LOTRO: Improvements and Suggestions

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I returned to LOTRO in August and have been playing continuously since then, working my way through the last expansion and Update 22. The upside to this ongoing commitment has meant that I have really applied myself to the unfolding narrative and have absorbed a lot more of the story than previously. It is very enjoyable to see the way various strands of different plots all tie together. I have also taken the time to revise my Lore-master build and attempt to optimise it to reflect the prevailing game meta. Broadly speaking, I have been successful so far. But there have been a few negative aspects to returning to the game. Many of them are actually issues that have always be present and have been compounded by the games age. LOTRO lacks some of the modern convenience and functionality we take for granted in more recent MMOs. So, I thought I’d take time out to list a few helpful suggestions that Standing Stone Games can then promptly ignore.

Auto-pathing. This subject was raised recently by fellow blogger Telwyn over at GamingSF. Unlike other MMOs, LOTRO relies mainly on the player when it comes to navigating their way around the map and travelling from quest to quest. Telwyn is indeed right that you can click on an object a small distance away such as a resource node or a quest item and your avatar will auto-path to it. But you cannot set a waypoint and safely auto-travel to it, nor are you given a visual bread crumb trail to help travel to especially esoteric locations. SSG and Turbine before them seem to delight in making navigating a real chore in LOTRO. The developers seem to have a real aversion to straight lines and intuitive paths. Try getting from one side of Dale, Moria or Galtrev easily.

Naturally I would like to see changes to this current state of affairs. In towns and safe areas, it would be nice to see auto-pathing on a practical level. For example, if you arrive at South Bree Entrance and click on Lalia’s Market, it would be convenient to simply automatically ride there without hinderance. It would also be useful to do the same out in quest zones, although to make things equitable I think players should maintain the risk of aggravating mobs they stray to close to. In default of this, I happily accept a visual route marker around some of the more esoteric areas, especially when it comes to reaching quest rings displayed on the mini map.

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Landscape Soldiers. Back in 2012 when Update 6: Shores of the Great River was released, we gained the ability to summon our skirmish soldiers while PVE questing. I have often used this facility over the years as I like having backup in tricky areas and being “overpowered” (or at least robustly equipped). Broadly this tactic works but it can be like herding cats at time. Landscape soldiers are a somewhat blunt tool with little or no navigational control. You often have to dismiss them or re-summon them to avoid pulling all mobs in a given area. Having recently played Ghost Recon: Wildlands, I have learned what good AI companions can be like. So, if LOTRO could add some simple controls to landscape soldiers (just like Lore-master pets for example) then that would be really helpful.

Barter Currencies. There are simply too many of these in the game and many of them end up becoming redundant very quickly. In a previous post I mentioned that it’s worthwhile revisiting old currencies and seeing what you can trade them in for, but there comes a point when there’s nothing else useful and they just end up as being baggage. What I would like to see is some kind of currency exchange system that would allow you to hand in the old in return for new. It’s something that’s already available in-game for skirmish marks and to a degree within some of the barter currencies themselves. So, there’s no real technical reason why SSG cannot implement such a system, it’s just that the devil would be in the detail. Trying to find a fair and equitable exchange rate would be the real challenge.

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Instance Finder. Ten years on, LOTRO is still a very social game. People do help and are surprisingly generous. However, try using the in-game instance finder and you’ll know the true meaning of loneliness. I don’t know whether it’s the times that I play, but I have never got the instance finder to successfully form a PUG. Usually, I run instances via my kinship but that’s not always convenient, so having a functional auto-grouping instance finding tool would be a real boon. SSG should take a leaf out of fellow developers Cryptic’s book, who have just added enhanced rewards to incentivise PUG and random queues. I don’t believe in coercing players into collaborating and favour instead the tried and tested method of providing a “carrot on the end of the stick”. If I could gain quality gear by running random or under represented instances, I’d certainly give it a try.

These are just four suggestions to improve LOTRO that I’ve quickly thought about. They’re not in any order or preference. They literally just came to mind as I was drafting this post. I’m sure most players have a comparable amount they can quickly bring “to the table”. As ever, I’d be very interested to hear reader suggestions, so feel free to leave suggestions in the comments. If LOTRO wishes to continue to move forward it would be wise for SSG to at least consider some changes. Yes, the age of the game and its respective code does impact upon what can and cannot be done, but simply expanding some of the existing functionality in to other areas of the game would be a good starting place. As ever time will tell.

LOTRO: The State of the Game

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I am fast approaching my ten-year anniversary of playing the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online. So, I thought I write a few thoughts about how I find the current state of the game. I returned to LOTRO this August and finally decided to tackle all the outstanding content that I had allowed to build up. Because I initially had issues with the Mordor expansion when it first was released, I had started to level up elsewhere in the game. Thus, when I resumed playing I was two levels or so above the designated rank of most quests. The final region of Mordor, Talath Úrui, I completed last night at level 118. I have always preferred to play this way and like to ensure that I am adequately equipped for a zone. If you are underpowered combat becomes a chore. I am currently finishing off the final stages of Update 22: Legacy of the Necromancer, having worked my way through Northern Mirkwood, Lake-town, Dale on to Erebor. I always attempt content in a linear fashion, so I can stay conversant with the various storylines. By the time I finish the Erebor quests and start the new content in Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell, I shall probably be at the new level cap of 125.

The Story. A year on after the release of Mordor and LOTRO has begun to forge ahead into quasi non-canonical territory, effectively fictionalising the events that are referenced in the appendix of The Lord of the Rings. There have been times in the past when I have found the underlying narrative of LOTRO too convoluted and frankly uninteresting. I remember little of Enedwaith and Dunland and felt that the stories based around the inter-tribal Dunlending feuds were a distraction. Beyond their function of giving further insight into the treason of Isengard they were not the most gripping of tales. I also lost track of many of the Thanes of Rohan and their respective stories during the Riders of Rohan expansion. Yet broadly, the Epic Story that runs through the entire game has been gripping and from time to time, memorable characters do stand out.

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I felt that the Mordor storyline was very good, offering a plausible depiction of a ruined but not necessarily beaten realm. The notion of former acolytes of Sauron vying for dominance in a power vacuum was explored well. I also felt the plight of the Stout-axes was an interesting tale. Recent updates have also seen a more honed style of narrative, where wider issues are seen through the experience of a handful of relevant characters. The refugee quests in Dale was well handled and struck a contemporary chord. Although I usually tend to be ambivalent towards Elven focused narratives, I enjoyed the cleansing of Mirkwood and the way Thranduil’s story tied into the High Elf starter storyline. From what I’ve seen so far SSG are doing well with their post downfall of Sauron adaptations. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next in Ered Mithrin.

Gear, statistics and combat. I’ve recently started using the Raven as my regular Lore-master pet. I’m currently using the Red Line Trait Build with a Legendary Weapon tweaked towards optimal fire-based damage, so using a combat pet that enhances this is common sense. At present I have mainly Teal and Purple armour purchased via the High Elf Enchanter along with all Teal Jewellery. Hence PVE outside of Ered Mithrin is not proving problematic. I have also adjusted my skill rotation, as Ring of Fire was nerfed in the latest update and now has become invaluable. I find there’s a fine line in any MMO between challenging combat and fights simply taking too long. At present I feel the balance is just right in LOTRO. I’m not a serious number cruncher when it comes to my characters statistics. I noticed that my moral levels have dropped since the last patch, but other adjustments to enemy stats mean that combat is not quite so grindy.

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Abandoned systems and obsolete content. I briefly wanted to mention one of the inevitable consequences of a decade old MMO. LOTRO has several game systems that have either fallen by the wayside, or that remain as “work in progress”. I recently revisited Epic Battles and feel that the main flaw they have is the intial lack of agency you have as a player, on what is going on around you. You need to put a lot of points into the various “promotions” before you actually start impacting upon the flow of battle. Too me that’s simply bad design. I don’t expect to slog away for a month before something finally becomes compelling. It needs to be so right from the start. Then there are skirmishes, which are thoroughly entertaining and a great way to level outside of traditional quests. Sadly, we haven’t seen any new skirmishes in the game since 2010 or so. Hobbies and housing are other aspects of the game that have much potential but remain underdeveloped.

Due to LOTRO’s ever growing level cap, there are several gear related systems at various points in the game that are now obsolete. If you create a new alt, many of these systems can now be bypassed with alternative gear provided elsewhere. The Hytbold quest line was an involving diversion upon its initial release but it is highly unlikely that you’d ever revisited it with another character. More recently, the Allegiance system was introduced to the game. In the space of two updates it has become obsolete. I am currently level 22 with The Kingdom of Gondor, but as my primary character in now 118, none of the gear it can offer is of any use. I bought three items recently which had lower stats to what I was using, so I simply destroyed the items for Motes of Enchantment. LOTRO more than other MMOs that I play seems to have an excess of game systems that have to be experienced on level or else they end up redundant (except to the completionist player).

