Busy Doing Nothing

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If you’ve figured out this tenuous movie reference then give yourself a pat on the back

As I mentioned recently in my monthly gaming roundup, I’ve currently stopped playing the three MMORPGs that are my usual gaming mainstay. Namely The Lord of the Rings Online, The Elder Scrolls Online and Star Trek Online. It’s something that I do from time to time when I’m tired of the repetition this genre offers. At present none of these titles has anything on offer that motivates me to play them enthusiastically. Especially LOTRO. I find weddings tedious and self indulgent in real life, so I’m hardly going to get “excited” about a virtual one set in Middle-earth. However, that’s not to say that I’ve lost interest in the MMO genre. I’m merely temporarily burned out at present. I find that after a few months or so, either new content is released that lures me back to these games or I tire of what I’ve been playing in their stead. It’s a cyclical process that I go through from time to time and nothing to worry about. 

However, despite the fact I’m not actively playing these games, it’s surprising how they still manage to keep me busy. How do they keep me busy, I hear you ask? Have I not deleted them from my hard drive? Of course not, that’s crazy talk. Before I move on to the various tasks involved in not playing a game, let me first address this ludicrous assumption that if you’re not playing a game you can delete it from your hard drive and reinstall it later. Because we all have fast internet connections nowadays? Well for starters let me list the current installation size of these three MMOs. LOTRO 30.1GB, ESO 71.7GB and STO 35.5GB respectively. Those are not “small beer” and irrespective of your internet connection speed, if you wish to install these games from scratch you’re at the mercy of three separate game clients and three sets of patching servers. All of which are painfully slow and temperamental. So unless you desperately need to reclaim the space on your SSD or HDD, never delete a game just co’s you’re not playing it at present. Don’t even get me started on customisations and addons.

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Moving on, these unplayed MMOs need constant tending. There’s constant patching, especially for ESO who seem to release new content based on two criteria; when it’s raining and when it’s not. Rather than be inconvenienced when I finally decide to return to these games by finding a ton of updates to download, it’s best to keep the client current just in case. And then there’s the login presents and rewards. Both LOTRO and ESO giveaway daily incentives or “free shit” as it’s called in marketing parlance, to encourage consumer loyalty. I may not be playing at present but FOMO is a real thing. I’d hate to pass up on a one off opportunity to claim the “Sword of Kagnazax” or a cosmetic Humboldt Squid pet. I’m also a member of at least one guild that regularly kicks players if they don’t log into the game after a set period of time. So I have to show a face, so to speak, at least once a week or I’ll be given my “marching orders”.

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Blogging about these games also adds to the every growing list of chores. Just because I’m not actively playing through current content doesn’t mean that I have nothing to say on the state of any of these three titles or regarding any breaking story or development associated with them. Which leads me to my next point, I often find myself without a suitable screen capture that I can use to illustrate a post. So I have to quickly log into the game in question and grab a few images. And of course you don’t get to just “log on and then log off”. There’s invariably someone online who spots you and decides to engage you in lengthy conversation regarding your health, what you’ve been up to and that wretched bird on Mrs Coltart’s roof (yet again). So as you can see, it can be quite exhausting not playing games. Talk about busy doing nothing. It’s amazing I find time for the games I actually am engaged with at present.

A Month in Gaming

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I stopped subscribing to The Lord of the Rings Online in June. I’ve always had a very cyclical relationship with this MMO and at present I feel I need a break from the games somewhat linear formula. Plus the new content scheduled for release centred around the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen doesn’t exactly sound enthralling. So I’ve left my primary character in Langflood and will return to the game later in the year when I feel the need to catch up with content. I have also abandoned the ongoing events in Star Trek Online as they’re getting too repetitive. I would like to see a new longterm story arc rather than just a continuous cycle of short term events and repeatable content. I don’t mind working towards a goal but it has to be something I want and the rewards offered in this MMO are getting a little too generic for my liking. I shall return to the game at some point as I’m a lifetime account holder and I’m curious to see how developer’s Cryptic overhauls the Klingon story arc.

I found a good deal on the latest expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online and so I purchased the Digital Upgrade Edition of Greymoor. I mainly wanted to see what the new Harrowstorms events were like and was pleasantly surprised by their difficulty. Dolmen become easier when more players are present but that is not necessarily the case with Harrowstorms. I have so far refrained from playing any of the story content in this new zone as I’m still committed to playing the narrative content in ESO in order. I like to keep the installation of ESO on my PC up to date as my twin granddaughters enjoy this game. They will often ask to see what the “lady with the burnt face and big boobies” is doing (their description, not mine) when they come round and visit. They also like the exotic cosmetic pets and the Khajit “cat people”. The recurring dragon events in Southern Elsweyr is also a source of entertainment for them.

