Star Trek Online and the MMO Trinity
Although I will happily espouse the virtues of Star Trek Online, the multiplayer element of this MMO is very much optional. The central mission arcs are all solo friendly and although you can play through this content in a group, there is no major incentive to do so. The only times I have grouped during standard PVE content has been to help another player new to the game and when replaying a specific mission for the rewards if offers. The latter can be done a lot faster when grouped. The space and ground queues that are available at level 50 are designed for 6, 10 or 20 players but again the multiplayer aspect of these is somewhat arbitrary. Players can either join a PUG via the group finding system or set up bespoke event themselves with friends of fellow Fleet members. Beyond that there is no compelling interaction between players.
Although I will happily espouse the virtues of Star Trek Online, the multiplayer element of this MMO is very much optional. The central mission arcs are all solo friendly and although you can play through this content in a group, there is no major incentive to do so. The only times I have grouped during standard PVE content has been to help another player new to the game and when replaying a specific mission for the rewards if offers. The latter can be done a lot faster when grouped. The space and ground queues that are available at level 50 are designed for 6, 10 or 20 players but again the multiplayer aspect of these is somewhat arbitrary. Players can either join a PUG via the group finding system or set up bespoke event themselves with friends of fellow Fleet members. Beyond that there is no compelling interaction between players.
This difference handling multiplayer content was highlighted recently when I played through a featured instance in LOTRO. Although most of the six players present were somewhat over powered, and could blitz through most of the trash mobs, the final boss did require players to fulfil specific roles. There was a need for a tank to hold aggro, DPS dealers to burn the boss down and the healers and control class to heal and debuff. LOTRO was a game conceived and created when the MMO industry was still very much focused on the traditional trinity of classes. What I find curious is that STO was developed at the same time and technically has class distinctions that would support multiplay in such a fashion. Yet it has either never been implemented within the game or has been removed over time via various updates and patches.
However, the fleet system in STO really does foster a community spirit. My primary Federation Captain is a member of Reddit Alert and I must say that the fleet chat is extremely sociable. Where the game may lack a compelling multiplayer aspect, the discussions, debates and advice that is available in chat is invaluable. Many fleet members frequently group for the pleasure of it or to help others achieve specific goals. In some respects, this is does offer a degree of compensation for the lack of traditional multiplayer elements within STO. Considering the nature of the source material you’d have thought that the game would have been created with content that had specific roles for each class. Such collaborative play would have certainly been lore friendly.
For good or ill, mainstream MMO content has moved away from complex class interdependency and an inherent need to group for content. The majority of games now focus on PVE content that is solo friendly and offer players builds that allow them to selfheal and adapt to the content requirements. Perhaps the home of such class interaction is now the MOBA or the team shooters such as Overwatch. Taking a specific role in a group content in Star Trek Online would be very gratifying in principle. It would help create the illusion of being part of a larger Star Fleet. However, I think it is highly unlikely for the developers Cryptic to take such a step and introduce this mechanic retrospectively. Frankly the way the community now focuses on DPS builds I don’t think you could have a Tank class that could hold threat.
To Grind or Not to Grind?
As soon as I returned to LOTRO last October I immediately started replacing my level 100 gear with more appropriate items. I finally started using slotted armour and essences, using mainly the gear that dropped from quests along the way. As ever it’s not the best but it’s better than what I had. I never started the Dol Amroth repeatable quests that yield armour sets and as the gear is now only level 100, I’ve decided against that option. As I no longer have the time to regularly run instances, I can’t get a set from the Throne of Dread Terror (T2). Luckily, Turbine (now Standing Stone Games) introduced the Flora Barter system with Update 19: March of the King, which provides an alternative method of obtaining level cap appropriate gear.
As soon as I returned to LOTRO last October I immediately started replacing my level 100 gear with more appropriate items. I finally started using slotted armour and essences, using mainly the gear that dropped from quests along the way. As ever it’s not the best but it’s better than what I had. I never started the Dol Amroth repeatable quests that yield armour sets and as the gear is now only level 100, I’ve decided against that option. As I no longer have the time to regularly run instances, I can’t get a set from the Throne of Dread Terror (T2). Luckily, Turbine (now Standing Stone Games) introduced the Flora Barter system with Update 19: March of the King, which provides an alternative method of obtaining level cap appropriate gear.
So, I spent some time recently gathering the various plants in North Ithilien that yield Phials of Extract; the barter items need for the gear set. However, because I’ve been focused on other in-game tasks I didn’t really consider how long it would take to meet the criteria to obtain the full set of Light Weave Padded Armour for my Lore-master. Today I sat down with a pen and paper and did the math(s). A full set comprises of 6 pieces (no cloak). Each item requires 2 Phials of Sapphire Extract and 4 Phials of Amber. So, in total to purchase this set you need 12 Phials of Sapphire and 24 Phials of Amber. To obtain Phials of Sapphire and Amber Extract you have to combine lesser extracts such as Umber, Verdant and Crimson, which come from picking plants in North Ithilien. Sapphire requires 250 lesser extracts and Amber 125. So, to summarise here is a breakdown of the numbers needed for a full set of armour, be it light, medium or heavy:
250 Phials of Umber, Verdant or Crimson Extract x 12 to yield sufficient Sapphire Extract.
125 Phials of Umber, Verdant or Crimson Extract x 24 to yield sufficient Amber Extract.
In total a player needs to have 6000 of the lesser extracts (Phials of Umber, Verdant or Crimson) to then trade in for the necessary Phials of Sapphire and Amber Extract.
Now I spent approximately 90 minutes today collecting extracts from plants such as Horsetail, Dwarfsbeard and Elfspear (others species are available) and I managed to obtain 200 or so. The plants grow in a level cap zone populated by appropriate mobs and animals. So, you do lose some time in combat while collecting. Furthermore, like ore nodes these Flora are contested and you’ll often find yourself competing with other playes for them. Therefore, when you consider all these factors, I estimate it will take a calendar month to gain sufficient stocks of flora extracts to purchase the set. That’s a calendar month playing every day and investing and hour and a half of your time just collecting. It should be noted that there are now some repeatable quests that award random extracts as a way of trying to shorten this process but it really doesn’t make that much of a difference.
So, after figuring this logistical problem out I now have to decide whether I wish to “grind” for this armour set. It comes down to whether you feel that the time invested justifies the reward, or if it is simply too much work. Furthermore, I’ve been burnt several times in the past by Turbine when pursuing other gear grinds. I finally obtained my First Age Weapon from running Moria instances a week before Siege of Mirkwood came out with a new set of gear and weapons that made mine obsolete. The same happened with all the stuff I earned from Hytbold. No doubt Update 21 which is the Mordor expansion may well see a level cap increase. I want to be able enjoy any level 105 armour I obtain for at least six month before it gets replaced. However, I can at times be quite goal orientated so I may well embark on this project. Ultimately the deciding factor with any MMO is one of time.
UI Customisation
Game complexity can be both a boon and a bane; a selling point and a source of irritation. There are many titles that I enjoy that have a wealth of systems and mechanics that add greatly to the overall immersion and entertainment. The MMORPG genre excels at this. However, this data all needs to be displayed visually, in an efficient and intuitive fashion. It has to be readily available and easy to navigate. Naturally, there’s a fine balance between making such a system accessible without becoming a source of distraction. This is the challenge that all developers face when designing a user interface. However this problem is compounded further by the human element. Regardless of how well crafted a game’s UI may be, players will always wish to change it to suit their own needs and requirements.
Game complexity can be both a boon and a bane; a selling point and a source of irritation. There are many titles that I enjoy that have a wealth of systems and mechanics that add greatly to the overall immersion and entertainment. The MMORPG genre excels at this. However, this data all needs to be displayed visually, in an efficient and intuitive fashion. It has to be readily available and easy to navigate. Naturally, there’s a fine balance between making such a system accessible without becoming a source of distraction. This is the challenge that all developers face when designing a user interface. However this problem is compounded further by the human element. Regardless of how well crafted a game’s UI may be, players will always wish to change it to suit their own needs and requirements.
What I often find in the MMO genre, is that the UI is streamlined at the beginning of a game with all the essential data that you need to play, evenly distributed around the screen. This grows exponentially as the game progresses, especially with older titles that frequently suffer from skills bloat. LOTRO is a classic example of this with a wealth of data swamping the screen when you reach level cap. I remember having similar issues when I was actively playing SWTOR. I encountered the same in STO recently, especially with regard to the skills hot bar. This was growing and intruding further towards the middle of the screen, impeding combat.