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Lore, ambience and music. After ten years Standing Stone Games realisation of Middle-earth still captures the essential essence of Tolkien’s work. The game engine is some what old now and the graphic are very much of the era that created the game, but the world reflects the source text and the stories regularly tap into the lore in both obvious and subtle ways. I often find myself intrigued by a minor aside in the narrative or a reference to a character or place. When I subsequently research these on the internet or via my various Tolkien reference books, I always find that the writers have drawn upon genuine lore. Bar practical changes, adaptations and embellishments that are designed to facilitate the MMO genre, I have never found the stories in LOTRO objectional or taking excessive liberties with accepted canon.

Finally, I would like to reference the soundtrack of LOTRO which has grown prodigiously over the years. It remains an integral facet of the games appeal, and a means of giving an older MMO with minimal dialogue, the emotional impetus the narrative needs. There are some wonderful new (relatively speaking) themes that play around Lake-town, Dale and Erebor that suit the environment perfectly. The game also has several motifs associated with the different races, although I must say those pertaining to Dwarves are by far the best. They simply nail the cultural and philosophical idiom of the race. I know SSG have made music from the game available, but I feel they should release more. Hopefully that is something they can address in the future.

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LOTRO remains for me my go to MMO and despite its flaws, it still offers me an interesting diversion in my leisure time and a rich narrative experience based upon one of my favourite intellectual properties. As long as it continues to operate within these parameters, I shall continue to support the game. I do not think I am alone in this philosophy and believe that many players have made their peace with the games foibles and embraced it for what is actually is and the needs it fulfils. Certainly, the game have provided me with a great deal of enjoyment and entertainment over the last decade and has been great value for money. Therefore, I wholeheartedly hope that it continues to grow and move the story forward in the years to come.

Star Trek Online: Red Alert Controversy

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Developer’s Cryptic announced this week that the various Red Alerts that are currently available continuously in Star Trek Online would hence forward, only be available to players on the weekend. Their official explanations was as follows. Starting this weekend, Red Alerts are moving from being always available to being special weekend events, with improved rewards! When these Red Alerts are live, you’ll be able to earn 35 Marks of your choice every time you play, with no cooldowns to prevent you from getting back into the action. These Task Force Operations will return to the galaxy regularly, as the groups of invaders do their best to take control of the four quadrants of the galaxy. As with any change of this nature, it has not been met with open arms by the STO reddit community and the official forums.

Red Alerts are spaced based, five player PVE events that can be joined either through the in-game queue listing facility or via an onscreen “distress call” while travelling is certain areas of sector space. They have a simple set of objectives, culminating in a capital ship fight, that have to be achieved in a ten-minute period. There are several varieties of Red Alert, themed around the Borg, Elachi, Tholians and the Tzenkethi. Once completed the player received 480 Dilithium ore and a reputation mark package that allows them to choose from a selection of factions. Red Alerts up until this change have been on a 30 minutes cooldown. However, many players consider them a quick and convenient facet of the game. If you are pushed for time they provide a quick fix of gameplay, they are also convenient for testing a gear build, and naturally they are a very useful means of earning marks for full reputation and rep related gear projects.

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It has been noted by the STO community that this change to Red Alerts has come shortly after a recent announcement via the Priority One podcast, that PVE queues per se are having a random Task Force Operation added to them. One of the biggest problems with these group PVE activities available in STO is that some, unlike the Red Alerts, only offer a specific kind of reputation mark as a reward. There is a very strong game meta in STO with regard to builds, leading to certain reputation gear being more popular than others. Hence some group PVE events available in the queue manager are continuously busy and finding a five-man team is not a problem. Conversely, for the others the opposite is true. You can join a PVE queue for Battle for Procyon V, which only offers Fleet and Temporal marks as a reward and wait all evening for another 4 players to join. Because of this Cryptic feel that introducing an optional random Task Force Operation that offers enhanced rewards and quicker cooldowns will help resolve the problem.

Unfortunately, there are cogent arguments to be made that such a facility will have quite the opposite effect. Those players with more time available may well be happy to endure the caprices of random queues. After all, reputation marks of all types are useful. However, those who have less time at their disposal, seeking specific rep marks will find themselves even less likely to find a group in a timely fashion. Plus, there is the issue of the reduction of choice. Although the proposed random queues are optional let us not forget the removal of the convenient Red Alerts. And players are also concerned about the commercial ramifications that could come with this change. The reputation mechanic in STO is getting an additional sixth tier added to it in the months ahead. Naturally this will require further rep marks to achieve. Yet it is being added at a time when the opportunity for earning such marks is being altered; or as some players see it, restricted. Will the in-game store be offering purchasable rep marks in the foreseeable future?

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As ever with F2P games, there is scope for game content and systems to be subordinate to revenue generation, rather than putting quality and player experience first. I can see how developers Cryptic do not want to introduce the expanded rep system only to see veteran players complete it too quickly due to stockpiled assets. However, I as a player do not want to find my progress in the game go from an equitable pace to a tedious grind. The potential of a cash store workaround also concerns me. It remains to be seen whether this debacle will encourage Cryptic to change their current course of action. The game is still in a very good place overall at the moment with both console and PC versions doing well. The tie-in with Star Trek: Discovery is certainly a marketing boon, so it would be a shame to see the game commit an act of self-harm. As ever with the MMO genre, it’s a question of wait and see, although I think a response from Cryptic and some clarity would go a long way.

LOTRO: An Unnecessary Increase in Level Cap?

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I’ve logged into the Bullroarer test server and looked around several of the preview builds of Update 23 for LOTRO recently. So far what I’ve seen has broadly met with my approval. It’s pretty much more of the same, with the main selling point being the story and a new area of Middle-earth to explore. However, there’s one aspect of the soon to be released Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell that does strike me as a little odd. The level cap is being increased from 115 to 120. Last summer’s Mordor expansion raised the cap by ten to 115, so this new increase does feel a little too soon to me. However, if you look at the LOTRO Wiki, it would appear that increases tend to occur regularly every eighteen months to two years, so it can be argued that this pending change isn’t anything unusual. Yet, it somehow feels “off” to me, which I shall now endeavour to explain.

The Mordor expansion presented players with a major statistical and gear adjustment. More so than at other points in the game. The in-game quest rewards gave players a helping hand but to secure a full set of equipment to successfully traverse the rigours of the zone, you needed to repeat content, run instances and raids. Lootboxes and keys also initially dropped in-game and provided a supplement to the above. Then of course there was the LOTRO store that could provide keys instantly for a price. However, in the past year there has been various tinkering by the developers and keys drops are now less common place. To date there are still a lot of players working through the expansion as well as Dale-lands, attempting to earn enough barter rewards to acquire the right gear set. The coming level cap increase will effectively bring that process to a halt and negate any ongoing hard work by introducing a new rep faction and barter reward system.

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Is a new gear grind really required so soon after the last expansion? It’s a debatable point. For every high-end achiever who wants the “best of the best”, there are two laid back players who are running a new alt through Ered Luin once again, just for the fun of it. LOTRO has a very diverse player base. Which is why I think that this decision to raise the level cap is somewhat of divisive. I have felt in recent years that the gear progression system has become a little too endgame focused. Although I appreciate that raid gear should not be given out on a whim and should be gated behind high end content, I often feel that intermediate players spend too much time levelling in under specified armour and jewellery. Once a player has finished a zone such as Mordor or similar, they may well find themselves adequately equipped for their level, but if they don’t run endgame content regularly, they don’t see any major benefit from it.

I have vivid memories of running group content back in the Moria expansion days, trying to earn First Age Lore-master Staff. I finally obtained one about ten days prior to the Siege of Mirkwood expansion that immediately made it obsolete. I find it similarly saddening that by the time I perfect my level 115 build it will be negated by the availability of new 120 items. For me if SSG could make a mid-tier of gear available that could be used for those players between casual and hardcore, that would be a good compromise. They’ve done this before. The floral barter system in Ithilien which came with Update 19: March of the King provided a satisfactory alternative to gear gained from endgame content. May be something similar will be made available in future level 120 content. In the meantime, I remain sceptical of the pending level cap raise. I do not like being under powered in MMOs and like to be able to earn items that improve my stats while I’m still levelling.

LOTRO: The Maps of Middle-earth

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I logged into the third preview of Update 23 on Bullroarer test server this evening and perused the various changes that Standing Stone Games have made. For a lot of the “serious” LOTRO players, the focus of this latest build are the statistical changes to all the various classes. As I am not so au fait with this aspect of the game, I shall leave the matter until it is finalised then discuss it with my kinship who are more learned in these matters. My primary motivation for using the preview server is to get an advance look at any new region and to explore the environment. Standing Stone Games continue to do a sound job of realising the Third Age of Middle-earth and I enjoy the attention to detail they provide along with their adherence to the lore. One of the aspects of LOTRO that I’ve always enjoyed are the regional maps. In this latest preview build, all maps for the new region of Ered Mithrin are now available and the temporary placeholders for Erebor and The Steel Keep have been removed.