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June also saw several games uninstalled from my PC, as I had either completed them or had reached a point where I wasn’t going to return to them any time soon. So I removed Red Dead Redemption 2 as it really is a title you need to apply yourself to. To get the best out of the game it helps if you play for several hours at a time and immerse yourself in the story. I haven’t done this for a while and so my connection to the narrative was lost. Another thing I’ve noticed when playing these densely plotted RPGs is that I sometimes spend too much time pondering over decisions. Games with branching narratives are interesting but I occasionally find myself worrying that I will somehow “hobble” myself at some point in the future, if I make a “bad” choice. It’s a curious paradox as these decision making mechanics are designed to provide a sense of immersion but the “worry” they can produce can sometimes have the opposite effect.

Overall, Call of Duty Modern Warfare is still keeping me engaged after two and a half months. I do find it frustrating the way various game modes come and go. I was just beginning to learn the layout and foibles of the “Trench” map in 5 versus 5 battles when this was taken out of the game menu. However, Plunder Mode has proven to be a good alternative to the standard Battle Royale Mode in Warzone. The object is to collect cash from various stashes around the main map and then airlift it out. There are several prime landing zones in the Downtown area that are always heavily contested. However, for the more cautious player, you can explore and accrue money in the outlying areas and bank it by regularly buying Cash Deposit Balloons from Buy Stations. Combat is not so frenetic in this permutation of the game, although you do still have to keep your eyes open for players doing exactly the same as you. Auto Grouping is also not so problematic in Plunder Mode either. Players seem to take a more casual attitude to proceedings so you can play collaboratively or do your own thing if you prefer. This mode also provides a lot of XP if you’re levelling through the Battle pass.

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I’ve been toying with the idea of buying Ghost Recon Breakpoint. I initially declined to do so due to the broken nature of the game upon its release and the conspicuous lack of AI teammates. They were present in Wildlands, the previous iteration of the franchise and were a boon for anyone who didn’t have a copiously populated friends list. However, Ubisoft is finally adding AI Squad functionality to Breakpoint this month so I may see if I can get a deal. A lot of the game’s problems have been fixed and there’s now over a year’s worth of content to be played through including a guest appearance by Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell. Furthermore he’s voiced once again by Michael Ironside. I may also see if there are any smaller games I can try in July to take my mind off the fact that the video game industry and associated culture just seems to be a continuous dumpster fire. It’s going to be a long uphill struggle to see these institutions evolve and adapt into something vaguely equitable and ethical.

LOTRO: Free Quest Packs

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At the beginning of March, Standing Stone Games very generously (and very wisely) decided to make all “quest, raid, and adventure area content” for The Lord of the Rings Online available for free. As a result, many players have returned to the MMO and all game servers have seen an increase in activity. Initially the offer was scheduled to end on April 31st but due to its success this has been extended to the end of August. Furthermore, SSG are now offering a coupon code that will permanently unlock all this content but players have to ensure that they use this by August 31st. This is a very generous offer which can save new and returning players a substantial amount of money. SSG have also promised a forthcoming sale on expansion quests (not a sale on entire expansions) and instance clusters. Effectively, a smart player will soon be able to own and access the majority of the game for under £10.

Promotions of this nature often favour new customers, as they are logically a potential source of new revenue. I often tire of seeing such adverts for great deals from service providers that I’m already a customer of. So it was nice to see that SSG have also decided to expand the benefits of the VIP program for LOTRO (VIPs being lifetime account holders and subscribers). According to today’s press release, the following rewards will soon be available. “VIPs will get access to a vendor that will grant them the following benefits once per day: 48-hours of town services items, a buff that negates item wear, and a buff that provides rapid crafting”. The buffs sound useful and I’m sure they’ll be well received. I’m hoping that this vendor will also be able to offer repair and the sale services, negating the need to return to major quest hubs so often.

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One minor point regarding SSG’s current generosity springs to mind. Back in December 2018, they offered for a limited time The LOTRO Legacy Bundle for $199. It was a very comprehensive deal including pretty much everything in the game up to that date (again it included expansion quest lines but not the bonus material included in the expansions themselves). As I had missed out on buying a lifetime account, I purchased this bundle and subsequently spent 10 months comprehensively playing through the content with a new alt. Since then I have also bought the Minas Morgul expansion. So all I gain from SSG’s current coupon code are two Quest Packs from updates 25 and 26; Vales of Anduin and Mists of Wilderland. But I don’t begrudge this situation. SSG are simply reacting to the current business situation. If that means that LOTRO continues to thrive then that is to all our benefit.

A Month in Gaming

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I see by the financial data that is currently available and being pawed over by industry pundits, that April was a very good month for the video games publishers. Quelle surprise. Who would have thought it? The increase in leisure time has certainly meant that even I have had a greater opportunity than usual to invest in playing video games. And as I predominantly play the MMORPG genre that has proven to be a boon. Or at least it was initially. After two month plus that is fast becoming a bane. MMOs are great when you have new content to play through, stories to discover, goals to achieve and systems and items to advance. But once you’ve done all these things and find yourself doing dailies just out of obligation and a way to kill time, then it may well be time to move on to something else.