Mercifully most games have the ability to customise the UI, allowing players to indulge their preferences. Furthermore custom HUD settings can frequently be saved and then loaded when required. Monitor size and screen resolution also play a part in this matter and can have a positive impact if altered. Many games also have a cottage industry of players creating and sharing their own custom user interfaces. LOTROinterface has proven to be very popular over the years. The WoW and ESO communities also have multiple sites and resources for such changes. In the competitive genre of MOBAs, a common interface between team mates can be advantageous.
I currently have a 24 inch monitor with a resolution of 1920 x 1200. It provides a fairly large gaming canvas and allows me to spread the various elements of the UI to the borders of the screen. However an excess of data on the periphery of your vision can be distracting, especially if it flashes or attempts to alert you in some fashion. I also find it an impediment if my hot bars start to encroach towards the centre of the screen. I don't know if this is due to a foible of human vision but I find it draws my eyes away from where they need to be. I've had such problems in STO recently with my hot bar resembling a pyramid, resulting is some judicious customisation.
The ability to alter a games GUI, raises some interesting questions. The most obvious is whether or not you actually need everything on-screen. My view is if you're not using a specific element of the HUD, then remove it and that goes for skills as well. Then there is the matter of whether games developers are doing their best to accommodate the needs of players with disabilities. Resizing elements and changing colour schemes, as well as assigning audio alerts can all be incredibly beneficial. Fonts can also be a bone of contention, with some not lending themselves readily to being scaled. A simple change of this nature can often improve gaming.
Personally, I would like to see more customisation options added to games. The mod scene in Skyrim really set the standard. I also like the way that some MMOs such as LOTRO have built in voice chat and access to social media. STO allows players to utilise third party audio players while in-game and The Secret World has its own internal web browser as part of the narrative. Although it is to a developer’s advantage to keep the player focused and in-game, facilitating customisation and providing multiple tools aids this process. Flexibility and accommodating change needs to be more of a driving factors in games development because no two players are alike.
The Geography of LOTRO: Part 2 Bree and Bree-land
In the second part of our look at the geography of Middle Earth, we shall be focusing of the town of Bree. It has a pivotal role in the events of the book and subsequently play a similar part Standing Stone Games Lord of the Rings Online. Before we start, let us remind ourselves exactly what Tolkien writes when introducing Bree to the reader. The following quote is the opening paragraph of chapter nine; At the sign of the Prancing Pony from The Fellowship of the Ring.
In the second part of our look at the geography of Middle Earth (part 1 is here), we shall be focusing of the town of Bree. It has a pivotal role in the events of the book and subsequently play a similar part Standing Stone Games Lord of the Rings Online. Before we start, let us remind ourselves exactly what Tolkien writes when introducing Bree to the reader. The following quote is the opening paragraph of chapter nine; At the sign of the Prancing Pony from The Fellowship of the Ring.
"Bree was the chief village of the Bree-land, a small inhabited region, like an island in the empty lands round about. Besides Bree itself, there was Staddle on the other side of the hill, Combe in the deep valley a little further eastward and Archet on the edge of the Chetwood. Lying round Bree-hill and the villages was a small country of fields and tamed woodland only a few miles broad."
This is a very clear description and to the developers credit they have interpreted this rather literally in the game. Focusing first on the town of Bree itself, Turbine have constructed a settlement that broadly conforms to Tolkien’s details. As you enter through the West-gate and follow the path of "The East Road" you will see the Hobbit holes and small holdings on the slopes of the hill. The homes of men are mainly to the East. "The Prancing Pony" inn is located at the top of the road, abutting to Bree hill itself. The building consists of two wings, as in the source text, though only one is accessible.
Where the game differs is in scale. Bree in LOTRO has been expanded from a simple village to a more substantial centre of commerce. This adaptation allows them to encompass all the crafting and training halls, along with the vendors and sundry NPCs. The only embellishment I personally feel a little excessive, is the town hall itself. It seems a little too ambitious for such a small and insular community. A similar view could be taken on several of the fountains and statues that adorn the various squares. The 2012 revamp has certainly made Bree more populous. Again, perhaps to the detriment of the lore. However, the hedge and dike that surround Bree are very much in accordance with the books and seem authentic.
Moving immediately outside of Bree into Bree-Land itself, we find both Combe and Staddle in the right locations. These being the respective local enclaves of men and hobbits. As specific details are lacking , Turbines visualisations are perfectly acceptable and not in any way excessive. The village of Archet however, has been moved considerably further North. This is to accommodate the fact that the area is a race specific starter area in the game and has been isolated to suit the mechanics of the game. Such local features within the Archet area such as "Bronwe's Folly", "Sprigley's Farm" and "Blackwold Roost" are non-canonical. However none of these are in any way contrary to prevailing regional design.
The above map and the one immediately below have been created using the original books and the subsequent histories of Middle Earth as a guide. They both depict a more Spartan and less populous village of Bree and a far more expansive Chetwood that extends in to the North and NorthEast. The Midgewater marshes are such a distance away as to not even be included on both maps. As are both Andrath and the South Downs. These points highlight the fact that Bree was the last major settlement East of the Blue Mountains before entering the Lonelands. This was a region that was unsettled and thus to a degree barren.
Turbines original condensing of Middle Earth was and remains a necessary factor in creating a viable environment for collective gameplay. However, on occasions, although LOTRO excels at capturing the spirit of Tolkien’s world, there are inevitable trade-offs. The loss of scale particularly in this region is a little disappointing and for those who may not be familiar with the length of original journey, may be somewhat perplexing. For those who wish for more technically accurate cartography, I would recommend the following books. Journeys of Frodo by Barbara Strachey and The Atlas of Middle Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad. Both depict the routes taken by the fellowship and contain exacting details relating to dates and even the phases of the moon and stars.
Star Trek Online: Season 12 and the 7th Anniversary
There’s a lot going on in Star Trek Online at present. The game is currently celebrating its seventh anniversary which means there’s a chance to earn a new Tier 6 Lukari Ho’kuun Science Vessel, via the repeatable Omega Molecule Stabilization anniversary event. Season Twelve has also just launched, with the featured episode Of Signs and Portents. The story continues with Starfleet’s joint exploration with their new ally the Lukari, and features actor Tony Todd reprising his role of General Rodek. There is also the addition of the Lukari reputation faction, along with two new Tzenkethi Space Queues and Battlezone. If this wasn’t enough Cryptic have also added a new Kits and Modules Research School to the existing R&D system as well as a new lock box, featuring 23rd Century ships and technologies.
There’s a lot going on in Star Trek Online at present. The game is currently celebrating its seventh anniversary which means there’s a chance to earn a new Tier 6 Lukari Ho’kuun Science Vessel, via the repeatable Omega Molecule Stabilization anniversary event. Season Twelve has also just launched, with the featured episode Of Signs and Portents. The story continues with Starfleet’s joint exploration with their new ally the Lukari, and features actor Tony Todd reprising his role of General Rodek. There is also the addition of the Lukari reputation faction, along with two new Tzenkethi Space Queues and Battlezone. If this wasn’t enough Cryptic have also added a new Kits and Modules Research School to the existing R&D system as well as a new lock box, featuring 23rd Century ships and technologies.
As ever, Cryptic have been generously giving away free items from the C-Store over the course of the anniversary week, including uniforms, skills points, ships slots and drydock spaces. Furthermore, the console version of the game continues to grow, with the recent PC expansion Agents of Yesterday being ported to Xbox One and PS4 next month. Executive producer Stephen Ricossa stated in a recent anniversary letter that “2016 was not just another amazing year for Star Trek Online, but the best year we’ve ever had” and is confident that the game will thrive this year. “There are even more fantastic releases planned for 2017, and a continuation of the current story line that will grow and weave as it takes us well into 2018”. Marketing spin notwithstanding, the abundance of new material across multiple platforms appears to show that Star Trek Online is doing well in the current MMO market.
Conversely, at a time when STO is thriving, other MMOs are either treading water or in some cases facing imminent closure. Turbine will be shutting down Asheron’s Call at the end of January and it doesn’t look as if there’s likely to be an eleventh-hour rescue from a third party. In fact, Turbines exit from the MMO industry to focus on mobile games, indicates that the MMORPG as a genre is no longer considered as lucrative as it was a decade ago. Many developers have learnt the hard way that creating a World of Warcraft clone that produces the same level of financial success, is nigh on impossible. Star Trek Online, like LOTRO, endure mainly because of the popularity of the core IP and the inherent loyalty of the fan base.