One of the things that attracted me to The Lord of the Rings when I first read it in the early eighties was the fact that the books came with maps. The hardback editions that I read via my local library had sumptuous fold out maps that clearly detailed the various regions. They help convey the sense of history of Middle-earth and depth of culture and lore that existed. The maps also gave a sense of scale to the Fellowship’s journey as well as context. They were integral to maintaining the illusion that Middle-earth was a living and ancient world. Hence the maps that feature in LOTRO serve a similar purpose beyond their immediate practical functionality. They don’t just provide a means of navigating from point A to point B but further embellish the games sense of immersion by showing a world populated by people in a broad variety of geographical locations. They also often reflect interesting details of lore, or minor comments from the source text.

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Over the years, due to changes in the game and the streamlining of earlier zones, some maps have been replaced resulting in two distinct art styles. The contrast can be quite jarring at times. For example, the Bree-land map is one of the oldest in the game and is somewhat cluttered. However, if you then cross into the Barrow-downs the map was redesigned and sports a clearer style and breaks the zone up into two. As new content is added to the game, the newer map style naturally prevails. From an aesthetic point of view, I prefer the this to old. The maps are more functional and convey their respective information efficiently. Overall, I think they are an improvement, although I do still think they have some flaws. As to whether SSG intends to standardise all maps and thus replace those that have the older design remains to be scene.

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Although the more contemporary LOTRO maps exude an appropriate art style and are easier to read, some still have a flaw with regard to conveying navigational data.  Some of the maps do not always clearly show what route a player should take to enter a specific region. The other day, I decided on a whim to do some of the quests in Entwood. From memory I vaguely knew I could access the region from either Broadacres or Stonedean in West Rohan. Sadly, the maps lacked sufficient detail to give me a clear course to follow. Thus, I had to spend some time riding around the various hills that separate zones, until I found the right route. I believe access to Wildermore is similarly esoteric. Another problem are instance maps. They only become fully visible as you explore. If you leave and subsequently return to an instance, the process has to be repeated. Surely the logical thing would be to make it permanently available once the player had initially unlocked it.

The maps in LOTRO are also poor at conveying data for regions that are set on multiple levels. Top down representations do not adequately express three-dimensional data, which can lead to confusion and frustration, especially in instances such as the Grand Stair in Moria. In the past when running this instance, I would have to rely on third party diagrams, outside of the game itself. Another map within LOTRO that is notoriously unintuitive when it comes to travelling around is the Misty Mountains. It displays what appear to be clear linear routes between key locations but fails to convey the topographical features that will impede you. Again, it is steep slopes or crevasses that bar your way. Now there may well be players who will take the view that these maps are not supposed to make things that easy for you and that their deliberate vagaries are designed to force the player to explore. That may well be true, but I find premeditated inconvenience to be poor game design choice. A map that doesn’t impart the necessary data you need to successfully navigate the area it represents, has fundamentally failed in its purpose as far as I’m concerned.

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The key to success in getting the most out of the various regional maps in LOTRO is to familiarise yourself with both the pictorial representation of each zone and cross reference that with practical first-hand experience. Basically, learn your way around the physical foibles of an area and use that knowledge in conjunction with the map. The only downside of this strategy is that LOTRO is a big game so that’s a lot of information to commit to memory. Overall, I’m mainly familiar with the zone I’m currently questing through or those that I have a special affinity to. I haven’t really spent any time in South Mirkwood or parts of Rohan since those regions were released. Therefore, I often cannot immediately recall their subtleties or quirks. May be this is something else that can be added to the list of “bug” fixes and “quality of life improvements that SSG need to address. Clearer, more intuitive maps are only going to become more essential as the game continues to expand.

Financing LOTRO

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Back in December 2008, I bought a “compilation pack” that contained both the The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadow of Angmar base game, along with the newly released Mines of Moria expansion. I paid £20 for the lot. After the obligatory free months access, I then became a regular subscriber right up until about summer 2012. Since then I’ve subscribed and played whenever new content is released, meaning that for about six months of the year, I’m paying for the “luxury” of playing LOTRO. I’ve also purchased all the expansions over the years. Because I enjoy the game, I am not averse to buying additional LOTRO points when my monthly stipend doesn’t cover the cost of the items I want. I never availed myself of the opportunity to become a lifetime account holder, which is something I regret. It certainly would have been very good value for money, considering that LOTRO is over a decade old.

Although F2P games offer the benefit of reaching a wider market, I do believe that the business model is troublesome and causes more problems than it solves. Lootboxes similarly can break a game, as content is retrofitted to accommodate monetisation, rather than serve the exclusive needs of the customer. The monetisation per se of the gaming industry remains a perennial debate and one that is not going to be solved anytime soon to every one’s satisfaction. It is certainly a matter that is causing Standing Stone Games to tie themselves in knot at present. Lootboxes have been present in LOTRO for a while but they were never integral to progression through the game until the release of the Mordor expansion. Let it suffice to say that there has been a great deal of player push back against this decision and that SSG have been trying to address this matter in Update 23, which is due for release soon. However, the current proposals are complex and are very much a work in progress. They also seem to be causing a great deal of consternation among players.

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I won’t attempt to summarise the latest “plan” at present as it’s being continuously “revised”. If you’re feeling stoic, then read the current thread on the official forums and you’ll see how difficult this matter is to sort out. However, I think the overall problem comes down to a fundamental difference in outlook over the financing of LOTRO, between the players, the publishers and lastly the developers SSG. LOTRO has a mature playerbase. A hardcore of thirty to fifty plus year olds, who all cut their teeth in an era where game monetisation was clear. You bought a game and paid for any additional expansions. In the MMO world, you bought the base game and subscribed. It was a simple “quid pro quo”. You paid money and got content. However, microtransactions, in-game currencies, season passes, paid DLC, lootboxes and “live services” have evolved over the last decade or so and have migrated from the mobile games market, over to console and PC gaming. Younger players who have grown up with mobile games has become “acclimatised” to such business practices. LOTRO players by and large don’t care for them.

And therein lies the rub for SSG or more to the point, their financial backers Daybreak Game Company. I suspect that there are financial targets set for LOTRO each quarter and that these are proving “challenging”. Because of the dedicated nature of many core LOTRO players it would appear that there are significant whales in the community. Yet it is the nature of the current games industry to seek whatever revenue that can possibly be generated and that the fate of a game will often come down to whether or not it yields the financial projections. Hence it become extremely difficult for SSG to find the right balance. Simply removing loot boxes and the LOTRO store from the game is not going to happen. The game is just too heavily dependent upon that business model. Some players have suggested cutting out the “middle man” of loot boxes and keys and just have a store where you buy everything that is offered. Sadly, whatever course of action is taken, it is bound to please one group and offend another. However, gating content or progression in LOTRO behind some kind of pay mechanic could well prove to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. But I’m sure SSG knows this, so it will be interesting to see what compromise they arrive at by the time Update 23 launches.

LOTRO: Tales from the Barter Wallet

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One of the fun things about LOTRO is the way each player evolves their own personal way of navigating around Middle-earth. Although there is an extensive “stable” network throughout the game, I often find it quicker to use the various “Return to” skills, to get where I need to go. Turns out there’s a lot more in LOTRO than I realised. One of the most beneficial is “Return to Minas Tirith” which places you in the city before the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. The main advantage is that you arrive close to the stable-master who has an extensive list of travel destinations throughout Gondor. More so than his counterpart in the Minas Tirith after the battle. The skill “Return to Minas Tirith” is obtained from the Quartermaster (Defenders of Minas Tirith) at the Great Gate of Minas Tirith for 30 Minas Tirith Silver Pieces.

Now you may wonder why I mention something that has existed in the game since October 2017 when Update 17 - The Siege of Minas Tirith was released. Well the above stemmed from me digging around in my in-game barter wallet and wondering whether any of the older reputation reward tokens were still of any practical use. I have one primary alt that I’ve invested a fair amount of time into. I usually end up doing all quests in each zone, so tend to have maximum rep with all factions and a surfeit of barter tokens. Naturally, armour from Enedwaith or Dunland is no longer relevant at current endgame and it is the nature of MMOs to produce gear that has its day in the sun, only to be consigned to oblivion twelve months later. So, it’s par for the course that LOTRO generates a wealth of tokens that simply fills up your barter wallet only to be forgotten. However, there is “gold” to be found if you take the time to look.

Pet, mount and cosmetic collectors would be well recommended to do some research. For example, the Bingo Boffin episodic quest chain yields a wealth of cosmetic pets. Who doesn’t want an Umber Goat? Again, the Defenders of Minas Tirith can supply a Striped Pelennor Pig for 50 Minas Tirith Silver Pieces. Then there’s a Rohirric Follower if you have full rep with the Riders of Rohan. Then there are the respective “Return to” skills to such places as Galtrev, Mirkwood and Snowbourn. If you purchase the right skill from the LOTRO store you can reduce the cooldown time on all of these to 30 minutes. And although I said that a lot of the faction gear becomes statistically obsolete as you progress through the game, you can still equip items cosmetically if you like the look of them.

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A lot of items in your barter wallet can also be traded in for practical commodities like Scrolls of Empowerment and Essence and Relic removal Scrolls. These are always of use and it never does any harm to stockpile them. Also, some of the items that you can obtain via your barter wallet can then be sold via the Auction House. And then there are the skirmish marks. I’ve always enjoyed this particular aspect of LOTRO and have often used skirmishes as an alternative means of levelling. They offer short and convenient challenges and it’s surprising how you can build a large fortune of marks and medallions over time. I still use my Landscape Soldier and it’s easy and convenient to buy the tokens for their use, from the skirmish vendors.