Star Trek Online has not had any new story content added since the anniversary event. And that two part adventure “The Measure of Morality” wasn’t exactly what you would call a long term, episodic, story arc. Developers Cryptic seem to be focusing at present on short term events that are dependent on repeatable content which get very old quickly. I have abandoned the latest grind as it’s not fun and do I really need any more Tier 6 ships or another cosmetic pet? Similarly, I’m tired with the new gear treadmill that accompanies the addition of any new zone in The Lord of the Rings Online. I still need to level my Legendary Weapons but that is a ponderous and singularly uninspiring undertaking. As for returning to The Elder Scrolls Online, I must resist the allure of an expanded Skyrim as I still have so much older content to play through. Plus whenever these three MMOs add new material, it is always just a variation on a theme. They never do anything radical or innovative.

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So in recent weeks I’ve made a conscious effort to step away from MMOs and try other types of games. I finally experienced the Battle Royale genre and have had fun for the last month playing Call of Duty Warzone. It makes for a pleasant change to be able to enjoy a game where you do not have to worry about keeping up with a complex story or having the best gear. The matchmaking system has its foibles but finding a suitable game is not a problem. You can get your quick fix of “action” within minutes of logging in. I also bought Man of Medan on a whim, which is best described as an interactive drama survival horror video game. It is a curious beast but I must admit it has kept me engaged, with its multiple outcomes and endings. I also played through Deathtrap Dungeon for a second time and was once again impressed how “less is more”. I really hope that developers, Branching Narrative, produce more games like this.

I suspect that I will spend less time playing video games in June as I’m becoming a little jaded at present with this pastime. I have written recently of the need to find myself a new project of some kind to keep my “head straight” as the lockdown continues. Games are simply not providing that level of engagement at present, especially the MMO genre which is my traditional mainstay. I’ll probably keep playing Call of Duty Warzone for a little longer as it provides sufficient stimulation and dopamine fixes. It would appear that Season 4 may bring some major changes to the game match, which would certainly shake things up. Another “radical” idea would be to actually finish some of the other games that I’ve started and then abandoned. I really would like to see the end of Red Dead Redemption 2. Perhaps that can be my gaming goal for the month. Maybe having some targets may make this hobby more enjoyable.

A Month in Gaming

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April has been an usual month. The ongoing lockdown here in the UK (and elsewhere in the world) has afforded me more gaming time than usual. The policy of social distancing has reduced my caring duties to just three hours a day. Hence I and many others like me have much more leisure time available. I initially thought that this situation would be the perfect time to try some of the many of the games that I have stockpiled over the years. However, despite trawling through many titles, I still failed to find anything that immediately took my fancy. So I decided to take stock of my overall gaming activities and whether it was time to revise them and try something new. And by new I don’t just mean just buying a new game but taking a step out of my current comfort zone into a genre I don’t usually play. So that’s exactly what I did and the results have been very interesting.

I have been curious about the Battle Royale genre for a while, since the explosive growth first of Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds and then Fortnite. I’ve read a lot about the success of both these games and the way that, despite offering essentially the same experience, they have pursued different audiences and markets. I have often considered trying either one of them but the demographics of their respective playerbase has put me off. The arrival of Call of Duty Warzone subsequently provided a tipping point, as I have prior experience of the franchise and the game offers a Battle Royale experience in a format that is acceptable to me. I’ve written elsewhere about the game and my attempts to improve my gameplay performance but to summarise here, it has been a positive experience to try something new. Although there is a strong element of twitch gaming in Call of Duty Warzone, it is not the only defining factor. There is much that a player can do to succeed in the game and progress through the ranking system.

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As a result of trying something new, I have temporarily sidelined The Lord of the Rings Online. I was surprised how quickly Update 26 (now called Mists of Wilderland) was released so soon after being previewed on the test server. And as a result the new zone launched with a lot of bugs. I don’t especially like questing in new areas when they’re swarming with players and find forming an orderly queue to kill a specific mob somewhat immersion breaking (and annoying). So I’ll return to LOTRO in a month or two when the area is a little quieter. My other MMO of choice, Star Trek Online, has been pulling out all the stops to keep players engaged and to entice those who have moved on to return. At present, I’m just logging in once a day to do a featured Task Force Operation. This earns a token that can be handed in for either a C-Store ship or for a stash of Lobi Crystals (which can be bartered for fancy gear, crew or yet more ships).

I briefly dusted off Sniper Elite 4 but my overfamiliarity with the maps soon put pay to that. I am really looking forward to the fifth iteration of the game as it really is such a different experience to the hectic pace of other game genres. As for May, I think I keep playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare. I’m still working my way through the campaign, playing multiplayer against bots as a means to practice my aiming and familiarise myself with the maps. And despite only being a distinctly average player, I am having a lot of fun in Warzone. My only complaint is that I play Solo Battle Royale and would like at some point to play as part of a four man squad. But I don’t know anyone else who plays the game and I am reluctant to join a PUG. However, with an excess of time on my hands, even that may change. No doubt next month’s post will highlight yet further changes in my gaming habits, as this seems to be a theme at present.