Where LOTRO, under the auspices of Warner Bros. never fully tied in to the Hobbit feature films, it will be interesting to see if the new TV show Star Trek Discovery gets incorporated in to STO. Bearing in mind that Cryptic have so far included direct lore references from all previous Star Trek shows and even the J J Abrams movies under the guise of the Kelvin Timeline, then I’d say it’s more than likely certain. Enjoying such a cordial business relationship with the rights holders CBS, certainly seems to be proving healthy for STO. It’s curious that matter of the game license has never become such an issue among the fan community as it has with LOTRO. In the meantime, there’s plenty of content to explore in STO, ensuring my regular presence in the game for the immediate future. As a lifetime account holder, I feel that I always have the option of taking a break from the game, should it require it but so far, since May 2015 I’ve been pretty much continuously kept busy. Not bad for a seven-year-old MMO.
Housing in MMOs
Having recently returned to The Elder Scrolls Online, there is a lot of excitement within the community regarding the introduction of housing in the next major game update in February. So far from the information that is available, there’s a wide variety of house styles and customisation options available. Properties can be bought furnished or unfurnished and players can further embellish their respective dwellings by crafting specific items for them. Housing also includes the usual fast travel options to and from their location and access can be shared among friends and alts. There’s a more detailed breakdown at The Elder Scrolls Online website and so far, ZeniMax seem to be offering all a comprehensive version of the current popular MMO mechanic.
Having recently returned to The Elder Scrolls Online, there is a lot of excitement within the community regarding the introduction of housing in the next major game update in February. So far from the information that is available, there’s a wide variety of house styles and customisation options available. Properties can be bought furnished or unfurnished and players can further embellish their respective dwellings by crafting specific items for them. Housing also includes the usual fast travel options to and from their location and access can be shared among friends and alts. There’s a more detailed breakdown at The Elder Scrolls Online website and so far, ZeniMax seem to be offering all a comprehensive version of the current popular MMO mechanic.
LOTRO is also implementing a housing upgrade with its next update, allowing home contents to be placed where the player wants them, as opposed to relying on predefined “hooks”. Again, this is an improvement that has been long awaited by the LOTRO community. Over the years, previous developers Turbine frequently promised changes to the housing mechanic but sadly failed to implement them. At present homes and the homesteads in which they are located, simply offer the same services as the major towns and social hubs, with the benefit of some extra storage. In fact, as far as I’m aware there is no major social dynamic to any of the housing systems implemented in any of the top ranking MMOs.
It is this social element or the lack of thereof that is predominantly of interest to me. Let us not be diverted with questions regarding the purchase of in-game housing. In the modern MMO market making premium housing available for cash purchase is simply a no-brainer. What you can do with housing is a far more interesting talking point. At present housing mainly offers in the MMO genre additional storage, an opportunity for aesthetic customisation and convenient support services. For example, in LOTRO if you repair your gear from a vendor based in the homestead, there is a discount. STO and SWTOR can offer access to personal and account banks as well as the auction facilities. STO is a little different to other MMOs in so far as your ship is your home to all intents and purposes.
What housing across most MMOs fails to do is offer any additional social facilities or unique group content. Players can group together and generate their own social events but they can also do that in other areas such as Bree, Earth Spacedock or Divinities Reach. Considering how many MMOs have strong social communities, especially among roleplayers, you’d think that game developers would be quick to capitalise on such human resources. If there were more reasons for players to use their homes and spend time in the homestead areas, the demand for housing would increase, thus bringing more revenue to any game. Housing could also provide a potentially different way to play MMOs. If crafting became more accessible via housing, players could level by developing their own cottage industries.
However, it is only fair to consider the other side of the argument. Some players may well like and prefer the relative tranquillity of housing as it is currently implemented. Not everyone wants to find fifty plus players embarking on a lengthy social event next door to them, spamming emotes and indulging in shenanigans. And many of the more recent MMOs do not seem to be as actively social as the older ones. So far, I have seen no compelling reason to join a guild or interact with other players in The Elder Scrolls Online. Guild Wars 2 is also a game I have predominantly played alone and it still seems to lack any essential social mechanic. Perhaps dynamic grouping effectively renders more complex social interaction redundant.
From my perspective, I always like to have more options than less. I also like social functionality to be optional and not essential. Therefore, I welcome any improvement to housing for any MMO along with any bespoke future social content. As long as it comes with a toggle in the UI settings then I’ll deem it an equitable arrangement. If a big guild wants to use its housing to a higher degree and access potential in-game benefits, then it should be afforded such an option. But I would also ask the developers to make judicious use of the phasing mechanic or offer the option to buy a “remote house” for those of a more solitary disposition. I am neither a strong advocate of either mantra, “better together” or Hell is other people”. I believe that the truth lies somewhere between the two.
The Abandoned Graveyard
In LOTRO, as you travel north of Bree along the Greenway, there is a small cleft in the hills to the left of the road. It’s southeast of Saeradan's Cabin, east of Thornley's Work Site, and south of the Festival Grounds. In this remote spot is a small abandoned graveyard within a low walled enclosure. An empty cabin overlooks the site and a solitary mourner weeps at the grave of a departed friend. It’s a rather mournful place and somewhat esoteric. The mourner doesn’t bestow any quests, nor do any of the other NPCs in the vicinity. In fact, beyond the aesthetic, this location serves no apparent purpose in the game. So, what is the purpose of the abandoned graveyard?
In LOTRO, as you travel north of Bree along the Greenway, there is a small cleft in the hills to the left of the road. It’s southeast of Saeradan's Cabin, east of Thornley's Work Site, and south of the Festival Grounds. In this remote spot is a small abandoned graveyard within a low walled enclosure. An empty cabin overlooks the site and a solitary mourner weeps at the grave of a departed friend. It’s a rather mournful place and somewhat esoteric. The mourner doesn’t bestow any quests, nor do any of the other NPCs in the vicinity. In fact, beyond the aesthetic, this location serves no apparent purpose in the game. So, what is the purpose of the abandoned graveyard?
Well after a little research, trawling through old forum posts and defunct websites, it would appear that this particular location represents a storyline and quest hub that was removed from the game during its development. Breeland is one of the original areas of LOTRO that came with Shadow of Angmar. It is quite common for material to be removed from a game during its testing. There are (or at least were) other examples of such in LOTRO. At one point a hidden Hobbit village, west of the Shire, was still accessible in the game. As for why such content was changed I cannot say. Size, relevance or quality may well have been deciding factors.
There is certainly some evidence remaining within the graveyard area itself that sheds light on a possible story arc. To the right of the cabin is an old wagon. Next to it is a corpse with a dagger in its chest. There are also skeletal remains scattered around the area. Was someone caught grave robbing and subject to summary justice? Also there’s the graveyard mourner and her reference to old Cal. Both present interesting possibilities. Who are they and what is their history. There is also one grave that differs from the others by having a small bush (or flowers) growing on it. Is this of any significance?
The graveyard itself is also a point to ponder. In western culture, such places are usually linked to major religious institutions. Yet Tolkien does not mention any comparable equivalent bodies in The Lord of the Rings. In fact, theirs is a conspicuous lack of any major organised faith in the source text. Although a Catholic, Tolkien conspicuously avoids any major theological elements in his work. With regard to burial practises, the only references that I can immediately recall are to barrows, burial mounds and tombs. So, is a graveyard a little incongruous, or should we just accept it, assuming it to be the standard manner of dealing with the deceased of Middle Earth?
There may well be more examples of residual stories and quest littering the game. However, they may not be as tangible as the abandoned graveyard. As the game has been revamped on several occasions, it gets harder to tell. So many NPCs, items and quest locations have been moved over LOTROs lifespan, it’s possible that many potential clues have now been lost. Yet these anomalies do add a great deal of character to the game which is one of the reasons I return to LOTRO frequently. And there presence provides more reasons to explore the MMOs extensive regions and zones.
The Geography of LOTRO: Part 1 The Shire
One of the most engaging aspects of The Lord of the Rings is the expansive and detailed world that Tolkien has created. His love of maps combined with his detailed descriptions of the geography of Middle Earth, makes a credible and living environment. The Shire in particular is described in great depth, becoming a character in itself within the narrative. So, when Turbine developed LOTRO a decade ago, they were faced with an extremely difficult task of adapting this territory into a suitable MMO environment. However, the results have been well received and this region has remained a firm favourite with LOTRO players. So, I thought it would be interesting to look in more detail at selected areas of Middle Earth and explore the subtle differences between the game and the source text over a series of blog posts. So, let us start where the story begins, in The Shire.