If like me, you’ve been playing LOTRO for a while, you may well have equally built up a supply of rep tokens and sundry barter currencies. It is certainly worthwhile investigating what you can actually trade them for and enhance your game. Because of the way LOTRO has grown over the years, many of its game systems are somewhat esoteric and are often overlooked by all but the most dedicated player. However, there’s no real quick or convenient way to really discover what you can or cannot get, other than by visiting the vendors of each particular rep faction and simply trawling through their inventory. Alternatively, you can search through the LOTRO Wiki and just see what’s available in game. All things considered it’s well worthwhile investigating the far reaches of your barter wallet. It may well offer you something unexpected and convenient.

6 Months, 1 Day and 16 Hours

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6 months, 1 day and 16 hours. Or put another way that’s 4504 hours. In total, 270,240 minutes. That is the total amount of time to date, that I’ve invested in my primary character in LOTRO. I have had several other alts over the years, many of which are now deleted, so for the sake of accuracy you can probably add another 20 hours or so to that total. That is a sizeable investment of time over an eight-year period. But that is the nature of the MMO genre. They are essentially time sinks. However, that is not what this post is about. I’m not here to dissect whether 4504 hours has been a good use of my time or not. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve gained a commensurate amount of entertainment in return. Plus, those 2504 hours were specifically leisure time, so if I hadn’t of played LOTRO they would have been spent watching TV or on some other pastime. Therefore, I’m not going to claim that in different circumstance I could have learned to play the Sousaphone with that time. This post is about reflecting upon LOTRO and the MMO genre.

Over the past eleven years LOTRO has waxed and waned and subsequently stabilised with regard to its playerbase and its place in the hall of MMO fame. Despite regular claims of its imminent demise (some even by myself), the game has doggedly soldiered on. It is my belief that the game is sustained and perpetuated by the loyal support of a group of core gamers who have decided to make LOTRO their online “home”. They may not like every aspect of the game or the way the developers, Standing Stone Games, runs things, but they’ve gotten used to the way things are. The other major factor is that there is no alternative game for the present. The recent news that Athlon Games is developing a new Middle-earth based MMO, doesn’t really have much bearing on the situation. The game doesn’t exist yet and will more than likely be a completely different beast to LOTRO. I can’t see LOTRO players jumping ship any time soon.

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So for those who play LOTRO (I won’t use the term “gamers”, because many don’t identify as such or play any other title), it remains simply a fixed constant in their leisure activities. A social hub for staying in touch with friends, an immersive game with ten years’ worth of content to play and a source of inspiration for wider activities such as writing, role play or fan fiction. As for the game itself, it has a wealth quests and activities to undertake, ranging from the Epic Story to the most arbitrary of “busy work”. Therefore, there’s always something to do in LOTRO. Hence that number of 4504 hours. And that time investment is a really big factor for me. One of the reasons I keep coming back to LOTRO is the fact that I have committed a great deal of my own personal life to the game and that is not something that you casually disregard. Such an investment engenders a sense of loyalty and commitment. For some players it even fosters a sense of “ownership”. I may not necessarily agree with such a perspective, but I can see how it occurs.

Although I am not an especially emotional individual, I think it is fair to say that after ten years of playing LOTRO, I have developed some sort of sentimental attachment to the game. One that I have not found elsewhere with any other MMO. I have an abiding love of the Star Trek franchise, but STO doesn’t quite generate the same emotional response from me as LOTRO does. A lot of that is down to LOTRO’s intellectual property. Middle-earth and the writings of Professor Tolkien have a profound effect upon those that love and identify with his work. Then there’s the context of the time that I discovered and initially started playing the game. It filled a large gap in my leisure and social activities back in 2008. Another important point to consider, is that it was my first MMO and major experience of online communities. It’s a variation of the “first love” concept and how your initial experience of something greatly shapes your future outlook. So overall, I think that there’s no real surprise to be had by the revelation that I’ve spent over half a year of my time on LOTRO. Until something happens to change things, that number will continue to increase.

Your First Mistake Was Having Expectations

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Two stories have broken today regarding a pair of established and much-loved pop culture franchises. The first is the news that actor Henry Cavill has been cast as Geralt of Rivia, in the forthcoming Witcher TV show currently in production by Netflix. The second is regarding how newly established games developers Athlon Games are currently working on a new F2P Middle-earth based MMO. Considering there is no further details on either of these two points beyond what has already been stated, one could be tempted to say rhetorically “nothing to see here, move along”. However, this is the age of social media, so let it suffice to say that both these announcements have caused a degree of consternation in certain quarters. Namely fans of those already established iterations of The Witcher and The Lord of the Rings.

As I get older and therefore less sentimental and less invested in fandom per se, I do find the sort of complaints, criticism and sundry “brouhaha” that has accompanied both of these developments, somewhat irrelevant. All are based on a misplaced assumption that existing fans needs are the primary force driving both projects. But they are not. Yes, I agree that the look, feel and voice of Geralt of Rivia where honed to perfection in CD Projekt Red’s video games. This will naturally determine a lot of people’s conception of the character, the same way that a handful of artists such as John Howe and Alan Lee have shaped the popular opinion of what Tolkien’s characters should look like. Another example that is age dependent, is who you consider to be the best incarnation of James Bond. But artistic interpretation as a concept tends to “pooh-pooh” such dogmatic ideas as “the definitive version”.

From what I’ve gleaned from the information that’s available about Netflix’s The Witcher TV show, it is not intended to be merely a fan service to those that enjoyed the three video games. It is a broader adaptation of the original source material by by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, intended to reach as wide an audience as possible. Fantasy as a genre is very popular and marketable at present. Thus, casting a known quantity such as Henry Cavill, who has experience of genre productions along with matinee idol good looks is hardly surprising. The objections of a minority of “core fans” is frankly just standard operational collateral damage when adapting such a franchise. Frankly, when you consider the current trend for remakes, reboots, altering race, gender and generally repurposing any franchise or brand if it is deemed profitable to do so, complaining about the casting of Henry Cavill is somewhat redundant.

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As for there being a new Tolkien based MMORPG that is set at some point in The Lord of the Rings timeline, I really don’t see it being a major issue for the existing ten-year-old LOTRO. It’s hardly uncommon for multiple licensed products to share a specific market place at the same time. Look at Neverwinter and DDO for example. Furthermore, it is highly likely that both games will be very different from each other and therefore not in direct competition. I recently wrote about the possibility of a LOTRO 2.0 and how those players “joined at the hip” with the existing iteration of the game are not necessarily disposed towards migrating to a new and more modern game. A new title with contemporary bells and whistles would seek a new audience who favour such mechanics. I see it very much as an “apples and orange” situation. Plus, the point has already been raised as to whether the new Middle-earth based MMO is going to be linked in someway to the TV show that is currently under development for Amazon Prime.

Both of these examples reflect once again the inherent myopia that seems to accompany contemporary fandom. They represent a failure to see both of these franchises for what they are; products. And as such they can be augmented by the rights holder in whatever way they see fit. That doesn’t mean that fans can’t have an opinion. They are of course free to like or not like something. But considering the nature of the global market that all products must compete in these days, the uniquely subjective needs of fans only makes up a small percentage of potential customers. Therefore, these bespoke “requirements” are far from paramount. If you want a more specific example, then consider how the Marvel Cinematic Universe has “adapted” the source material to make it accessible to a wider audience. Lore has been altered and known box-office names have been cast to ensure a wide reach. Yes, some fans have disliked what they’ve seen, but in business terms Disney have struck gold. In a world where hype, following trends and number crunching dictates policy, it’s hardly surprising that the Henry Cavill has been cast as Geralt of Rivia and that a new Middle-earth based MMO is going to embrace the current foibles of the F2P business model. To those bemused by all this, your first mistake was having expectations.

LOTRO: Fishing

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Many MMOs have “hobbies” as part of the activities they have on offer. These are usually leisurely undertakings done for their own inherent fun, rather than providing a tangible in-game benefit. In LOTRO the only hobby that is currently available (despite the game existing for over decade) is fishing. It’s a relatively simple affair that’s been further refined (dumbed down, some may argue) over time. When I started playing LOTRO in 2008, fishing had an extra component to its underlying mechanic. There were various types of bait (consumables) that provided a bonus to your fishing skill. These included Leech Bait, Nightcrawler Bait and Red Wiggler Bait. However, this mechanic was removed possibly around the time of the “free to play” conversion. As it currently stands, fishing now just requires accepting the hobby from the Hobby Master NPC (Simon Quinlank would be proud), buying a basic fishing rod and finding a body of water. You equip the rod instead of a weapon and add the fishing skill to your quick slot bar. If you click the skill it will cause a casting animation. You then wait for the fish to bite, which is signified buy your rod bending and twitching. The player then clicks the skill again to land whatever they’ve caught.