The Problem with Housing in MMORPGs

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Housing in the MMORPG genre continuously fails to reach its potential. Despite the scope it offers both in functionality and gameplay, it has seldom progressed beyond offering storage and some arbitrary customisation. Hence this is a perennial subject of debate for many MMO communities. Given the popularity of this subject, it would appear to indicate that there’s a potential market for expanded housing functionality. And yet many MMO developers still display a blindspot for this issue. You’d think that the scope for monetisation would prove a big enough incentive but housing just doesn’t seem to be especially high on their priority list. It is odd considering that the MMORPG genre is a fundamentally social one. Housing in theory offers so much scope to capitalise and explore this aspect of gaming. Yet it remains a cul-de-sac and an afterthought.

I have a Deluxe Premium House in The Lord of the Rings Online. It has crafting stations, storage, a “visiting banker” and a summoning horn which calls a vendor NPC. I have made an attempt to decorate it stylishly but beyond that I seldom visit it as it doesn’t offer anything else. There are some minor quests in the Cape of Belfalas housing zone but they are not repeatable. This is a real shame as they are quite enjoyable. Especially the one where you take an old and faithful dog out for a walk. The only real advantage my house offers is a fast travel skill that has a 1 minute cool down. I specifically chose a house at Bay Road as it is the nearest to a cluster of NPCs offering Auction House, Provisioner and Stable services. So my house mainly provides a travel hub service and nothing else. It all seems such a waste of resources. I suspect that the new Rohan based housing coming with Update 26 is not going to be anything radically different.

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Star Trek Online deals with housing in a somewhat different way but ultimately still faces the same issues. Your ship is your house to all intents and purposes, providing shared storage and in some cases, access to the Exchange (auction house). You can visit Engineering, Sick Bay and your ship’s councillor and the NPCs will provide Duty Officer Missions. But again, there’s not much on offer beyond this. You can place trophies in the Captain’s Quarters and in the communal lounge. And you can also visit the bridge of your ship, although there’s only so many times you can sit in the Captain's chair and hit the “engage” emote before it gets old. Again this feels like a major missed opportunity. Some vessels offer minor variations on these services, such as bespoke Duty Officer Missions but it’s hardly a major selling point. Considering the amount of customisation you can do to your build and gear in STO, it would be nice to see the same ethos extended toward your ship interior.

If you ask a hundred MMO players what they want from housing in their game of choice, you’ll get 100 different answers. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why developers are reticent to tackle anything housing related. Personally, I’d like to see in LOTRO some sort of collective undertaking, similar to the Fleet Projects in STO. A system that allowed those living in a specific housing phase to contribute to group endeavours that would upgrade community resources. I’d like to see quests and tasks in housing areas. Why not give players a reason to visit their house and interact with their neighbours. Offering unique items can certainly be an incentive. In STO I’d like to see some quest content that offered you a chance to customise and augment your ship’s interior. Rather than just duty officer assignments, it would be nice to have some bespoke missions that involved the crew of your vessel. Something that would make your frequenting your ships various departments more than just a cosmetic exercise. It would certainly be useful to have all resources you find on Earth Spacedock available on your ship.

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Although I never really warmed to the rebuilding of Hytbold in LOTRO, some of the systems found in that part of the game could be augmented and used in a housing scenario. Any form of interactivity is an improvement over just functionality. Perhaps a housing area could also have some sort of bespoke story quest line. Something that gives some character to an area, so it isn’t just a glorified storage service. What I don’t want to see is just an increase of cosmetic items. Although it is fun to be able to personalise the look of your virtual house, there needs to be more to it than just another collection to grind for. If customising leads to unlocking content then that would certainly add more depth. But I suspect that many developers simply prioritise PVE content development over everything else, for practical reasons. Although you can argue that taking a risk with housing could well pay off. But I suspect that it will remain an untap resource and all we’re likely to see in any new MMOs will be the straightforward “by and collect” approach we see in The Elder Scrolls Online.

Bullroarer Update 26 Preview #1

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Standing Stone Games are currently previewing Update 26 for The Lord of the Rings Online on the Bullroarer Test Server. The new zone, the Wells of Langflood, follows in the idiom of Vale of Anduin with a comparable aesthetic. However, as this region is further north and at a higher altitude, there is a prevailing mist in most areas. The landscape also slowly climbs North as you approach where the arms of the Misty Mountains and Ered Mithrin meet. Overall it is a bright and colourful zone filled with wildlife. However, there are also various mobs from Mount Gundabad and several advance camps of Trolls and Orcs. There are also numerous Dwarven ruins indicating their historical presence in the region. The Eagles also feature in the area and obviously appear in several of the zones quest storylines.