One of the most engaging aspects of The Lord of the Rings is the expansive and detailed world that Tolkien has created. His love of maps combined with his detailed descriptions of the geography of Middle Earth, makes a credible and living environment. The Shire in particular is described in great depth, becoming a character in itself within the narrative. So, when Turbine developed LOTRO a decade ago, they were faced with an extremely difficult task of adapting this territory into a suitable MMO environment. However, the results have been well received and this region has remained a firm favourite with LOTRO players. So, I thought it would be interesting to look in more detail at selected areas of Middle Earth and explore the subtle differences between the game and the source text over a series of blog posts. So, let us start where the story begins, in The Shire.
One of the most important factors to consider with regard to an MMO map, is size. No matter how much of a Tolkien purist you are, I do not think that any game player would be happy with an exact scale realization of Middle Earth. It would mean taking days to travel anywhere, which far from practical for an MMO. Remember that it took Frodo, Sam and Pippin two and a half days to get from Hobbiton to Crickhollow on foot. So Turbine have reduced the scale in a measured and reasonable way. They have also morphed the in-game map to give locations a more even spread . This is quite noticeable in "The Shire". Green Hill Country has been drastically reduced in size and several northern settlements such as Oatbarton and Dwalling removed from the map and relocated to the next in-game area. It should also be noted that at present, the entire "South Farthing" is absent from the game. In light of Standing Stone Games recent acquisition of the game, perhaps this area will appear later in a future expansion.
Despite these adaptations, Turbine have still managed to recreate the spirit of The Shire. They have maintained the rustic feel with the farmlands, orchards and such embellishments as waterwheels and windmills. It is easy to balk at the encompassing mountains ranges that effectively fence in each gaming area but one is hard pressed to come up with a suitable alternative. As a gamer, I have never been a big fan of invisible barriers as they are jarring and can break immersion for some. The Shire is also filled with a wealth of features taken directly from the book, varying from the well-known to the subtle. Various taverns and farms can be found which most readers will be familiar with, as well as more esoteric landmarks such as Three Farthing Stone.
When you contrast the in-game map with one from the books, you discover much that is missing from LOTRO. As mentioned earlier, some may well feature in future expansions. Currently in LOTRO, The Shire has a gate not far from the homestead entrance, that separates the "South Farthing". Beyond this should lie such settlements as Hardbottle, Sackville and Longbottom. The latter being the main area for the cultivation of pipe-weed in The Shire. Another thing to consider is the substantial reduction in size of Green Hill Country. Although I can see the necessity to do so, it does mitigate a plot point. Unspoilt areas of forest such as the Woody End, were rare in this region of Middle-earth. This was a main reason that the High Elves still visited The Shire and is therefore of significance in terms of the story. It should also be noted that much of the infrastructure of the area (roads and bridges) were originally established by the Dunedain. The region was initially was a part of Arthedain, and as such a part of Arnor. It was at one time part of the farm land for that kingdom.
The Shire remains one of the most popular areas in LOTRO. Turbine managed to create a depiction of Tolkien's work, that despite practical compromises, has not been trivialised or suffered from "Disneyfication". It captures the essence of the source text, which in itself is based on pre-industrial West Midlands of England and offers a very striking visual interpretation. As one of the first areas made for the MMO, The Shire has a level of attention to detail that has been missing from some of the more recent zones. Perhaps that is why it resonates so well with the community. You’ll find region bustling with players throughout the year.
Meanwhile, Back in LOTRO
The recent news regarding Standing Stone Games’ acquisition of LOTRO has certainly re-invigorated the fan community and led to some renewed wider interest in the game. I’ve kept my own subscription going mostly out of curiosity for LOTROs future, rather than a burning passion for the MMO. In fact, on Laurelin server, it’s pretty much business as usual. My kinship has a core group of players who logon regularly as do most others. Key regional hubs such as Bree and the Twenty-first Hall are relatively busy, usually with role players and music groups running events. Beyond this there doesn’t appear to have been a major change at present to the game’s overall population. Perhaps something tangible needs to be added to LOTRO first before we see such a shift.
The recent news regarding Standing Stone Games’ acquisition of LOTRO has certainly re-invigorated the fan community and led to some renewed wider interest in the game. I’ve kept my own subscription going mostly out of curiosity for LOTROs future, rather than a burning passion for the MMO. In fact, on Laurelin server, it’s pretty much business as usual. My kinship has a core group of players who logon regularly as do most others. Key regional hubs such as Bree and the Twenty-first Hall are relatively busy, usually with role players and music groups running events. Beyond this there doesn’t appear to have been a major change at present to the game’s overall population. Perhaps something tangible needs to be added to LOTRO first before we see such a shift.
In the meantime, I continue to work my way through various regional quests in The Beacon Hills, Taur Drúadan and North Ithilien, in a leisurely fashion. My primary character is a Lore-master at level cap that I’ve had since I first started LOTRO back in Winter 2008. Yet despite numerous in-game achievements over the last eight years, I still find outstanding deeds to do and activities to pursue. LOTRO has an inordinately large amount of content and landmass to explore. At present, I’m spending some time on my Explorer vocation that I’ve neglected of late. The tenth tier was not unlocked, so I focused on that today. Crafting ingots is still a trying affair. Plus, I only just noticed that an auctioneer had been added to the Bree Crafting Hall, which shows how infrequently I visit.
Another more recent addition to Bree is the Scholar’s Hall (opposite the Cat Lady’s House). This has apparently been added to LOTRO to accommodate the Mythgard Institute's academic lectures with the Tolkien Professor, as well as concerts and other community events. Although I welcome such a venue being added to the game, its distinctly Gondorian style of architecture (and not Anorian) does seem a little incongruous, considering its location. I suppose it’s easier to use existing in-game assets than create new ones. The interior is suitably sumptuous and reflects the various regions of Middle-earth. Let us hope that the faithful find it useful and to their liking.
I recently found some use for my LOTRO points (formerly Turbine points), spending several thousand of them on Relics for my Legendary Items. Although the store Settings, Gems, and Runes may not be the best, they certainly offer both convenience and a leg up on those I had already. Their addition to my weapons has had a tangible impact upon my stats. I have also finally grasped the nettle and started equipping slotted armour and adding appropriate essences. In the past, I have eschewed this game mechanic because it adds another layer of complexity that lazy players such as I eschew. However, I found that I had sufficient funds to buy suitable essences and have started grinding for the latest armour set.
Having no significant alts, means that I have a lot of time to spend on my primary character. Therefore, at present, my time in LOTRO is spent at a sedate pace. I set straightforward goals and pursue them in a manner that still allows me to enjoy my surroundings. The ambient music in North Ithilien is of a high quality and I suspect that some material that was recorded earlier on in the games life, was kept back for key locations. My recent tinkering with my build means that even an indifferent player such as I, doesn’t have to worry about survivability. All in all, I go where I please and face no major challenges, which is how I like to play. I dislike being underpowered and at a disadvantage. Let us not forget what Conan said about what is best in life.
Such is my personal status quo in LOTRO at present. I must admit it’s an advantageous position to be in. It certainly allows me to reflect upon what may be coming next in 2017. Will the Daybreak Gaming Company offer a new tier of subscription? There are occasions when I do regret not buying a lifetime sub but I wouldn’t be surprised if that gets replaced by something else. A new broom always likes top sweep clean and all that. Then of course, there is the small matter of getting to Mordor and may be beyond? LOTRO in the Fourth Age is an interesting proposition. Over to you Standing Stone Games. We await new content.
Landmark to Close on February 21st
It was announced yesterday by the Daybreak Game Company that the MMO Landmark will be closing on 21st of February. Landmark joins an ever-growing list of titles that have closed since DGC acquired SOEs back catalogue. As ever the press release does not give any specific details as to why the game is to be shutdown. However, it is more than likely down to operating costs versus profits. Furthermore, irrespective of the corporate reasons for the decision, there are still numbers of Landmark players who will be saddened by the news. This development is also of interest to LOTRO and DDO players, due to the Daybreak Game Company recently becoming the publisher of those titles.
