Where is LotRO headed?

Palantir

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So where do you think LotRO is headed?
I'm fleshing out my ideas & will post soon.

This was a great idea & thread posted on another forum -

I've been thinking about what possible new classes Turbine will introduce and I came up with an idea that could be really fun.

My first experience with mmos was in the form of a MUD (multi user dimension) called Legends of Terris. It was very heavily based on role playing, you could be banned for talking/shouting/whispering out of character. Probably the most interesting class you could play was a druid. Druids had very powerful healing and resurrection skills and they could make them selves invulnerable to enemy attacks. The draw back was they were bound by an oath to be completely passive. They weren't even allowed to help other players in needless bloodshed.

I think this would open up a lot of interesting dynamics in a game like Lotr. My initial thought is to make a player class based around the Maiar. They would have powerful healing/resing abilities with absolutely no offensive potential. There are definately some obsticles here that would be make the class very difficult to impliment. But it would give players an opportunity to play the game in a completely different way.

So whatcha think? Could LOTRO handle a passive character class? It would definately set itself apart from the rest of the MMOs.
My comment
No.

Sadly this game has turned away from that path.
The philosophy has changed at Turbine, they have all the LotR fans they will get (until The Hobbit resurfaces more) Twitchers don't want calmness they want instantaneous gratification, cool graphics & action.

For the LotR fans & role-players it would be great but Turbine doesn't want a "slow" going class, more pop & flash (Warden/Rune Keeper) is what they want.


decided to add this {you wouldn't think my above comment would be deleted as "too controversial" but it was at the other forum...}
 
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Palantir

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Hi Dianas, glad to see you posted. :clap:
Another Landroval player. :thumup:
(no one will delete you here unless you get WAY out of line.) ;)
 

Palantir

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If I didn't love LotR so much & think the Online version has been wonderful (so far) I wouldn't be so ardent in trying to keep Turbine on the right path through Moria! :bite:
 

Palantir

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Just a "few" of my thoughts on Turbines path for LOTRO.- yes just my guess. (takes a deep breath & I hope you have the reading time...)

So where do we go from Lothlorien?

As Turbine has stated we’ll be heading next back into Moria vs. glowing demon monsters before traveling to Southern Mirkwood to battle spiders, Orc’s and Nazgul in the city of Dol Guldor. That sounds great to me! It also introduces everyone being able to “acquire” NPC’s as companion’s short-time to actually HELP you in quests (like Pets & Heralds but better! Which is unlike the escort quest NPC’s which are just Mob magnets)

And then?

Seriously: Turbine always needs cash flow = new players and all you Lifetime LotRO fan subscribers (me included) after a year are a $$ drain on their servers. Who could they possibly still attract in masses to keep the monthly $$ rolling, hmmmm? Yes those unending millions of WoW players so we need to keep it "exciting" even at the expense of Lore...

What does that mean? New thrills to get those twitch players!
Starting with “The HOBBIT” Expansion (as it will always be know) or officially as the “Northern Mirkwood” Expansion. Most likely released in 2010 to get a jump on the movie release in 2011.

With The Hobbit Expansion we will get: some cool things.

New Quest areas: stretching from the Misty Mountain / Grey Mountains to the Iron Hills down thru Mirkwood.

NEW RACE:
Beornings- from the western Mirkwood/Anduin River Valley area with the ability to Shape/Skin-Change. As you gain levels you get to become bigger, bad’er and tougher creatures. (Tolkien said Beorn & his descendants... and as a designer would you pass up that opportunity to have giant "Lore approved" "were-wolf" players-WoW! :laugh:)
Class: Built in class is Berserker, off tank- light-medium armor, depending on the animal form changed into. Special weapons include claws & teeth.
Abilities: to control all different type of Fauna as “companions/helpers” as you increase in levels.
Starting area: “The Carrock”
Introduction Quests area: West of the Anduin River (Carrock) to the Eastern-side Misty Mountains.

Quests: hey it’s a huge area with a forest taken over by shadow, spiders, possible dragons in the northern mountains, and marauding Easterlings- I can’t wait!

NEW STARTING AREAS for original races:
Note- All classes & new characters will get enhanced 20% experience points to level 50 because- I can’t be expected to start a new character after watching “The Hobbit Movie” and have to work my long way from the Shire > Lonelands > MM > Moria just to explore around the Lonely Mountain can I?

Dwarf’s area: The southern slopes of the Lonely Mountain (of course):
Intro Quest area: between LM & The Long Lake
Elves/Human area: Thranduil’s Cavern Realm (Woodland Realm)/Lake Town:
Into Quest area: northwest of the Woodland Realm, north of Lake Town
Hobbits area- none, but given a special rune to transport them to Lake Town after Intro Quests.


Next Upgrade: “Fangorn Forest.”
Areas: Fangorn Forest to the Anduin River (The Wold/The Brown Lands)

And another NEW RACE:
“Entlings”- from the Fangon Forest with the ability to change “Ent” types from Oak to Willow etc and change size /abilities as you gain levels.
Class: Built in class is “Druid” off-tank, medium to heavy armor depending on type.
Abilities: to control (chant) all different type of Flora; as you level they get bigger, better and nastier. Weapons – different “Limb” types for stabbing, bashing, stomping & throwing boulders.
Starting area/Intro Quests: northeast, right next to Lothlorien so the Elves can “teach” you.
Evil uncontrollable Hurons & more Orcs to battle.

Next Upgrade: “Dunland”
Area: All of Dunland to include the ruined river city of Tharbad and ruined port city of Lond Daer maybe some coastline this time!
Lots and lots of evil Humans to fight!
Interesting to LotR fans but not real “catching,” just something to keep teh rest of you hanging around until the Christmas upgrade which is …


Next Upgrade: “Isengard!”
Areas: Isendgard, Misty Mts sections including Gap of Rohan and Helm’s Deep area (sorry, no real “Rohan" yet).
Messing with Dunlending, Wargs, hordes of new Orc types and Saruman “The White” (only sort of bad at the start).


Next Expansion: Rohan! (The Isengard Upgrade could have been with this but why? $$$)
Areas: All of Rohan to the Anduin River including the full city of Edoras & the White Mountains, Paths of the Dead, Druadan Forest and Cair Andros.
“Undead,” more Orcs, evil Woes, Dunlendings and Easterlings.

New content: “Formation NPC Combat” on the wide plans of Rohan we get our first taste of battle with set quests/instances of fights between LARGE orderly squads of NPC’s helping players vs. Mobs. No this isn’t a raid….

New ability: Mounted Combat! As you progress up the “Riding skill” tree you can use different types of weapon and fighting styles while mounted & on the go. (Not usable in older sections of LotRO and sorry, not available to “casters,” however we did buff you up to compensate).

Which can only mean:
New Rohan Mounts! Available only to maximum level players: faster with more horse breeds to choose from and, they are finally nameable! “Hi-Ho Silver Away!”

And I'm still not to Gondor or Mordor yet!

Note on "New races:" Definitely Ents & Skin-changers are in the LotR sphere & lore plus- remember my comment about LotRO needs new $$$ making players: so if you have ever played as a Troll/Bull/Goat/Undead or Orc race someplace else why not be a...

That my "far-seeing" take whats yours? (come on post!!!)

{Disclaimer- above post not permitted on certain forums or allowed in all Kinships}
:halo:
 
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