There are four stables in Wells of Langflood. Limlók is the main Beorning settlement in an area called Floodfells. Further North there’s a second smaller settlement, Thokvist, just off the central road that traverses the zone from North to South. This area called Misthallow is quite small and penned in by mountains to the East and the river Anduin to the West. Further North there is the area known as Framsburg, which was the ancient home of the Éothéod, the ancestors of the Rohirrim. Many of the ruins are now home to Trolls and Orcs. And at the very Northern Apex of the map there is a third stable of Hlithseld. This area is more mountainous with narrow, twisting paths, overlooking ancient Dwarven remains. The new zone ends here at Elderslade and obviously will lead at a future date into Gundalok. There is a road that leads to the North East to the West of Rushgate.

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The fourth stable is by far the most intriguing. It is located in the hidden village of Lyndelby which lies to the West of Framsburg on the opposite side of the river. It is accessed via a narrow winding path through a mountainous ravine and lies nestled in the arms of the Misty Mountains and North of the river Langwell. This secret valley is lush and fertile and home to Holbytlan, possibly the River Hobbits that SSG alluded to recently. It makes sense canonically that such a settlement could exist and their proximity to the Éothéod explains why Holbytlan appear in the legends of the Rohirrim. The mountain also shields this Hobbit community from an enemy enclave at Sundergrót. Among the Dwarven ruins, the enemy has siege engines and other weapons of war. Access to this area is via a makeshift bridge that traverses the Anduin and along a path West.

The Wells of Langflood is an agreeable new zone. If you enjoyed the ambience of the Vale of Anduin, then this is more of the same. There are numerous mountainous vistas with impressive views and the ambient music is once again integral to the atmosphere of the zone. As ever, about a third of the area shown on the map is inaccessible and SSG have done their usual trick of using the environment to funnel the player from quest hub to quest hub. I am definitely looking forward to returning to such a bright and verdant zone region having spent several months in Imlad Morgul, which I found to be a depressing and gloomy environment . As ever please note that Bullroarer is a test server and there is always scope for content to change prior to its release to the live game.

In addition to the pictures in this post, here is a link to a gallery of screenshots via Google Photos. All are available at the original screen resolution of 1920 x 1200.

LOTRO: Producer’s Letter 2020

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After several month’s delay and various rumours about internal corporate dissent, Standing Stone Games have finally released this year’s Producer’s Letter. Its arrival has produced a collective sigh of relief from the playerbase, as neither Executive Producer Severlin (Rob Ciccolini) or Community Manager Cordovan (Jerry Snook) seem to shine at corporate communications. In fact there has been an information vacuum for over six months. As for the letter, it certainly promises a lot of new content for The Lord of the Rings Online coming over the next year to eighteen months. And at first glance it sounds as if there’s something for everyone. A catalogue of PVE content, adjustments to the Legendary Items systems, a designated PVP server, more Premium Housing (this time in Rohan) and a further Legendary Server offering greater content difficulty. However, as ever the devil is in the detail and until we know more the vagaries are somewhat frustrating. 

A new PVE Epic Storyline “The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves” is scheduled to run over 2020-21. The first instalment called Mists of Wilderland, that will take players to the Wells of Langflood, is to be released in late spring. Later in the year after the release of Aragorn and Arwen’s wedding, SSG are adding the War of the Three Peaks. This is scaling content open to all players allowing them to come to Durin's aid, as the Dwarves advance to Mount Gundabad to deal with the Orc threat. All of this content is the “meat and potatoes” of LOTRO. Raids, instances and PVE quests are the things that keep players engaged and playing. If the overhaul to the LI system is fair, sensible and not yet another grindfest, then I shall be pleased. Legendary Weapons are a great concept that have never met their full potential since their introduction in 2008.

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I am however, somewhat reticent about some of the other ideas mooted in the Producer’s Letter. I’m not sure what the population is of the two current Legendary Servers but is there any real value in offering a third? Offering more difficult combat in the manner described by SSG, with the Eye of Sauron boosting mob performance sounds intriguing but if this is then met with a reciprocal boost in player performance, exactly what has been gained? It sounds somewhat similar to the existing “Inspired Greatness” mechanic that allows single players to solo content that was originally intended for groups. And where I welcome a new PVP combat server for fans of such content, for any competitive and ranked gameplay to have any longevity, it will require regular updates. Other competitive games have seasons, themed material and a great deal of developer/community interaction. If the LOTRO PVP players are simply encouraged to relocate to an environment that is static as the Ettenmoors in the existing game, then it’s not much of an improvement.

Spreading the LOTRO playerbase across multiple servers is both a risk to business and community cohesion. If players old and new, commit to one of the new servers and it doesn’t work out the way they hoped, will they return to their old servers? Certainly for new players it means starting afresh. And for established players returning to alts that have fallen below level cap, catching up can be an uphill struggle at times. It’s a shame that SSG cannot offer a variety of play styles and activities on the current live servers thus ensuring that LOTRO players although pursuing different goals are at least in the same virtual Middle-earth. I also don’t like to see such words as “temporary” in any road map style communication. These are after all public business plans. Short term objectives don’t always inspire confidence. However, once again I will reiterate that LOTRO is a 13 year old MMO and frankly having any timetable for new content is a good thing compared to the alternatives. Let us see what comes of it all.