Like any activity in a game of this nature, fishing is subject to a levelling mechanic. The maximum rating is level 200 and the player can gain 10 points per day (the "clock" resets at midnight EST). There are currently seven different types of rod available in LOTRO, ranging from the aforementioned basic rod and the latest Exquisite Elven Fishing Rod which adds +10 Fishing. However, these rods are gated behind reputation factions in level specific regions, so you can’t buy a fancy rod and expect to fast path to level cap. It should also be noted that there are multiple deeds associated with fishing (hardly a surprise as LOTRO is rife with deeds) and some of the fancier fish that you can catch can be taken to a taxidermist and turned into trophies and used as housing items. As stated earlier, fishing is mainly a recreational activity which may also appeal to the goal orientated completionist who likes to do everything for personal satisfaction.

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Standing Stone Games are obviously not conversent with UK slang.

I started fishing when I first subscribed to LOTRO. At that point in time, MMOs were new to me and I found all of the games foibles endearing. I’ve never pursued fishing seriously and have mainly used it as it was intended, just as something easy to do in-game while unwinding. As you can fish pretty much from any body of water in the game, I’ve often done fishing while waiting for colleagues to log in or while I’m on Discord chatting to friends. It’s something I’ve done casually over eight years and not something I’ve ever monitored. Recently, while fishing in Long Lake, I noticed a notification telling me I was level 183. So, I investigated a little further and determined I was not far from the cap. As a result, I decided to actually complete this deed, mainly due to a “why not” mindset and the want of anything else more significant to do. So, I toured various regions of Middle-earth and spent an hour here and there, slowly working towards my goal. Needless to say, a few days ago I hit level 200 hundred after a decade of not especially trying to do so. It gave me a moments satisfaction and a reason for a blog post, so I guess I shouldn’t “pooh-pooh” this achievement. I wonder whether Standing Stone Games have any new plans to add further hobbies to the game. If they do perhaps I’ll complete them as well in another ten years’ time.

Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Reveal: 48-Minute Walkthrough

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Two months ago, those attending E3 tradeshow were afforded a behind-the-scenes demo of Cyberpunk 2077 by developer CD Projekt Red. Finally, that same footage has been made available to the general public today. Here is the link. I do recommend that you watch the entire video and assimilate the details. Because, I’m sure there’s going to be a great deal of hyperbole, bluster and hype going around in the next 48 hours regarding the Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Reveal on You Tube. I’m sure there’ll also be a handful of professional malcontents who’ll immediately look to find fault or take a critical posture because, hey, that’s what some folks do. Speaking as a mature player of games, who takes a calm and measured approach to marketing and tries not to get sucked into the hysteria that can sometimes arise from the wider community, I must say I am intrigued by what I’ve seen so far.

I was very impressed by CD Projekt Red’s last game, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt. I liked the open world, the aesthetic of the game and its level of complexity. It managed to balance the technical requirements of an RPG, with gear, skills points and system progression and ensure that it didn’t tip over into an excess of resource management. But above all I loved the story. It eschewed the binary morals of other games and offered us a world of hard decisions, complexity and consequences. And this is what appears to be at the heart of Cyberpunk 2077. Furthermore, the Gameplay Reveal seems to indicate that there are multiple paths to take with each mission that shape the outcome of content later in the game. Again, the balance between systems, the complexity of combat and narrative progression seems to be appropriate. As for the issue of first person perspective that has already been hotly debated, it seems to be justified from what I’ve seen. The way it reverts to third person for cutscenes and exposition looks like a good compromise.

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I suspect that as well as a lot of hype, Cyberpunk 2077 is also going to encounter a lot of controversy as it’s release date gets close. The game is overtly political (by the developers own admission) and will explore a great deal of adult and challenging themes. Violence, transhumanism and evolving human identity will not be welcome in some quarters. And anything of a sexual nature always ruffles the feathers of the usual suspects. Oh, I’m certain that Cyberpunk 2077 will be pilloried in corners of the gaming community. Another potential issue is going to be the games minimum specifications. I think this may be the title that will force me finally replace my current four-year-old PC. However, I shall temper my modest enthusiasm, with a pinch of cynicism that I’ve learned the hard way after thirty plus years of gaming. “There’s many a slip between cup and lip” as the old saying goes. So, for the immediate future, I’ll remain just “interested” and content to just, watch, wait and reflect upon Cyberpunk 2077.

The Eyes and Guard Tavern

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LOTRO like many other MMOs has a test server. Players can transfer existing characters to Bullroarer when it is available and preview all aspects of any new content that is being beta tested. If you do not wish to or do not have a level appropriate character available to transfer, you can create a new one and then visit The Eyes and Guard Tavern in Archet. This hostelry hosts a range of NPCs that can advance your alt through content, bestow deeds as well as upgrade virtues and traits. Effectively, you can gain everything that is available in the game from level 1 to the new cap of 120. It is therefore an invaluable in-game facility. If you wish to visit the latest zone, then you can jump to level cap and port directly to the region. Min-maxers and those who have a penchant for build experimentation can spend hours perusing new gear and such like. However, despite being a beneficial facility, The Eyes and Guard Tavern is a somewhat blunt tool.

First off, if you transfer a character from the live server that is already progressing towards level cap you cannot use the appropriate NPC at The Eyes and Guard Tavern to advance straight to 120. I spent an hour tinkering with my build tonight with a level 40 hunter, before I realised my predicament. You can only take advantage of level advancement if you create a completely new character. Starting from scratch then comes with further problems. Adding all the games’ different aspects to your build, such as reputation and completion of the Epic Story, takes time. A lot of time. Furthermore, if you decide to flag all of the Epic Story as completed, the NPC will often port you to different locations in Middle-earth as part of that process. You then have to make your way back from Angmar, Edoras, or Anorien to the The Eyes and Guard Tavern, multiple times.

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Creating new legendary weapons and fine tuning them is another very complex and time-consuming process. As is selecting your gear and applying appropriate essences. Re-learning all your crafting skills adds further time to this “work in progress”. Simply put, if you wish to create a level cap character with the best of the best gear, that has all rep and has progressed through all of the game’s story, then you can expect to spend three hours or more on such an undertaking. Again, I would like to make it clear that for some players, this prospect is a pleasure and not a chore. But for others, who simply want to visit the new region and may be try some of the new quests, such an investment of time is prohibitive. Another consideration is that to access the Bullroarer test server, you have to download and install a completely separate client. For those on slow internet connections or with data caps, that is another hurdle to overcome.

I have written in the past about the “average LOTRO player” and fully understand that those who play casually are not necessarily the core demographic of those accessing the Bullroarer test server. Hence the services available in The Eyes and Guard Tavern although lengthy and convoluted, are tailored to the liking of a more “involved” group. However, it would be beneficial if Standing Stone Games could add some additional facilities that met the needs of intermediate players who primarily want to visit Bullroarer test server to access the new zones and their respective quests. The provision of cookie-cutter endgame builds, that could be applied with a single click via an NPC is one example I can think of. Or if a player wants to be just a “virtual tourist”, perhaps some sort of temporary invincible mode could be made available, where you do not aggro the mobs and can explore freely. This facility already exists in (to a degree) when you use the stable service to travel between zones.

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Overall, The Eyes and Guard Tavern is a functional and multi-layered service. To get the most out of it, be prepared to invest an considerable amount of time. If you are interested in accessing the Bullroarer test server and have not transferred an alt before or used the The Eyes and Guard Tavern, then I would recommend reading the official LOTRO guide that is buried within the official LOTRO forums or alternatively, read the helpful FAQ over at LOTRO Players website. As SSG is endeavouring to tidy up numerous outstanding “loose ends” in LOTRO, perhaps this service will have some “quick” options added to it in the future or they’ll find a way to streamline the services provided.

Bullroarer Update 23 Preview #2

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Despite some set backs and the loss of time, I did manage to create a new alt that was sufficiently specified to visit the Grey Mountains and The Iron Hills. The second preview of Update 23 has made further revisions to the new zone. I explored the Withered Heath and the expanded areas of Erebor more thoroughly this time and returned to The Iron Hills during daylight. The new region looks detailed and more populous this time round. The gallery below has a selection of images from the new areas. As ever, remember that this is still content that is under development and it may be subject to change.

Classic Game Themes: Some of my Personal Favourites

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A ten months ago, I wrote about the LOTRO soundtrack and listed some of my favourite tracks. This time round rather than just limit myself to music from one game, I thought it may be more interesting to broaden the remit. So, I have decided to upload seven of my favourite tracks and music cues from various games I have played over the last two decades. As with cinema, the soundtrack of a game plays a very important role. It can make a substantial impact on the players perceptions and enjoyment. The following tracks are examples that I feel have greatly enhanced a game. They’re also ones that I find particularly enjoyable. They are not in any order of preference.

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Lord of The Rings Online. Mines of Moria: A Journey in the Dark. By Chance Thomas

This is a superb track. The blend of strings and vocals catches the enigma of Moria beautifully. I personally consider it to be the highlight of the expansions soundtrack.

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Battlefield 1943: Main Theme. By Joel Eriksson

This utterly rousing track by Swedish composer Eriksson, totally embodies military action and a call to arms. Sadly, the more contemporary arrangements that have featured in more recent instalments of the franchise have less impact.