It was announced yesterday by the Daybreak Game Company that the MMO Landmark will be closing on 21st of February. Landmark joins an ever-growing list of titles that have closed since DGC acquired SOEs back catalogue. As ever the press release does not give any specific details as to why the game is to be shutdown. However, it is more than likely down to operating costs versus profits. Furthermore, irrespective of the corporate reasons for the decision, there are still numbers of Landmark players who will be saddened by the news. This development is also of interest to LOTRO and DDO players, due to the Daybreak Game Company recently becoming the publisher of those titles.
Now if you peruse the comments section of a site such as Massively OP, then you’ll find statements such as “LOTRO is fine” and there’s nothing to be concerned about because DGC is just the publisher for Standing Stone Games. However, I don’t think the situation is as binary as that and it would be wise to scrutinise the business relationship between DGC and SSG more closely. Because I and others suspect that DGC may well have underwritten SSG costs, when they acquired both DDO and LOTRO from Turbine and Warner Bros. If that is the case, then such financial involvement give DGC far more leverage with SSG than merely publishing their gaming catalogue.
Too many gamers allow personal sentiment and affection for the games that they play to blind them to the realities of business. MMOs as I have said time and time again are not social services but products to be bought and sold for money. The moment any product doesn't meet the expectations its owners, then it's future is in question. I would have thought that was abundantly clear by the way Warner Bros. cut LOTRO and DDO loose, as they organise their balance sheet for their pending acquisition with AT&T. Why should the Daybreak Gaming Company, itself a subsidiary of a Russian venture capital company, view its assets any differently?
Game Developers often have the best of intentions for the products they make. Artistic vision and ethical practises may well be key to their business ethos. However, unless those that create have total financial and therefore legal control, then such noble aspirations can and are frequently side-lined. In my experience business is usually driven by those who control the purse strings, which once again returns me to the question of whether DGC are merely SSGs publisher or is there a more complex business relationship? Are LOTRO and DDO going to be measured by criteria set by their developers or someone else? If these games survival is dependent on targets set by DGC, then their future may not be as rosy as some like to think.
Standing Stone Games and LOTRO
To date one of LOTRO’s greatest weaknesses has been the way it’s been run and marketed. There are other flaws but these have been fully discussed over the years, so I see no reason to revisit them. Considering the games pedigree, the nine-year-old MMO has never reached its full potential but that is a criticism that can be levelled at many entries in this genre. In recent years LOTRO has limped forward, hobbled by an ever-diminishing development team and starved of resources by its corporate master. Yet because of the dedication of a core group of fans the game generates sufficient revenue to keep it from folding. Thus, despite continued predictions of closure from armchair experts such as myself, LOTRO endures, while other titles have sailed into the West.
To date one of LOTRO’s greatest weaknesses has been the way it’s been run and marketed. There are other flaws but these have been fully discussed over the years, so I see no reason to revisit them. Considering the games pedigree, the nine-year-old MMO has never reached its full potential but that is a criticism that can be levelled at many entries in this genre. In recent years LOTRO has limped forward, hobbled by an ever-diminishing development team and starved of resources by its corporate master. Yet because of the dedication of a core group of fans the game generates sufficient revenue to keep it from folding. Thus, despite continued predictions of closure from armchair experts such as myself, LOTRO endures, while other titles have sailed into the West.
Yesterday it was announced that Turbine would no longer be overseeing the development of LOTRO. In fact, the core team that has running both LOTRO and DDO over recent years, has formed their own new independent game studio called Standing Stone Games and have acquired both properties. Furthermore, Standing Stone Games have partnered with Daybreak Game Company who will provide global publishing services. Sundry press releases were made by both parties and a FAQ was posted to reassure existing customers of both MMOs. The separation process from Turbine and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is ongoing but already LOTRO has been patched to add the Standing Stone Games logo.
Now whether you are a die-hard LOTRO fan or a casually interested bystander (I’m somewhere between these two positions), this change raises a lot of questions. As ever a lot of the answers will only be known to those at the top of each respective company and will not be addressed publicly. However, common sense and a degree of deductive reasoning will probably furnish some answers. For example, it is reasonable to assume that the licensing issue has been addressed and that LOTRO has gained an extension and will not close in 2017. Middle Earth Enterprises may well have become more relaxed about licensing per se since the recent death of Saul Zaentz. I certainly can’t see any company embarking on such a transfer of ownership for a product that had less than a year to live.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment obviously didn’t see the need to hang on to LOTRO, which is hardly surprising as they’ve done precious little with the IP since they acquired Turbine in 2012. At the time, many LOTRO players envisaged a sizeable capital injection and an increase in game development but it never really happened. Warner’s were more than likely just acquiring studios and assets for licenses and patents. So, Standing Stone Games proposition was probably viewed as expedient and convenient. However, the most intriguing aspect of this transfer of ownership is the involvement of Daybreak Game Company. Their acquisition of SOE in early 2015 was surprise and their management of several online titles has been chequered to say the least. Exactly what impact (if any) will they have upon LOTRO?
As a publisher of an online game DGC will theoretically be responsible for things such as account systems, support services and server infrastructure. However, from what we’ve learned already it would appear that a lot of the existing facilities for LOTRO are to be maintained. However, there is the issue of the Turbine Store which no doubt will be quickly converted to reflect DGCs branding. Can we expect to see a change in the LOTROs monetisation policy? It’s very dependent upon Standing Stone Games relationship with Daybreak Game Company. As a new indie studio where did SSG get its funding. Is DGC bankrolling the development team? Or did they provide the capital for the game license which I’m sure did cost pocket change. If you follow the money you usually find out who calls the shots and that will surely impact upon the direction that LOTRO takes.
As ever with a change of this kind, speculation seems to be at both ends of the possible spectrum. LOTRO according to some is to enjoy some sort of renaissance and have a wealth of new content, or alternatively decline into lock box, money grab hell and be dead within six months. Realistically the truth is more than likely somewhere in the middle. Standing Stone Games is now in a better position to focus exclusively for content creation for both LOTRO and DDO without losing staff to other projects. If this transition is handled well then LOTRO can still deliver a modest and steady stream of revenue. DGC may well be pursuing a different endgame that is beyond LOTRO. Perhaps they have an eye on a longer-term relationship with SSG and future products. As ever only time will tell but in the meantime, it is wise to remain cautious. Perhaps this unseen news may even encourage some players to return to LOTRO. Either way my advice is to live in the present and enjoy LOTRO while you can.
Goodbye Bingo Boffin
When Turbine introduced the episodic content, The ballad of Bingo Boffin to LOTRO last June, I was fully aware of its underlying purpose. The weekly story is a tour guide around the ageing games various zones and serves as a marketing campaign for free players to either subscribe or buy quests packs. The story has at times had its charms and despite its fundamental lore breaking premise, has proven intermittently entertaining. However the current instalment episode 21 First Breakfast is perhaps the most lacklustre undertaking to date. Firstly we now find ourselves in Mirkwood, perhaps the most lamentable zone in LOTRO and secondly the narrative and quest parameters are by far the most arbitrary. I feel that the game that I’ve played consistently since 2008 has now crossed a line and I no longer see any reason to continue logging in for the immediate future.
When Turbine introduced the episodic content, The ballad of Bingo Boffin to LOTRO last June, I was fully aware of its underlying purpose. The weekly story is a tour guide around the ageing games various zones and serves as a marketing campaign for free players to either subscribe or buy quests packs. The story has at times had its charms and despite its fundamental lore breaking premise, has proven intermittently entertaining. However the current instalment episode 21 First Breakfast is perhaps the most lacklustre undertaking to date. Firstly we now find ourselves in Mirkwood, perhaps the most lamentable zone in LOTRO and secondly the narrative and quest parameters are by far the most arbitrary. I feel that the game that I’ve played consistently since 2008 has now crossed a line and I no longer see any reason to continue logging in for the immediate future.
On mature reflection, I would have thought it would have been one of the larger issues that have arisen since LOTRO went F2P that would’ve proven to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. I was unhappy about the move to a consolidated skills tree that came with Helm’s Deep, yet I managed to look beyond this. I also thought the cessation of paid expansions was a poor decision yet found a degree of compensation with the bi-annual update system. Loyalty and a sense of idle curiosity about LOTRO’s fate has kept me playing for the last eighteen months but today has starkly highlighted just how far the game has declined. To call LOTRO an interactive travelogue is frankly too generous. The game in its current state is treading water. A new player may well enjoy the original content from The Shadow of Angmar and the Mines of Moria but those languishing at level cap are faced with a uninspiring regional quests a numerous, monotonous reputation grinds.