More Gaming Amnesia

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I wrote back in January 2018 about “gaming amnesia” and how if you step away from a game for a while, then often you can forget not only the basic control layout but the essential mechanics as well. Well I’ve had a couple of further instances of this recently and it got me thinking as to whether there’s a finite amount of game related data you can retain at one time. I suspect the answer is yes and that it all comes down to the old “use it or lose it” maxim. If you’re not playing a complex game regularly, then the knowledge gets superseded by information you have a more pressing need to access. Hence I do not think I’m experiencing the early signs of dementia of anything like that. Nonetheless, it can be quite frustrating and age is also a factor. Our reactions do slow as we get older and quickly recollecting information becomes more of a chore.

I decided to log into Read Dead Redemption 2 a few days ago. I bought the game last November and played it regularly until early January when I decided to focus on another title. I found my character at the edge of a lake with my trusty steed nearby. There is a very close bond between the main character and his horse in this game and it’s a central theme of the story. So I walked up to my horse Roach (yes I did name him thus) and pressed what I thought was the key to mount up. Instead I delivered a robust right hook to his body. Naturally, my equine chum took a dim view of this and promptly lashed out, kicking with his back legs. I lay twitching in a pool of blood, contemplating that this never happened to Randolph Scott or Audie Murphy. To cut a long story short (as Spandau Ballet would say) I couldn’t recollect any of the key mappings.

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Another example I would like to cite is navigating the depth of the Mines of Moria in LOTRO. Now I spent a lot of time back in 2009 learning the quaint and esoteric routes around this sprawling subterranean metropolis. There was a time when I could ride an in-game goat from Durin’s Threshold in Eriador, right the way through to the First Hall and out into Rhovanion. Furthermore, I could do all this from memory, while eating a sandwich and recording a podcast. I recently found myself utterly lost around Zelem-melek, endlessly going round in circles in Khufdul-tharâkh, shouting at no one in particular about how it would be bloody useful to have a GPS system in this bastard game. I eventually started writing down my route and making notes of landmarks, so I wouldn’t keep looping back to the same locations.

Joking aside, there are several good reasons that mitigate my bout of “gaming amnesia”. Read Dead Redemption 2 is a console port and the thing I often find about such games is that they map the keys in a most unusual way. You often find that WASD doesn’t control movement but some other utterly bizarre alternative permutation. And with regard to Moria, I was reminded by a fellow player that the area has been extensively redeveloped since its initial release in 2008. So perhaps I’m not as incompetant as I initially thought. However, I do think that it would be useful if more developers included a tutorial that could be accessed at any point during the proceedings. All too often, your hand is held purely at the beginning of a game and it is assumed that once you’ve learned the basics, you’ll forever have them at your fingertips. Patently that is not the case. I’m also sure that I’ll experience “gaming amnesia” again quite soon.Especially in light of me returning to both Neverwinter and Call of Duty.

Completing the Minas Morgul Expansion

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Despite taking a short break out of pure frustration, I decided to grit my teeth and try to finish the Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online over the last few days. As I suspected, once you start questing in Minas Morgul itself, it all becomes very homogenous. The circles of the city are deliberately ponderous to navigate and the quests are padded out with generic filler content that requires you to kill multiple types of mobs. Furthermore, Minas Morgul itself is a “lagfest” and you can often find yourself instantly in combat with a mob lurking immediately outside the door of the Rangers camps. The density of the enemies means that you’re continuously pulling aggro when travelling form A to B. And you often find yourself rubberbanding and stuttering due to the poor build of the city. Completing all of the various tiers of the city is a grueling task and upon completion you’re immediately sent to Thuringwath which has many of the same problems. Although some of the quest stories are well conceived, the realities of completing much of the content in Minas Morgul make it very much an uphill struggle.

So far I have completed the Circles of Wrath, Sorrow, Madness and am currently working on the aptly named Circle of Despair. To break up the monotony, I decided to tackle the Epic Story as I wanted to see the conclusion of the Black Book of Mordor. I was suitably impressed by the way the writers tied up all the loose ends, especially the manner in which Gothmog met his fate. The link to Golodir and the lineage of his sword Dúnachar was intriguing. I also liked the way that the author of the Black Book, the Zhelruka Dwarf Voin, turned out to be a benign character and was rather moved in the final scene in which he said goodbye to his wife and son and went off to die. I enjoyed the subtle inference that he may have found Thafar-gathol. Once again the musical score by Bill Champagne was outstanding and greatly enhanced the drama. The final epilogue where you have to decide who gets the Black Book proved interesting and presented three interesting choices. I decided it should be returned to Khîl Tale-spinner as he is a descendant of Voin. But I did flirt with the notion of giving it to Karazgar.

