3/26/07 - Latest News

'War of the Ring' Collectors Edition Talk
Xoanon @ 10:10 pm EST

TORN Staffer Ostadan writes: "War of the Ring" is a strategic wargame with unpainted plastic miniature armies, played on a mapboard of Middle-earth (John Howe created the game artwork). It appeared in 2004 (published in the US by Fantasy Flight Games; it originated in Italy), and has been fairly successful for such a complex game, with one expansion set.

According to Boardgamenews.com, Roberto Di Meglio, co-designer of War of the Ring, has opened discussion threads on BoardGameGeek as to what exactly should be included in the Collectors Edition of the game.

The War of the Ring: Collectors Edition was announced in time for inclusion in the BGN Nuremberg Preview, but the Nexus catalog gave no information about the game, apparently because the designers themselves still have plenty of details to work out! Di Meglio does say that the Collectors Edition will include painted figures and a gameboard roughly 20-25% larger than the original. He says that larger cards are another possibility.

The boardgamegeek thread indicates that the game will likely appear sometime in late autumn 2007, and may bear a hefty price tag, perhaps as much as 150-190 Euros, making truly an item for collectors only.

War of the Ring Game

Boadgamegeek.com Thread

Boardgamegeek registration will be required to participate in the discussion.

'Lord of the Rings' pre-order packs online
Xoanon @ 10:07 pm EST

Forthcoming online epic The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar can now be experienced ahead of its April 24 release after publisher Codemasters announced the launch of a unique pre-order pack. Available online and in retail stores the pack will include exclusive Lord of the Rings stickers, a copy of the game to play online from April 24, an exclusive Wayfarer's Cloak for use in-game and the chance to play the full game 10 days ahead of its official release. The pack will also include details of 'The Lord of the Rings Online Founder Programme', which offers players two different membership options including £99.99 (EUR 149.99) for a lifetime subscription or a 6-month subscription for £35.94 (EUR 53.94). [More]

LOTRO ready to launch itself into MMO fray
Xoanon @ 5:48 pm EST

MrCere writes: BOSTON – There is a war brewing, the forces many times larger than those gathered at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. The lines have been drawn, great resources have been allocated and very soon the trumpets will sound as two giant armies will clash. One of the principal generals in the upcoming clash is Turbine Entertainment’s CEO Jeff Anderson who took time to give the complete lowdown of his company’s entry into Middle-earth to TheOneRing.net.

The battle isn’t set in Middle-earth but it is Middle-earth that is going to war. In a realm of gaming that is currently ruled by “World of Warcraft” (WoW) many eyes are on Turbine’s “The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar” as the game that can go toe-to-toe with the giant cave troll (riding a mumukil) of the genre.

“It is the kind of product that can support an epic launch,” Anderson said of his game only weeks before it hits shelves worldwide. Anderson and his team have some solid reasons to be optimistic because there is considerable momentum behind the company’s efforts. Over 500,000 were involved in the BETA version of the game and 1.5 million posts have been made in the Turbine forums. By all accounts the BETA testing went relatively smoothly and the game is already strong on polish.

The company is confident enough that it is allowing virtually everybody interested to try the game for free starting on March 30. (Details are forthcoming but keep your eyes on this space to see how you, dear TORn reader, can explore the game and see if this version of Middle-earth is your cup of tea.)

The “real” launch is set for April 24 but with characters from the free trial carrying over (capped at level 15) to the hard launch date, the real game will be in player’s hands before that. The launch will be in North America, Europe, Oceana and China with other territories on the “to expand to” list. Indeed Anderson had just returned from a quick trip in Europe (10 cities in 10 days) where he was promoting the game and meeting with press.

For those unfamiliar with MMO (Massive Multi-player On-line) games, the idea is that players create a character or characters that get to move around a fantasy realm and interact with other players and computer-controlled characters in real time. The game isn’t limited to a linear storyline but rewards exploration and completion of tasks. Characters gain experience and attributes as they complete quests, missions and things and then customize their avatars further as a wider range of possibilities opened with level progression. The formula can be tweaked to emphasize different aspects of the experience but the basic premise is fairly entrenched across the MMO board.

It was J.R.R. Tolkien who helped popularize the idea of gigantic battles between species in his “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” “The Hobbit’s” battle of five armies pitted Elves, Dwarves and Men against Goblins and Wolves in what was only a tiny preview of the massive tilts that took place in the more adult sequel. It might seem fitting then that it is Tolkien’s Middle-earth, as licensed through Tolkien Enterprises, which is viewed as a title that can be taken to war against WoW, currently boasting 8.5 million on-line subscribers.

With years of development and a closed BETA behind it, Turbine is about to open the floodgates with its open BETA (or a soft launch if you prefer) and “founders program” and in battle language, unleash hell in the marketplace against WoW and developer Blizzard. Like most MMOs, a monthly subscription is required to enjoy the game in addition to the software purchase paid up front. The founder’s program offers subscriptions to North American patrons for $9.99 a month instead of the usual $15 or about 33 cents a day instead of 50. The other option is a lifetime membership for $199. This makes financial sense if a player knows he will play longer than 20 months. Some may pay this cost with the idea of eventually getting to play territories like Moria, Lothlorien or perhaps even Mordor or the eastern boundaries of Tolkien’s own map.

The stage is set, the pieces are moving and Turbine seems pretty comfortable. Why? Because of a long development time in which to polish the game and the fact that ultimately the game can offer something no other MMO before has been able to do: to transport players to Middle-earth.

“The magnitude of the world needs to feel epic,” said Anderson. “We are doing what Tolkien did. We are opening Middle-earth in chapters.”

The player chooses any of the four races most prevalent of Middle-earth (Hobbit, Elf, Dwarf and Man) will start the game in roughly what is called Eriador or the regions familiar to readers of “Fellowship of the Ring.”