So for the time being I shall no longer log into LOTRO. The game no longer offers anything that I want to do. Yes there is content but none of it seems to provide any anything of any worth and even the so called “journey” can no longer suffice as an incentive. The journey is simply now a chore and as gaming is supposed to be “fun”, I will have to seek that fun elsewhere. It would appear that the recent server upgrades have failed to address any of the technical issues that have plagued the game’s performance since mounted combat was introduced. As a result many players have decided to vote with their feet. When you consider the size of the current development team and the resources they have available to them, it is highly unlikely there will be some sort of LOTRO renaissance. Perhaps leaving Middle-earth now is a smarter choice than enduring a long and protracted decline.
LOTRO – Update 17.2 Adds New Quests in Minas Tirith
Having recently completed Update 17 for LOTRO one of my main complaints was a shortage of quality quests in the new area. The Epic Story dominates the proceedings and I was quite surprised by the lack of secondary quest hubs both inside and outside of the Pelennor Fields. However update 17.2 that was deployed today has addressed this issue by adding several new quest lines. These can be found near the Stone Theatre (in the northern 1st Tier), inside the Houses of Lore, inside the Houses of Healing, at the Citadel, at the Training Ground, and near the Baths of Belecthor (in the 4th Tier). A new public endgame space is available in the city Cisterns.
Having recently completed Update 17 for LOTRO one of my main complaints was a shortage of quality quests in the new area. The Epic Story dominates the proceedings and I was quite surprised by the lack of secondary quest hubs both inside and outside of the Pelennor Fields. However update 17.2 that was deployed today has addressed this issue by adding several new quest lines. These can be found near the Stone Theatre (in the northern 1st Tier), inside the Houses of Lore, inside the Houses of Healing, at the Citadel, at the Training Ground, and near the Baths of Belecthor (in the 4th Tier). A new public endgame space is available in the city Cisterns.
The patch has also added a comprehensive list of all emotes that are available in the game. These can be perused and previewed via the collections panel. There have been nominal changes to some of the barter currency requirements and tweaks to the housing system. All mounted combat melee skills now do more damage (including melee auto-attack). Melee damage should be approximately doubled. There are now more stable travel options within Minas Tirith. It would also appear that Turbine have added a further “Chicken Run” via Sandson's Farm. Comprehensive patch notes can be found on the official LOTRO forums.
This patch certainly seems to be more generous than the usual bug fixes that are released. Perhaps Turbine are trying to make amends after their woeful datacentre move last week that is still proving problematic for some players. Furthermore, as many tech savvy players have stated, although improving the server performance issues may well improve gameplay to a degree, it doesn’t address the bottlenecks that exist within the game client that remains un-optimised. May be LOTRO players can take comfort in the fact that Turbine are currently recruiting for the following roles; Database Administrator, Senior Big Data Engineer and Senior Performance Engineer. Perhaps there are further performance improvements on the way.
LOTRO Server Issues
Monday’s datacentre migration has unsurprisingly proven problematic for Turbine. As a result major issues continue to affect LOTRO players with faults such as severe lag, bad rubberbanding and random crashes to desktop and server disconnects being common place. Players have also had to endure loss of housing items, loss of friend lists and disconnection from chat servers. Five days later, despite hotfixes and continuing maintenance many players still find the game “problematic”. Turbine are naturally trying their best to keep the community informed but the longer this problem persists the more damage it potentially does.
Monday’s datacentre migration has unsurprisingly proven problematic for Turbine. As a result major issues continue to affect LOTRO players with faults such as severe lag, bad rubberbanding and random crashes to desktop and server disconnects being common place. Players have also had to endure loss of housing items, loss of friend lists and disconnection from chat servers. Five days later, despite hotfixes and continuing maintenance many players still find the game “problematic”. Turbine are naturally trying their best to keep the community informed but the longer this problem persists the more damage it potentially does.
A side issue that has emerged from this situation is the fact that the five remaining European LOTRO servers will now not be relocated to Amsterdam. Instead they will be joining the five US servers in New Jersey in the new datacentre. Naturally players based outside of the US have already voiced concerns as to whether the increase in latency and exacerbates the ongoing technical problems. Furthermore Turbine have not yet confirmed a revised date for the proposed EU server move bringing in to question whether it was ever a genuine proposal.
Turbine have struggled in the past to make good on some of their promises and commitments. Like many businesses those dealing with the public are not necessarily privy to policy decisions being made at senior levels. It has been suggested by some more canny industry commentators that perhaps the company is reticent to move infrastructure to Europe in light of recent changes to consumer protection legislation, which are more robust and customer friendly than its US counterpart. Whether this is the case or not is uncertain at present but certainly both the change in decision regarding the servers and the impact that the migration has had is pause for thought for all concerned.
Downtime and login issues impact ultimately on the bottom line. A player that does not log in to the game is a player that is not spending and I have suspicion that LOTRO is a game that survives purely because it hits a specific financial target each quarter. Despite what some gamers may think there is seldom any sentiment in business and the moment the numbers aren’t favourable then hard decisions are made. Let us hope that the folk at Turbine can find a speedy solution to the ongoing issues currently affecting LOTRO. I cannot help but think that given the reduced size of the production team that they may have overreached themselves. Let us hope that is not the case.
A Year in Gaming Part 2
I started 2015 playing RPGs. Despite becoming bored with Dragon Age: Inquisition and its ponderous storyline, I still found this particular genre engaging. January and February are often slows months in my line of work, so it’s a good time of year to immerse oneself in games of this type. I played through both Arcania : Gothic 4 and Rise of the Argonauts and found them both to be enjoyable. Neither of these titles was revolutionary, being mainly “business as usual” RPGs. However both were bought as part of gaming bundles and the discounted price does have an impact upon my gaming expectations. For what they were, I enjoyed them.
I started 2015 playing RPGs. Despite becoming bored with Dragon Age: Inquisition and its ponderous storyline, I still found this particular genre engaging. January and February are often slows months in my line of work, so it’s a good time of year to immerse oneself in games of this type. I played through both Arcania : Gothic 4 and Rise of the Argonauts and found them both to be enjoyable. Neither of these titles was revolutionary, being mainly “business as usual” RPGs. However both were bought as part of gaming bundles and the discounted price does have an impact upon my gaming expectations. For what they were, I enjoyed them.
During the course of the year I strayed from my using game choices on two occasions and both proved to be good decisions. Hand of Fate is an action role-playing video game with roguelike and deck-building elements. I usually never touch deck based games but the fact that each hand of cards plays out in third person action combat intrigued me. Furthermore the creators Defiant Development have continually patched and added free DLC to the game over the course of the year. The other title that was a departure from my usual purchasing habits was The 39 Steps, which is a digital adaptation of John Buchan’s classic story. The interactive narrative that allows you to engage with the world around you and discover the story is imaginative and creative. I hope that Scottish developer The Story Mechanics do more famous novels in this idiom.
As I stated in my previous post about my gaming experiences of 2015, that I’ve changed my stance on the MMO genre. I have continued to play through content updates for LOTRO and am overall pleased that such material is still being produced. However the latest update set in Minas Tirith is of varying quality and for ever good and engaging quest line, there is also an arbitrary or frankly disappointing one. I have never been a fan of the Epic Battles but the two new ones set upon the walls of Minas Tirith are extremely underwhelming. As ever the NPCs do most of the fighting and I found my involvement relegated to cutting grappling hooks from the walls. Navigating around the wall and city circle below is confusing and frustrating. Update 17 is also somewhat unstable and I have had more crashes to desktop over the last month than I’ve had in the game for the last few years.
Star Trek Online proved to be far more engaging in 2015 than in previous years. The Delta Recruitment event was a great way to encourage players back to the game and to reward levelling. I enjoyed my experience so much I bought a discount lifetime subscription. Like LOTRO, STO benefits from a great IP and they really do utilise it well. Cast members from the show continue to voice characters that they’ve played and the standard of writing is consistently high. STO is also the only game in which I’ll grind through seasonal festivals as Cryptic are one of the few developers that giveaway decent loot, rather generic cosmetic items. I have earned two Tier 6 ships over the course of the year, both of which are worth £20 each.
I tried Marvel Heroes this summer after hearing positive feedback about the game from several friends. I must admit the game does provide a great way to scratch that pew pew itch and the barrier to entry is low. You can roll an alt and be playing within minutes of downloading the client. It’s also one of those titles where there’s always something going on or something to work towards. However because I don’t have any major ties to the source IP, I decided not to make this one of my primary gaming titles. I was hoping that the Heart of Thorns expansion for Guild Wars 2 would fill that role. Sadly the new landmass and class were not to my liking and ArenaNet are simply taking the game in a direction I’m not happy with. So Guild Wars 2 was finally uninstalled from my PC where it’s been since the games launch in August 2012.