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As ever with LOTRO, it is the strength of the stories and characters, along with the realisation of the world itself which are the game’s greatest strengths. Hence these have been the aspects of the Minas Morgul expansion that I’ve enjoyed the most. As I approach the completion of this expansion I am pleased that I have reached level cap with a relatively robust build. The gear I obtained from opening 22 Adventurer's Steel-bound Lootboxes has made a significant difference to my performance. In recent weeks I have added additional tiers to my LI Legacies and have also upgraded most of the settings. I am also levelling my slotted virtue traits, now that the level cap has been increased to 68. Yet despite these positive points, I cannot help but feel that this expansion is very much a product of two very distinct parts. I very much enjoyed the first section set during the Second Age. However, the second part feels notably weaker, with a lot of arbitrary content thrown together in a slapdash fashion. As for the new raids, I have not experienced these as of yet and am not likely to due to my kinship being quiet of late.

Waiting for the New Middle-earth MMO

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In late 2018 it was announced that Amazon Game Studios and Leyou were collaborating on massively multiplayer online game for PC and consoles set in Middle-earth. Ongoing development is being handled by Athlon Games, a global developer and publisher of free-to-play console and PC games. The studio is a subsidiary of Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited. But beyond the fairly vague press releases that can be found on the Athlon Games website (the last was posted in July 2019), little detail has emerged about the project. There has been unsubstantiated rumours that the project may well tie-in with the forthcoming Amazon Prime TV show that is set in the Second Age of Middle Earth. However, there is little information at present in the public domain to fully substantiate this or any of the other ongoing speculation. Hence, the entire situation raises some interesting questions and I’m sure like me, you have probably pondered some of them. Here are just a few that have crossed my mind.

• Will this title be directly competing with Standing Stone Games MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online?

• Exactly what sort of MMO will this new LOTR based game be, as the very term MMO is extremely elastic these days. 

• Will the appropriate licensing body allow two games from the same genre to exist simultaneously? 

• Exactly what business model will this new MMO have?

• What iteration of the franchise will this game be based upon? Will it draw directly from the Peter Jackson movies (like games such as Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War) or will it create a unique vision of Middle Earth as with SSG’s LOTRO?

Due to the lack of any definitive information, all we can presently do is speculate about the answers to these questions. Firstly, as to “do we need another The Lord of the Rings themed MMO”, I certainly think the market can sustain one. Competition can be a healthy thing and it is nice as a consumer to have choice. Products can co-exist harmoniously if they provide different experiences. I am always interested in seeing different people’s visions of Professor Tolkien's work, such as artists like Alan Lee, John Howe and Ted Nasmith, so for me a new game would be welcome purely from an creative and aesthetic perspective. There is also a wealth of lore that is available to be developed into new storylines. This is something that Turbine and Standing Stone Games have managed to do successfully over the past thirteen years. Any new game can easily explore an aspect of Tolkien’s work that hasn’t been touched by any previous product. There is no need to simply tread old ground.

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Now if this new The Lord of the Rings themed MMO is marketed in direct competition to LOTRO, then I would expect it to be a very different beast, based around the mechanics and systems that are currently popular within the genre. I do not see any benefit in simply creating an MMO that replicates what exactly LOTRO does. I would not be surprised if this new MMO was closer to The Elder Scrolls Online in its systems design. It is also worth considering licensing arrangements. When Star Wars: The Old Republic was released in late 2011, a decision was made to close the older MMO Star Wars Galaxies. Exactly why this happened has never been officially discussed, so we do not know if this was solely about concerns over competition. However, the legal rights for Tolkien’s work are administered by a completely different body, so it doesn’t mean that a similar fate necessarily awaits LOTRO. But it is prudent to at least reflect upon what happened to SWG.

Personally, I would like to see a less linear game with a far more open world environment, dynamic content that is proximity based and the chance to develop charterers that aren't solely based around combat. To be able to lose oneself in a virtual Middle Earth, where you are free to explore, craft, farm, trade or simply aimlessly meander, would be a massive step forward for fans of the IP. But I am fully aware that what delights me may well deter other gamers and that ultimately any game is going to have to find a balance between the new and established systems that are economically viable. The development costs required to create a truly open world version of Middle-earth would be substantial and more importantly, the risk of such an experimental project would potentially be the biggest obstacle. Conversely,  just using Tolkien’s world for yet another PVP or Battle Royale game would in my view be a waste of the franchise.

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I'm sure that many interested parties will be keeping an eye on Athlon Games over the next year to see how this new MMO pans out. Let us hope that further information is forthcoming regarding its development and its specific nature. However, a quality MMO is not made overnight and so I’m not optimistic that I’ll be playing this new game any time soon. If it is tied to the Amazon Prime TV show, then the games launch may also depend on whether that show gains any traction. Furthermore, the TV show may well be intended to run over numerous seasons and try and emulate the sustained success of Game of Thrones. If that's the case then this new MMO may not appear until the TV show has hit its peak popularity. And if the show is not well received the game could well be cancelled before release. Therefore, it may well be best for Tolkien fans to simply just keep an eye on this project and continue to focus on those games such as LOTRO that do currently exist and provide a specific service.