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Age of Conan: The Damp Barachan Nights. By Knut Avenstroup Haugen

I was greatly surprised by the sophistication of the Age of Conan soundtrack. This acoustic piece beautifully captures the tropical nights of the Island of Tortage.

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Tomb Raider: Main Theme. By Nathan McCree and Martin Iveson

An iconic theme that still holds up very well after twenty-two years.

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Lord of The Rings Online. Shadows of Angmar: Stars and Glory. By Chance Thomas

This cue plays in the Lonelands at night. It was one of the first tracks from LOTRO that left a lasting impression on me.

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Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2: Estate Escape. Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer brings his "A" list Hollywood talent to this franchise. I love the Middle Eastern elements that he brings to this piece.

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Warhammer - Dark Omen: Main Theme. Mark Knight

An unsettling and creepy electronic score from 1998, It suits the game perfectly.

LOTRO: Progressing Through Mordor

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It was in May that I last subscribed to LOTRO and attempted to progress through the Mordor expansion. I was under geared and under powered and the initial zone of Udûn was proving to be an up-hill struggle. So, I decided to level elsewhere in the game and managed to get as far as 111 (the current level cap is 115). I still couldn’t improve my gear so there was no point bypassing Mordor and going straight to the Dale-lands which were released in June in Update 22. So, I decided to spend my gaming time elsewhere and left LOTRO. However, the recent Bullroarer preview of Update 23 rekindled my interest in the MMO. Surely Mordor wasn’t the immovable obstacle that I thought? So, I subscribed once again, and returned to the game on Friday evening. Luckily, there were several kinship members online and they generously helped me until I reached the “tipping point” of the Mordor expansion. Two days later and I’ve nearly hit level cap and the game although challenging, it’s no longer the grind that it was a few months ago.

In a nutshell the key to success in Mordor is gear. Specifically gear that has the “Light of Eärendil” defensive stats. This is designed to counteract a cumulative debuff known as the “Shadow of Mordor”. This is simply a new version of the Radiance stat that was found on Moria and Mirkwood raid sets back in the day. Without “Light of Eärendil” a player is severely gimped. Mordor is essentially a major gear check for LOTRO. You start getting random pieces of new armour by clearing regional quests but it’s all very piecemeal. Hence the initial few levels above 105 are a slog. However, once you get to level 112, you become eligible to buy gear sets via the High-enchanter NPC, using the “Ash of Enchantment” barter currency. Players obtain this currency by deconstructing surplus gear they’ve obtained via quest, loot drops or Gorgoroth Steel-bound Lootboxes. Any item that has the “Light of Eärendil” can be broken down into “Ash of Enchantment” by using “Flame of Ancalamír” crystal.

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To cut a long story short, I was given several lootboxes and keys which provided me with enough “Ash of Enchantment” to buy a level appropriate gear set. I chose the “Light Tower Set” which favours DPS builds. Upon equipping the gear, my stats were significantly boosted, thus making questing in Mordor significantly easier. I have subsequently progressed through the Epic Story and some of the regional quests and expect to hit 115 in the next day or so. I have even gone so far as to plan ahead and determine which set I shall buy next. I estimate that to obtain all armour and jewellery for the “Light Expedition's Vanguard Incomparable Set” will cost about 4,800 “Ash of Enchantment”. The irony is however, that I shall only enjoy the benefits of this set for about a month or so, because once Update 23 is released the level cap is increased to 120 and they’ll be new gear.

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Now what has become apparent to me as I’ve progressed through Mordor over the weekend is the way that lootboxes have become more significant in LOTRO and I suspect that this may only get worse in future updates. A player can grind quests to get gear to convert to ash, but lootboxes offer a “far quicker solution”. I suspect that we are now finally seeing the consequences of Standing Stone Games “business relationship” with the Daybreak Game Company. However, that is a different blog post entirely. For the meantime, I’m back in LOTRO, making progress and having fun. Now that I’m no longer fixed upon the grind of the game, I must say that the various storylines in the Mordor expansion are very good. I like the way the SSG draws upon characters we’ve seen before in the game. It was a pleasant surprise to see Alti Spider-bane again. So, to those of you who have also fallen victim to the Mordor grind, there is a solution available, although it is not necessarily one that benefits the solo player. Being in a supportive guild and having access to shared resources helps immensely. Good luck.

Video Games: The Broadest of Churches

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I started playing video games in the eighties, mainly coin-op arcade machines. By the time the nineties console boom began, I was out of school, working and therefore bought several generations of home entertainment systems. By the late nineties I moved over to the PC and subsequently got access to a wider variety of games. I came relatively late to the MMO boom, although I had played other types of multiplayer internet-based games. Thirty-five or so years later, I find myself a mature player of games (I do not identify as a gamer per se but that’s another blog post entirely) with a bunch of views, opinions and expectations shaped by the decades I’ve lived (and played) through. Simply put, my head is at a different place to those who are ten, twenty or thirty years my junior. Games have evolved, just like popular music, TV and movies. The associated culture around video games has also been subject to change. You may well think I’ve just stated the “bleedin’ obvious”, but in my experience it doesn’t hurt to re-iterate this point when addressing a new trend or craze that on first inspection seems somewhat abstract to us.

The cue for this post came from Wolfy over at Through Wolfy’s Eyes. He stumbled across a video from a young Fortnite player and then wrote about his general bemusement of the Battle Royale scene and its associated popularity with younger gamers. I broadly agree with his sentiments about this particular genre. Battle Royale games have become ubiquitous and are now the de facto style for most forms of multiplayer PVP. They are also frequently egregiously monetised. Because they are founded upon competitive play, bragging rights and bellicose self-pride are an integral part of the associated culture. Like many other game genres, this too has developed its own a lexicon of slang and associated tropes and memes. If you are not part of this “world”, it can look quite alien and bewildering. What is the appeal of Battle Royale? Why has Fortnite found such a fanbase among the under twenty-fives? Why are “kids” (like the one Wolfy references) writing songs and posting them on You Tube. However, if you take a step back and reflect less on the game and more on the culture, it does start to fall into place. Wolfy reached his own conclusion, and I would like to expand upon it further.

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Fortnite Battle Royale was in the right place at the right time. PUBG initially whet competitive gamers appetite with a simple innovative new spin on PVP. Fortnite simply refined that formula further with a game that looks more appealing, colourful and dynamic. Hence it found its home with the youth audience and because of its chosen visual style, it doesn’t at first glance look problematic to the passing parental glance. The fact that the game is also accessible across multiple platform is another reason why it’s taken hold. It also has a degree of cross platform support. And let us not forget that it’s a free-to-play product, so the initial barriers to entry are low. All things considered it’s hardly a surprise that it found success with its current demographic. Developers Epic Games have subsequently ensured that the game has regular tie-ins with other franchises that match its customer base. Thus, the game has keeps growing and making money. Lots of money.

Humans are social creatures and our teenage years are a time where we seek to establish our own identities and affiliate with some social group to find a sense of belonging. Fortnite, although boasting players of all ages, has most certainly been claimed by the youth market. It is a fast and frenetic game that requires quick reflexes, both physically and mentally. Such gameplay favours the young. And like anything else that the youth market claims as it own, a bespoke culture has quickly grown around it. And that culture is by exclusionary by design. Teens want to have things that are their own. Unlike the adult world that they inhabit, here is something that they can control. They broadly remain gatekeepers to this sub-culture. Frankly they want adults to be bamboozled and sceptical of it because the last thing they want is to share it. Cast you mind back to when you were young. The quickest way to kill your interest in a band would be for one of your parents to claim to like them.

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So it’s hardly surprising that videos such as the Fortnite Anthem Rap Song spring up on You Tube. Although it is obvious that the kid in the video has had a lot of assistance from others older than him, this is simply just a contemporary example of fan culture. It’s about bragging rights, cultural ownership and it’s also a clear snub to those who are not part of the “in crowd”. Far from being something alien it is in fact utterly and even re-assuredly normal. It wouldn’t be difficult to write 500 words as to why this phenomenon is just a question of “same meat, different gravy”. However, I could also write a comparable amount about why this sort of fandom can also segue way into less desirable territory. Fortnite can bring people together and offer them fun, as well as a sense of belonging. But this video reflects elements of the associated hubris that can come with competitive play. Ego, winning at all costs and smack talk are only a stone’s throw away from tribalism, bullying and prejudice. Some schools are at a loss as to how to deal with things like the “floss dancing” and insults couched in Fortnite terminology. Perhaps some are over reacting, but any popular craze can always be used as a means of exclusion and oppression. Children can also be notoriously cruel.

So, I broadly understand these new manifestations of gaming culture. Whether I like them or not is a separate issue and not really relevant. However, I don’t see them as unfathomable because they’ve happened before, and they’ll happen again. Battle Royale games are enjoying their moment in the sun, just as MMOs did and traditional FPS titles like Call of Duty. Gaming despite pushback from certain quarters, has grown from a niche market pastime to a mainstream leisure industry. It is now an extremely broad church which simply reflects the diversity of society. If I were 15 years old now, I no doubt would be playing Fortnite and being a little shit about it. But as I’m 35 years older than that, I am content to let this game pass me by, as I clearly see it’s not targeted at me. The games selling points are focused elsewhere. But paradoxically, if you analyse a fan’s rap song about Fortnite and then do the same with a two-hour documentary about the works of Ennio Morricone, that I’d really enjoy, you’ll find that they’re not that different. Although we wouldn’t want any reciprocal enjoyment of each other’s work.