It is customary to list ones favourite games at this time of the year or pick a specific title that is worthy of praise. For me that has to be The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. The fact that I played over three hundred hours between October and November indicates how compelling I found it. The open world is magnificent, rich with detail and a dynamic weather system. The game mechanics are sufficiently varied to be engaging without being too complex. You can play tactically relying upon your spells or focus on potions and support items if you please. Naturally if you prefer a more hands on approach you can go full out DPS. But the games crowning glory is its narrative and the sense that your decisions really do have an impact upon the world. I cannot remember the last time I played such a gripping story and cared this much about the central characters. The story telling in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is adult and complex. This is not a binary world with clear cut consequences.
2015 has seen a reduction in my overall gaming per se. My free time has fresh demands upon it and coupled with my changing relationship to both fandom and the wider gaming community, I don’t feel disposed towards playing as much. The close of the year has seen me dabble with the cell phone controlled RPG, Eon Altar and that has been a positive experience so far. I also bought GTA V at a discounted price so have explored that open world in recent weeks. At present I do not have any major titles in mind to purchase in 2016. I suspect that the next twelve months will more than likely follow the same path as the last, with regard to game releases and my attitude towards them. I suspect if gaming wants to vie for my attention in 2016, it will have to pull something quite special out of the bag.
A Year in Gaming Part 1
This time last year I wrote a two part post called A Year in MMOs. Twelve months later I find myself writing a similar round-up of my gaming activities. However this time round the title has now become A Year in Gaming. One of the most significant changes for me over the course of 2015 has been my step away with the MMO genre. Where in the past I would seek out new titles and stay abreast of those in development, I now find myself no longer drawn to the genre by default. Traditional titles such as LOTRO have been sidelined. This is because both MMOs and I have changed over recent years. Although I still play this genre (mainly STO), I do so sparingly and it is no longer the apple of my eye or the mainstay of my gaming time.
This time last year I wrote a two part post called A Year in MMOs. Twelve months later I find myself writing a similar round-up of my gaming activities. However this time round the title has now become A Year in Gaming. One of the most significant changes for me over the course of 2015 has been my step away with the MMO genre. Where in the past I would seek out new titles and stay abreast of those in development, I now find myself no longer drawn to the genre by default. Traditional titles such as LOTRO have been sidelined. This is because both MMOs and I have changed over recent years. Although I still play this genre (mainly STO), I do so sparingly and it is no longer the apple of my eye or the mainstay of my gaming time.
Game design and mechanics naturally evolve over time and are often driven by basic market forces. There is therefore a wealth of differences between games such as Ultima Online and Guild wars 2. Although I have adapted to the more casual game play that is now prevalent in the genre recently, I do find that MMOs are becoming increasingly homogeneous. Beyond their own setting and lore, new titles seldom have anything different to offer with regard to game design. They lack of a killer mechanic; something that makes them a radically different experience from their competitors. Then there is the requirement to invest time in such games, which is something I can no longer do. The days of me playing a particular game every day for five hours or more have past.
So this year I’ve found myself playing more single player games; titles that can be played and completed within a reasonable time span. In fact I found this to be a satisfying aspect in my overall gaming experience. I like the idea of playing through a compelling story at a measured pace and then reaching a definitive conclusion. This may take just a dozen hours, as was the case with Hand of Fate and Rise of the Argonauts or over three hundred with titles such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It is an experience more akin to reading a book, indicating that a strong narrative is an essential aspect of my gaming enjoyment. It would seem that as I get older I want less of a challenge and more of an emphasis on entertainment. Excessively complex games, with a steep learning curve and chronic skills bloat are not as attractive to me as they use to be.
Another facet of gaming that has changed for me this year has been my perception of the wider community, including both fan and professional websites. I have stopped reading several news outlets and blogs simply because they do not provide any valuable information about games any more. 2015 has been the year of the live stream of the "let's play" video on You Tube and these are now an integral part of my decision making process as to whether to buy a game or not. However I’m increasingly finding that my age often put me at odds with many of the You Tube personalities. I appreciate that many are running commercial endeavours but their need to “entertain” and be “characters” for me gets in the way of the reviews and critiques. Take for example Jim Sterling’s #FuckKonami “campaign”. I broadly agree with the sentiments he’s trying to express but the very terms it’s couched in just strike me a puerile and therefore mitigate much of the point.
When you are a fan of something, you often feel that it is something special, unique and meaningful. There is a chance that the object of your affection is all those things but more often than not that is simply wishful thinking. Games are commercial leisure products, made with the express purpose of making money for the publishers. The wider industries associated with marketing and reviewing them are similarly self-serving. Perhaps part of a gamer’s personal journey over time is finding a sense of perspective on these matters. I believe this year I have found such a point of equilibrium. Gaming is an entertaining leisure activity and that on occasions can be art. But for most of the time it is an ephemeral pastime and a shamelessly commercial endeavour (I’m looking at you Star wars Battlefront) and therefore should be treated as such.
A positive lesson I have learnt over the course of this year’s gaming is that I now have a very clear handle on what I want from the title that I play. Apart from one mistake which was the Guild Wars 2 expansion Heart of Thorns, I have enjoyed all of the purchases that I have made this year. This essential comes down to fully researching each title and what it specifically has to offer as well as at what price point I purchase a product at. Once again it is interesting how the financial cost of a game impacts upon ones expectations. I no longer feel like a child in a toy shop, running from display to display, overwhelmed by the choice available. 2015 has been the year of coming to terms with what games are and what I want from them. It's only taken me a quarter of a century!
LOTRO – Major Initiatives for 2016
Turbine has published their 2016 road map (or major initiatives as they now call them) for LOTRO and as ever, it is being hotly debated on both the official forums and on sites such as Massively Overpowered. Next year LOTRO will see a level cap increase to 105, the inclusion of a new instance clusters, a twelve player raid and the start of a collection system. The two yearly updates will take players to the Battle of Pelennor Fields and then on to the Black Gates of Mordor. Turbine are also promising to regularly fix bugs and improve what they call “quality of life”. Overall I think this is just “business as normal” as far as LOTRO goes and once again I think we have to be realistic about the sort of new content you get in an MMO of this age. If Turbine can deliver all the above then frankly I’ll just roll with it.
Turbine has published their 2016 road map (or major initiatives as they now call them) for LOTRO and as ever, it is being hotly debated on both the official forums and on sites such as Massively Overpowered. Next year LOTRO will see a level cap increase to 105, the inclusion of a new instance clusters, a twelve player raid and the start of a collection system. The two yearly updates will take players to the Battle of Pelennor Fields and then on to the Black Gates of Mordor. Turbine are also promising to regularly fix bugs and improve what they call “quality of life”. Overall I think this is just “business as normal” as far as LOTRO goes and once again I think we have to be realistic about the sort of new content you get in an MMO of this age. If Turbine can deliver all the above then frankly I’ll just roll with it.
First and foremost what strikes me the most about this road map is how near we are to the “end” both in terms of the story of The Lord of the Rings and the license that keeps the game afloat. If we find ourselves at the Morannon in late October 2016, then the following year will really be about rapping up the storyline and giving players a satisfactory conclusion. Personally I don’t think there is scope for any further license extensions or stays of execution and that once the expiry date of the current legal agreement is met, then the game will fold. Therefore I want to see the epic story in LOTRO concluded in a satisfactory way. The road map for next year seems to be addressing this. The game dawdled too long between 2010 and 2012.
Popular opinion on the nominal level cap increase seems split. It raises such issues as a new gear grind or more specifically a new set of essences to obtain. Once again many of those debating the pros and cons of this forthcoming change fail to see that they are not really representative of the majority of LOTRO players. My primary character is a level 100 Lore-master and I have elected not to pursue essences for slotted gear. I only play the PVE content and have found that not having the highest stats on my gear has not been an impediment. As for my LI it is imbued and I see no reason to throw any further resources at it. It can simply level as I do. Again my gameplay is not suffering as result of this decision. If you don’t want to grind then don’t do so.