It features over 50 million square meters of territory in Middle-earth to adventure in with 100 regions, 400 points of interest, 2000 non-player characters (computer scripted), 1,500 quests in addition to ‘exceptional’ characters lifted directly from Tolkien’s pages so that players can find out what Bill Furney was really doing. Players can and are encouraged by game play to join a fellowship (a group of up to six players that work together) but not The Fellowship as playing those characters are forbidden. Such players can be encountered however.

For example, early in the Dwarf introduction phase of the game a player’s character has the chance to stand chest-to-chest with Gandalf, Glóin, and soon after, one of the sons of Elrond. For Tolkien enthusiasts it is these little encounters with the principal figures in the War of the Ring that will make Middle-earth feel familiar and somewhere to visit repeatedly without stomping on the mythology - Turbine hopes.

“We use cinematics to tell the story of ‘The Fellowship’ without the players mucking it up,” Anderson said.

If Turbine succeeds in its goal to make those familiar with Middle-earth feel at home in the game and keep long-time gamers excited about play, it could convert large numbers to its cause. If that happens, Turbine will have the freedom and ability to expand the current confines of Tolkien’s imagined world and that has Lead Game System’s Designer Nikolaus Davidson almost giddy.

“We do live content (expansions and new game features in periodic updates) better than anybody in the business – bar none – I can say that with certainty. And when that story is ‘Lord of the Rings,’ well, get ready,” he said during TORn’s visit to Turbine.

It is safe to say, explorers of Middle-earth are.

TheOneRing.net will be looking deeper into the game all week in the days leading to the open BETA on Friday.

NEXT: The social aspects of a virtual Middle-earth

COMING: The bad guys and player vs. player

COMING: The game reviewed (so far)

COMING: Customizing characters and game play

3/24/07 - Latest News

GameDaily Talks LOTR Online
Xoanon @ 1:00 pm EST

MrCere writes: The guys over at GameDaily.com attended the same press event in Boston that TORn did last week. Our associate delivers a simple and informative look at what Turbine is accomplishing with its massive Lord of the Rings on-line experience. Here is a great and easily digestible look at "How to build a better MMO." [More]

3/20/07 - Latest News

LOTR Online Update: Traits Overview
Xoanon @ 2:14 pm EST

Lorien "Ramen" Carney, Community Relations Specialist for The Lord of the Rings Online writes: Learn about the character customization possibilities of LOTRO’s Traits System! Traits are new skills, bonuses, and other enhancements that benefit your character, and may be discovered through the course of one’s adventures and explorations in the game. Traits add a fun level of discovery and purpose to many tasks, both mundane and heroic, and we think players will really enjoy discovering new Traits with which to enhance their characters. [More]

3/19/07 - Latest News

Turbine tries to tempt TheOneRing.net readers
Xoanon @ 11:21 am EST

MrCere writes: BOSTON – Turbine wants non-gamers, like you dear TheOneRing.net reader, to try its game real, real bad. And why not? The beta testing of the “Lord of the Rings Online” game has been a strong success; the media attention has been coming fast and furious from places like the New York Times and the BBC news. And if visiting Middle-earth isn’t the first choice of fantasy realms you always wished you could visit, it is at least in the conversation. [More]

3/18/07 - Latest News

MMO DB Lord of the Rings Online Database
Xoanon @ 9:03 pm EST

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – March 17, 2007 – MMO DB announces the official launch of its Lord of the Rings Online Database. The largest and most update to date Lord of the Rings Online Database on the Internet. With only a few weeks to go until the launch of the much anticipated Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, from Turbine, MMO DB is here and ready to serve.

LOTRO MMO DB has released the largest, most up to date and most complete Lord of the Rings Online database. It lists 1000 Bestiary, 677 Items, 361 Quests, 249 Skills and 66 Zones with new and updated content every day. We also have full skill listings and interactive maps. Nowhere else is this much data available so quickly. We pride ourselves in being the best LOTRO resource for its community.

MMO DB’s content is updated daily to keep up with changes in the various games and to give players the most accurate information available. It is in the process of developing databases for Lineage 2, Final Fantasy XI, Star Wars Galaxies and other MMORPGs including up and coming games.

To see all what our databases have to offer, visit our URL:
Lord of the Rings Online Database - http://lotro.mmodb.com/

About MMO DB

MMO DB is the best resource for all your data and information needs for massively multiplayer online games (MMORPGs). It features the largest and most up to date database resources for games like Guild Wars, Everquest 2, Dungeons & Dragons Online, MapleStory, RuneScape, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and World of Warcraft. It is also set to launch databases for Lineage 2, Star Wars Galaxies and just about any large MMORPG in the market today and in the future. For more information about MMO DB contact webmaster@mmodb.com.

3/15/07 - Latest News

LOTR Online Update: Titles Overview
Xoanon @ 2:26 pm EST

Lorien "Ramen" Carney, Community Relations Specialist for The Lord of the Rings Online writes: We bring you good tidings on this, the Ides of March! Check out the brand new Titles Overview in the Gameplay section of the official LOTRO site! This system allows players to literally “make a name for themselves,” acquiring various titles through the course of their adventures. You can even be adopted and choose to display your titles as “Son of” or “Daughter of” a fellow player: Let everyone know of your great deeds with the LOTRO Title system! Today’s overview will show you how. [More]

3/13/07 - Latest News

LOTR Online Update: Thorin Oakenshield
Xoanon @ 1:07 pm EST

Lorien "Ramen" Carney, Community Relations Specialist for The Lord of the Rings Online writes: We’ve just added a new Character to our LOTRO Characters section – Thorin Oakenshield. Adventurers in LOTRO will have the chance to meet one of Middle-earth’s most famous Dwarves! [More]