Are You Not Entertained?

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I distinctly remember when I finished the main story in Saints Row the Third and had completed the majority of the content available. I’d bought the game as part of a bundle for a mere £3.99 and had spent over sixty hours in-game, so overall, I considered this money well spent. But what made the experience particularly memorable, as I logged out of the game knowing that I was effectively done with it, there was an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Not only was there the sheer value for money that I have mentioned, but I felt that I had been entertained (hence the Russell Crowe reference in the title of this post). This happened again recently when I completed the final DLC for Sniper Elite 4 and also when I finished the main story in Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands. Although there was a sense of achievement, I predominantly felt pleased by the fact that I had fun. The latest expansion for Star Trek Online, Victory is Life made me feel this way too.

Subsequently, these ruminations have got me thinking about such issues as satisfaction, entertainment and public declarations that a game has been an overall positive experience. The latter is especially of interest to me because it is something I seldom see in my news feeds, twitter time line, or featured in the blogs I read. It could be a case of I'm looking in the wrong places, but I can't help but think that the notion of “entertainment” as a selling point is in some way overlooked. Too often criteria such as game mechanics or visual aesthetics are focused upon and deemed to be a game’s selling point. Is there an underlying message to the narrative or does the title in question have a killer new feature? Entertainment seems to be erroneously associated with perfection. Or dependent on mastering the skills to succeed when playing a game. Sometimes, trying to pin down exactly why a game in entertaining is difficult. But if it’s lacking in a title, it won’t be long before I put it aside and look elsewhere.

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There are many things in life that when scrutinised, measured and analysed are judged not to be of the highest standard. However, that does not mean that they cannot be entertaining. A pop song may well be uninspired musically but can still infectious. A meal at a fast food chain may not be the most nutritious but it can be extremely satisfying. Movies often recycle the same old ideas and themes, but a new spin can lead to an entertaining diversion. Have lost sight of this with regard to games?  I'm not averse to criticism so if a game is lacking in some capacity, then by all mean draw attention to it. But surely, if a flawed product has proven entertaining, then surely that needs to be reported and reflected upon. I think this issue is somewhat akin to the post I wrote recently about the use of the word “adequate”. I get the impression that is some quarters terms such “fun” and “entertaining” are considered superficial. 

Gaming is very much about hype, marketing and "the next big thing" these days. Sometimes the public is let down by the developers failing to deliver on their promises and on other occasions the players themselves have unrealistic expectations. Yet despite both perceived and actual problems, titles still sell, and players spend substantial amounts of their money and time. Surely, they must derive some pleasure from these games and gain a modicum of enjoyment from their overall experience? Or do people play through titles, enduring an uninspired games inadequacies and inherent mediocrity with stoic fortitude? I certainly think the price that you’ve paid has some bearing on the matter. I recently bought No Man’s Sky at a considerable discount. I’ve subsequently discovered that it’s not really for me, but I’ve still had some fun messing around within its procedurally generated worlds. I suspect though that I would have enjoyed it less if I had paid the full price at launch.

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I do see some of my fellow bloggers writing about games they’ve enjoyed and clearly exploring why they had fun and found it entertaining. But I do not see such sentiment as often within professional games journalism. It seems to be an aspect of gaming that is overlooked. Reviews will breakdown many facets of a game but neglect to state clearly whether it is fun or not. I'm not advocating mandatory evangelising about games, but I don't think we should be reticent about publicly declaring if a game has entertained us. Even if a game has flaws, that doesn't mitigate the fun we had while playing it. Perhaps that is why it is something that is dwelt on less. The subjective and nebulous nature of fun and entertainment are hard to quantify. And we do so live in an age that likes to render everything in to statistics and neatly label it. However, I think we need to eschew the binary and the penchant for taxonomy. A bit of honesty about whether we did enjoy a game may even help future development. After all, as Mr. Crowe said, "Is this not why you're here"?

Not Playing World of Warcraft

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World of Warcraft is still the biggest western MMO around and despite the ebb and flow of its player base, it remains a powerful presence within the gaming community. With the release of the pre-patch for the next expansion Battle of Azeroth yesterday, naturally there has been a wealth of blog posts as players dust off their subscriptions and return to the game. It’s a timely reminder that WoW was the MMO that made the genre more mainstream and commercially viable. For many gamers it was their stepping stone into other titles and sub-genres. The importance of World of Warcraft in gaming history and its place within pop culture is significant. The games success has bled through in to the mainstream. WoW is a known quantity outside of gaming circles and is social reference point, in the same way as Dungeons and Dragons, Batman or Star Trek.

However, as a gamer, if you do not play WoW or at least have some sort of history with it, you can find yourself in some kind of quasi MMO community minority group. It’s an "odd" phenomenon. Fellow blogger UltrViolet from EndgameViable goes so far as to say, “WoW expansions always make me feel like I just don't belong in the MMO genre”. Such is the status and ubiquity of the MMO. I wrote a while back about how “not liking sport”, especially football in the UK, can be a social impediment of sorts. In some respects, not playing WoW is the gaming equivalent of that. Often when talking to fellow gamers, especially those who enjoy the MMORPG genre, it is pretty much taken as read that you will have played the game at some point. Beyond a short trial, I’ve never really spent any major time playing WoW. It simply didn’t click with me. I didn’t and still don’t care for the aesthetics of the game, and I found the overall narrative tone to be a little too “knowing”.

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My gateway MMO was LOTRO back in 2008 and right from the outset I liked the cut of its proverbial jib. I spent some time over the following years trying various other MMOs as they launched. Star Trek Online, Rift, The Secret World, Guild Wars 2 and SWOTR, to name but a few. However, for many gamers that was not the usual MMO route. Virtually every other gamer I know has a WoW background of some kind. Furthermore, the game is often further lionised due to it being associated with a particularly significant time in the gamers personal life. People have discovered the joys or gaming through WOW. Or had met the best friends of partners via it. WoW remains today, a safe and familiar haven for gamers going through tough times. Like a loyal pet or a much-loved book, WoW appears to at times transcend mere gaming to be a Mary Poppins-like presence that impacts upon gamers lives.

Overall, the current wave of excitement regarding Patch 8.0 does leave me feeling like a bemused spectator. To quote that great fictional character Ned Seagoon “Breakfast had just been served at Beauleigh Manor. I was at the window…looking in”. That is at least how WoW makes me feel sometimes. It’s like something quite “important” is going on but it always seems to be happening to somebody else. Now it is at this point that some may draw a similar parallel with EVE Online. That too is a monolithic game that casts a large shadow in the gaming community, allegedly. However, I feel that not playing WoW and not playing EVE, is an apples and oranges situation. Being outside of the current WoW hype makes me at times feel like I am missing out on something potentially fun. Observing EVE is more like rubbernecking a major road traffic accident. Either way, I am not sufficiently motivated to change my habits and start playing WoW. We exist as separate entities and never the twain shall meet. Like politicians and the truth, Love Island and human dignity or Star Wars fans and self-awareness.

Reddit

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Once again, an interesting talking point was raised over Massively Overpowered, but that’s hardly surprising as that is their schtick, so to speak. This time round the subject being dissected was Reddit and what happens when a gaming community finds more traction there than anywhere else. The thing is with Reddit is that it’s nowhere near as moderated as official forums and can in certain circumstances become a thorn in the flesh of a games developer, rather than an invaluable community resource. It was an engaging talking point that eventually started expanding into the more nebulous question of “how do you solve a problem like Reddit?” or thereabouts. I think this latter conundrum if worth pondering because Reddit as a platform isn’t going anywhere fast. Most games will have an official or unofficial presence there and love it or loathe it, such places are often a useful repository of information, if you can navigate the choppy waters therein.

From my own perspective, I find Reddit a nightmare to navigate, compared to bog-standard forums. I have the Reddit Enhancement Suite installed in my web browser, but I still struggle to find threads and keep up with them. I often have to use an external search facility to track down what I’m looking for. However, regardless of my personal likes and dislikes, Reddit seems to be the go to platform for online interaction and establishing communities. It’s appeal with the gaming community lies in the fact that it can provide an independent forum for debate, although some games publishers have elected to officially maintain a presence there. This freedom from corporate moderation is a double-edged sword and the source of many of Reddits problems. Contributors can be as measured or excessive in their discourse. If the majority choose to turn their online portal into a virtual latrine, then that is their prerogative. However, the matter becomes more complex when irrespective of its tone, a sub-reddit becomes the de facto place to go for news and information on a particular game. Some gamers will consider this a Hobson’s choice.

