been there Done That .... Old as the First pencil to hit Paper Quest .... Go down to the next town and get MR. Ruperts Scroll and Bring it back to me ... yada yada yada ... OH HOW interesting ..... Glad we had something other then Fighting to do --
OH HOW ABOUT the Combat system ??? HEY maybe here we have INNOVATION ??? They tell us there will be Combo's that the whole party can pull off ---- OOPS ??? ! ! ! ! ONCE AGAIN they are Beat to the Punch -- EQ2 has been there Done that long before they did ..... IT SUCKS ...
So what is goint to be new for us ? Nothing I have seen or Read is NEW Or Innovative about this game so far ..
Other companies have done it already - instances are not new - world changes are not new - AC1 did it constantly and well I might add ..
Player respawn is NOT NEW -
Party exp for instance is NOT NEW - EQ has had it for years
What we get here is AC2 with a LOTR overcoat -- pretty sad if you ask me ...
Maybe I will be proven wrong when the game hits the Retail shelves - My hunch is - I won't
Look to the stars to know HE is with us. HE hung them as markers, of times and of seasons.
LOL!
That is the only thing I'm going to say about your post. I hope it's a joke.