Something else to ponder is that Turbine have responded to player concerns in the past and deferred such things as level cap increases. It may not be likely that they’ll do it again but I think it demonstrates that there is scope for augmentation to the 2016 road map. Plus there is the major hurdle of completing the new server migration and the technical revisions being made to the in-game chat system. If these prove to be problematic and swallow precious time and resources then it could prove ill for LOTRO. Only time will tell. In the meantime for the average LOTRO player it’s been an adequate year and it looks like the next twelve months will be so to. Considering that the MMO genre is no longer the paragon of virtue and cash cow that it use to be, I think we should consider Turbines 2016 plan to be the best option available.
Returning to Middle-earth Again
Now that Turbine have settled into the pattern of releasing two content updates for LOTRO a year, I have correspondingly settled into the pattern of re-subscribing for a month or two when each one appears. The latest, Update 17 The Siege of Minas Tirith, went live on 27th October but as there was so much other gaming content released at that time, I postponed my customary winter excursion to Middle-earth. I must admit that I had provisionally checked out the new area and the iconic city of Minas Tirith on the Bullroarer test server and I was not especially impressed. However as of last night having found the time in my gaming schedule I decided it was time to re-subscribe to LOTRO and push on with the epic story.
Now that Turbine have settled into the pattern of releasing two content updates for LOTRO a year, I have correspondingly settled into the pattern of re-subscribing for a month or two when each one appears. The latest, Update 17 The Siege of Minas Tirith, went live on 27th October but as there was so much other gaming content released at that time, I postponed my customary winter excursion to Middle-earth. I must admit that I had provisionally checked out the new area and the iconic city of Minas Tirith on the Bullroarer test server and I was not especially impressed. However as of last night having found the time in my gaming schedule I decided it was time to re-subscribe to LOTRO and push on with the epic story.
Having recently transferred from Gilrain server with most of my kinship, this is the first time I’ve undertaken any major content on our new home of Laurelin. Sadly my hopes for a more vibrant game economy have not happened. The auction house on this server is just as devoid of a broad spectrum of gear and items as the previous. It would appear that no one seems to craft and sell level cap items anymore. I blame slotted armour. It would appear that out of the two European English language servers that survived Turbines downsizing, Evernight has proven more popular. I may well at a future date move an alt there to see if there are any significant advantages on that server.
As for the latest instalment of the epic story, it is proving to be quite engaging once you have got beyond orientating yourself around Minas Tirith and carrying out the ubiquitous fetch quests. As ever with Turbine, there are times when the story telling in LOTRO really does demonstrate a keen understanding of Tolkien’s source text. Such moments are always enjoyable. Then there times when some of the regional quests really do feel arbitrary. There’s a particular quest requiring you to kill three captains of the enemy in camps in the Pelennor fields. These NPCs do not always spawn in the same place and may be at one of three possible locations. Rather than feeling challenging it simply comes across as a cheap way to extend the quests playing time. Sadly this is how Turbine’s content has become recently; of varying quality mainly due to a lack of time and resources.
Minas Tirith itself is a rather dour and sombre affair. Far from being the White City it’s rather drab and grey. As I suspected after the beta test, there are copious quantities of fast mounts to help navigate around the cities seven levels. Exploring each level is fun initially and if you’re not in a rush can yield some nice hidden features. However after a while the novelty soon wears off and its design simply becomes an impediment to travel and a pain in the butt. If you leave the city and travel Old Anorien you soon discover that the mob density has been cranked up. Again you can cogently argue that this is a ploy to slow players down etc. The addition of two warbands in such close proximity to each other is a similar example.
Nostalgia and fond memories are major factors when it comes to playing LOTRO and I think Turbine is fully aware of this. They’ve fully committed to the Big/Epic battles system and there are a further two in the latest update. Yet I still strangely have enough goodwill towards this ageing MMO to endure these and soldier on to the next stage of the story. I still think about the immense fun I had playing LOTRO between 2008 -2009. Plus there’s the fact that there isn’t any other Tolkien based game of this kind around, nor it there likely to be in the future. So I guess I like many players I will dutifully work through Update 17 and then leave, only to return again in the Spring when the next update becomes available.
Blessing of the Valar
Boosts that auto-level a character in an MMO have always divided player opinion. Naturally when Turbine introduced the Gift of the Valar in late 2014, which instantly increases a character to Ievel fifty, there was a lot of debate in the wider community. It should be noted that at the time of release, Turbine stated they reserved the right to alter the level boost beyond fifty at a future date. On a live stream broadcast on 12th June 2014, it was stated that the boost may be raised to possibly seventy five. It would seem that in update 17.1 for LOTRO, Turbine have created a new boost called the Blessing of the Valar which will increase a character to level ninety five.
Boosts that auto-level a character in an MMO have always divided player opinion. Naturally when Turbine introduced the Gift of the Valar in late 2014, which instantly increases a character to Ievel fifty, there was a lot of debate in the wider community. It should be noted that at the time of release, Turbine stated they reserved the right to alter the level boost beyond fifty at a future date. On a live stream broadcast on 12th June 2014, it was stated that the boost may be raised to possibly seventy five. It would seem that in update 17.1 for LOTRO, Turbine have created a new boost called the Blessing of the Valar which will increase a character to level ninety five.
I do not consider such store based items to be a problem or harmful to the game and deem this one to be far more practical than its previous incarnation. I can understand why a LOTRO “altaholic” may tire of repeating PVE content for the umpteenth time and using such a boost to bring a new alt closer to level cap and endgame participation. That seems far more practical to me compared to the older boost that simple took you just halfway to level cap. However it is always good to have options so having multiple permutations of such a levelling boost seems very beneficial for both players and developers alike.
The price of 5995 Turbine points is somewhat high but then again LOTRO does have a high number of lifetime account holders who have sizeable stockpiles of this currency, due to the monthly stipend. LOTRO also has a lot of whales who are happy to spend money on the only Middle-earth themed game available. Turbine cannot really be chastised for trying to monetise an MMO that is in the final stages of its lifecycle. I wonder how long it will be before we see items such as high end armour and weapons available in the LOTRO store. For those who are sceptical about such things happening, wasn’t a similar opinion on levelling boosts held in the not so distant past?
Gaming Merchandise
While watching the official LOTROstream recently, I noted that there was still a lot of LOTRO related merchandise adorning staff desks at Turbine’s offices. I recollect in the past that mouse mats, mugs and other items use to be available for sale in the Warner Bros. store. There was an initial marketing campaign associated with the launch of the game in 2007 and another in 2010 when the game converted to F2P, both of which required a stock of merchandise for promotional reasons. Sadly a search of the Warner Bros. store has shown that no such material is available any longer. Furthermore considering where LOTRO is in its lifespan, there is not likely to be any further stock produced.
While watching the official LOTROstream recently, I noted that there was still a lot of LOTRO related merchandise adorning staff desks at Turbine’s offices. I recollect in the past that mouse mats, mugs and other items use to be available for sale in the Warner Bros. store. There was an initial marketing campaign associated with the launch of the game in 2007 and another in 2010 when the game converted to F2P, both of which required a stock of merchandise for promotional reasons. Sadly a search of the Warner Bros. store has shown that no such material is available any longer. Furthermore considering where LOTRO is in its lifespan, there is not likely to be any further stock produced.
Merchandise such as T-shirts, mugs, mouse mats and stickers are often used as marketing tools when a game launches or new content is released. Take for example the Charr Plush that was in great demand back in August 2012 when Guild Wars 2 was first commercially available. The stock of such items are often limited and not always maintained over games lifespan. Thus these items go from being available to all, to the province of a collector in a very short period of time. Perhaps there is often no commercially sustainable long term market for such products and the initial batch is produced at a loss for the sole purpose of promotion.
However this is not always the case. Guild Wars 2 at present enjoys a healthy range of products. Mass Effect has been and gone, yet the franchise has evolved a strong following among gamers, very much akin to cult Movies and TV shows. The EA store still has a substantial amount of merchandise for sale including some expensive products such as collector’s edition models, hoodys and jackets. Activision has a similar line of apparel for the Call of Duty franchise; although this is far more understandable consider the financial success of the IP and the target demographic. There is also a wealth of merchandise associated with popular titles from the mobile gaming market, although I think this is a core aspect of the business model, rather than an addition to it as with MMOs.
One of the more interesting examples of game related merchandise is FigurePrints bespoke miniature figure service. The company can make a 3D replica of your in-game avatar from World of Warcraft or a section of your own world from Minecraft. Considering the passion that is prevalent among the LOTRO community with its emphasis upon roleplay, it’s a shame that such a service has never been implemented by Turbine for LOTRO or DDO. Perhaps the complexities of the licensing arrangement have something to do with this. Dealing with third party intellectual properties always comes with its own unique set of problems