From what I’ve seen of Reddit based moderation, it all too often seems to be couched in going along with the perceived consensus of the site, rather than being impartial and fair. But then again, what can you expect from volunteers, drawn from a fan base who by nature are myopic about that which they love. Thus, the risk of creating a prevailing group think is high. That is why you will find sub-reddits that have become “echo chambers” although I do consider this a problematic term in itself. However, it will suffice for the broad point being made. Conversely, those official gaming presences on Reddit can be equally problematic. The need to control the narrative and temper an excess of criticism can effectively create the same problem only pointing towards the opposite end of the spectrum of views. Then you have the problem of the zealotry of the party faithful instead of that of the heretics.

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For those people who do take a firmer moral stance, the other main issue associated with a presence on Reddit, is that even if you support just one particular sub-reddit, you are by association supporting the platform itself per se and thus all the unseemly content that it contains.  As this puts some folk in an impossible moral position they effectively end up having to boycott the platform and so again miss out on a wealth of practical resources. It can also be argued that the Reddit community potentially misses out on their participation as well, and the moderating influence they could supply. Irrespective of whether it is true or not, Reddit has a reputation that proceeds itself and some folk who are ambivalent about forums to begin with, will just elect not to get involved in a community if they see that Reddit is the online portal of choice.

It is also worth considering that there may be a bigger issue here and Reddit actually may only be a symptom, rather than a cause. Rather than looking at the issue of partisan environments such a Reddit as being the thing that needs to be changed, perhaps we should take a step back and reflect upon whether its actually gamers that need fixing? Gamers are an ageing population who have had their views and opinions shaped by the times they’ve lived through. A lot has changed in my personal gaming lifetime. Business models, content delivery as well as gamer demographics themselves. Where I may recognise that things have moved on, market forces drive content creation and the basic fact that gaming is not my personal “bat and ball”, a lot of others haven’t. Change is not always popular or welcome and history shows there is always some form of pushback. Perhaps the unpleasant quarters of Reddit are simply manifestations of that? May be the entire phenomenon of angry sub-reddits (at least of the gaming kind) will dwindle in time, as the player base becomes filled with a new generation who less emotional baggage and prejudices?

Dailies

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Broadly speaking, dailies are repeatable quests or activities that are designed to keep you engaged and busy within the MMO genre. They are a supplement to main story quests and often offer a long-term goal and reward or provide barter tokens for a range of gear. They can sometimes be used as an alternative means of gaining high-end gear for players who cannot or will not raid. Dailies also offer an additional means to level an alt, for players who are tired of repeating primary content that they are over familiar with. Along with log-in rewards, dailies are designed to entice players into regular play. They offer quick, repeatable content along with a clearly defined bauble or trinket, making them ideal for players who have a limited amount of game time. Hence, you’ll find variations thereof present in most MMOs.

Dailies are more often than not, just busy work. By their nature they are additional game content and not mission critical to the player. The central narrative of an MMO usually only links to dailies tangentially, so if you elect not to do them you’re not missing out on a major plot point. Skipping a day means you simply postpone your reward date by another 24 hours, but as the dailies often feed into a long-term goal, such delays are not deal breakers. In some cases, dailies are simply a means of generating specific currencies and once you have maxed out a particular skills line you can still repeat the content and gain the designated reward. Furthermore, in some MMOs, dailies do not even require your alt to undertake any direct task. They are carried out by companions, crew or automated resources. You simply assign the correct assets to the task in hand and return at a later date to see if they successfully completed it.

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Due to limited leisure time, I am currently only playing Star Trek Online and doing so by logging in across five alts and undertaking dailies. This involves either sending duty officer on time-based mission or ships on admiralty missions. Both sets of dailies draw upon card-based assets and can be set and forgotten. By choosing specific missions that offer Dilithium as a reward, I am using five alts to farm this resource and in-game currency. Dilithium can then be stockpiled and spent next time Cryptic make Phoenix Prize Pack available in the game. The Prize Packs offer a range of rewards, many of which can be bartered and traded in so that the player can get specifically what they want. For me the most valuable item obtainable is the Phoenix Tech Upgrade Kit. Upgrading gears sets is a key aspect of STO and these upgrades apply 51,200 Technology Points and have not further Dilithium costs. With the recent increase in gear cap from Mark XIV to XV, I conservatively estimate I need about 200 or so to fully upgrade my ground and space gear to Gold level.

Dailies are often viewed in most MMOs as arbitrary, dull and repetitious. It is fair to say that they don’t always have the depth of writing as other main quests but let us not fool ourselves as to their purpose. Dailies are to a degree filler. A way of stretching game content by providing a relatively simplistic task with an extended deadline. The MMO genre has proven time and time again, that the player base always consumes content quicker than it can be produced and so dailies are one of many ways of providing content that slows player progression while still providing them with something to do. Dailies, love them or loathe them, are a necessary evil. One we all too often bitch about while paradoxically still carrying out. They are the gaming equivalent of the clip show, which were a convenient way of padding the length of a season on TV, back in the sixties and seventies. They’re also a way of keeping you connected to a game, during times when your patience is running thin. I’m sure they could be replaced with something better, but until that comes around this is all we have and sometimes that’s just enough to keep you playing.

The Lord of the Rings Online 2.0

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“I’d love to see LOTRO reimagined in a new engine with a certain modernization of gameplay". So said Koshelkin, in a recent comment made over at the Massively Overpowered website. It’s a common sentiment that often expressed by the LOTRO community and I must admit, I have a similar curiosity. But the more I ponder this idea, the more I find myself thinking “be careful what you wish for”. Because LOTRO as it currently exists, embodies the MMO ethos of the time that spawned it. Long-term players love it because of its foibles. As I’ve mentioned before in previous blog posts many LOTRO players are not gamers per se and therefore have no exposure to modern MMOs along with contemporary game mechanics. Thus, if Standing Stone Games were to radically redesign their virtual Middle-earth to include action combat and a truly open world, they may find themselves alienating a great many current LOTRO players, who would be all at sea in a modern iteration of the game.

I recently revisited LOTRO to check out the new seasonal instance The Perfect Picnic. Penny the Pony trotted off in true LOTRO NPC fashion and made no effort to avoid the various mobs that plague The Shire during a summer heatwave. However, a decade of playing LOTRO has prepared me for such situations. As a seasoned Lore-master, I sent my pet ahead to occupy the oncoming threat, while I languidly went through my skills rotation. I tend to move in parallel with whoever or whatever I have to escort and seldom shift position while in combat. LOTRO being an older MMO does not support action combat and moving will stop your skill induction. Movement is thus limited to simply removing yourself from AoE effects and such like. It’s a tried and tested method and SSG have ensured that it doesn’t limit your combat experience. Just because fighting is static, it doesn’t mean it is devoid of nuance and tactic. However, many LOTRO players are totally conditioned to deal with this style. The fluid combat of The Elder Scrolls Online may not suit everyone or fit with their abilities as a player.

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LOTRO is also very linear in its story structure and quest hubs. Since the game reached the regions of Dunland and Rohan, zones tend to funnel players from A to B very efficiently. It’s convenient but it is not very flexible if you want to do things “your way”. Stray too far ahead and you’ll either find yourself in a zone to high for your level or you’ll miss the start of the “breadcrumb” trail. Because there is no auto levelling beyond the Epic Battle system, it is not always safe to explore too far and no incentive to revisit lower level regions with friends. Again, bringing the narrative and regional freedom that we find in The Elder Scrolls Online, may well completely wrong foot traditional LOTRO players. I remember reading a thread on the Guild Wars 2 forums when the game first launched in 2012, by a player who felt completely lost as to what to do and where to go within the game. The open regional quests and timed events were also a stumbling block for some, who felt they lack direct instruction.

Another aspect of LOTRO that dates it, is its lack of voice acting. Yes, there is some but far less compared to other MMOs. Text boxes filled with written exposition that requires little user interaction are somewhat dull. Although the definition of an MMO has changed and continues to do so, we should not forget that they’re also a variant of the RPG genre. Hence it would be nice to see far more detailed voice acting, branching dialogue options and a greater variety of narrative outcomes. However, providing “choice” can cut both ways. Some players do not like too many options and can find such a mechanic a cause of stress. What happens if you make the “wrong” decision? This however, has been a dilemma of the MMO genre for a long time. It can apply to how you spend your skills points and what faction you join. Plus, voice acting also raises the additional spectre of lore and canon. Middle-earth is blessed with an especially hard lexicon. Most languages have a complex structure and there is plenty of scope for additional spoken dialogue to incur the wrath of the “pronunciation police”.

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I think completely rebuilding LOTRO to embrace the best elements of the modern MMO genre would be a big and risky undertaking. I think that the finished product would not necessarily appeal to all current players and many would not make the transition to LOTRO 2.0 successfully. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel Shadow of War feature beautifully realised environments which hint at the visual potential of a new version of LOTRO. I would certainly like to see a new vision of Middle-earth more akin to the structure of The Elder Scrolls Online, as that game serves the needs of the solo player and the group well. But the cost and risk in developing such a project make it highly unlikely that such a game will come to pass. I think after a decade, the most we can honestly expect rom SSG is a revamp of the game engine, similar to that seen in STO a few years ago. It would also be nice to see a 64-bit client and an elimination of the lag and stuttering that plagues the game. Beyond that I think LOTRO 2.0 in the true sense, will just remain a talking point.