Making Your Own Fun

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I’ve yet to read a cogent definition of the term “emergent gameplay”, so it won’t feature in this post because I’m not sure if I fully grasp the concept. It seems to be a very elastic term. However, what I will say is that sometimes you run out of officially sanctioned tasks to do, when playing an MMO. You find yourself having completed all quests and missions, languishing at level cap with acceptable gear and kicking your virtual heels. It is at this point one of two things happens. You either find a means of keeping yourself engaged with the game, or you logout and find something else to play. Too often have I done the latter. At present, I’m currently at the “what should I do now” stage both in The Lord of the Rings Online and Star Trek Online. This time rather than just temporarily abandoning these games, I intend to set myself some new goals and effectively make my own fun. It may or may not work. But at the least it will make for a couple of blog posts.

I still have a hankering for a Tier 6 Constitution Class ship in STO. Specifically one from the TOS era, rather than the Kelvin Timeline or DISCO period. However, to get one I’ve either got to buy the 10th Anniversary Legendary Ship Bundle (which requires selling a kidney) or open a ton of Infinity Promotion Research & Development Packs. You can either buy these for Zen (real money) or Energy Credits (ingame currency) via the Exchange. Occasionally a reward pack containing one of these ships does come up for sale on the Exchange but this is usually between 1.5 and 2 billion Energy Credits. Which leads me neatly on to the subject of earning this in-game currency. Some MMOs are laid back when it comes to generating revenue. STO is not one of them. Something that Cryptic has tried to address over the years. So I thought it would be interesting to see how many Energy Credits I could earn in a fixed period of time. This would then be an interesting litmus test to see if a player could realistically raise the necessary funds to buy one of these ridiculously expensive vessels. So having blown all my in-game cash, I’m going to see how much I can raise over the next 28 days. Watch this space for further details.

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Meanwhile in LOTRO, I’m going to grasp the nettle and see what I can do to improve my Legendary Items. There has got to be another way to earn Anfalas Scrolls of Empowerment, other than just running the same old Minas Tirith dailies. I shall search through all my festival and rep related barter currencies and see if there’s anything that can be cashed in. This reminds me of yet another promise that Turbine/Standing Stone Games have yet to make good on; a decent currency exchange program or a universal barter currency. And if grinding chores for LI improvement fails to excite me (and I suspect it that it will) there is always completing deeds to raise the level of slotted virtue traits. The level cap has now been raised to 68, so there’s scope for statistical improvement if these are maxed out. And if both these options are a washout, I may just do some buying and selling on the auction house. Playing the markets in an MMO has always been a fun way to enjoy commodities trading without any of the risk of its real world counterpart.

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Many of my gamer friends and colleagues make their own fun when playing MMOs. Some will set themselves “iron man” criteria for their ongoing gameplay, playing within fixed builds or specific gear sets. Others confine themselves to specific expansions or just continuously roll new alts. I often find players in my kinship/fleet/guild busy achieving accolades, completing obscure deeds and generally pursuing that game in an unconventional manner. Thankfully the MMO genre lends itself to these kinds of extracurricular activities. There can be pleasure and enjoyment found in many obscure aspects of the virtual worlds we visit. For example, I will sometimes log into LOTRO and just ride around where my fancy takes me, enjoy the aesthetics of the world. If the MMO genre didn’t offer these kind of adaptable freedoms I think a lot of these games would soon lose their audience once they had exhausted traditional content. So here’s to making your own fun and doing things your way. The fact that this annoys certain types of gamers makes it all the more enjoyable.

5 of My Favourite Quality-of-Life Mechanics in MMOs

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Over the years I’ve played numerous MMOs (to varying degrees of success). As a genre there are certain game mechanics that are standard and common to most games. Initially during the “golden age” of the MMORPG, there was a focus on collaborative team player. This meant that successfully undertaking group content required a spectrum of players in specific roles. This particular mechanic has diminished over the years but the genre still has numerous common tropes. Quest hubs, reputation factions, gear grinds and vertical levelling are just some that spring to mind. However, many developers in this field attempt to polish and refine these “default” systems, often with interesting results. So I thought I’d cite some specific examples of what I call “quality-of-life mechanics”. Frequently these are bog standard facets common to the MMO genre, that have been polished and refined in a particular game. Small things that just make a game more manageable and provoke a positive reaction as well.

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Neverwinter: Quest Path. 

It frankly annoys me the way some game designers go out of their way to make navigating around their virtual world so damn difficult. Cities are often complex with non-linear road layouts and there are frequently esoteric quirks that you just have to figure out the hard way. I’m sure somewhere there’s a self satisfied dev whose smirking at how clever they’ve been, as you run around a major quest hub in an increasingly frustrated state, looking for a particular NPC or item. However Cryptic have addressed this matter head on with the Quest Path facility in the MMO Neverwinter. If you want a helping hand this game mechanic provides a sparkly trail that takes you directly to your next quest location. It is simple, functional and also purely optional. Purists can learn their way around if they prefer. Where as casual players, those with a poor sense of direction or individuals who prefer to focus on other aspects of the game can opt to avail themselves of this service. I really wish this was available in more MMOs.

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The Elder Scrolls Online: Content Scaling.

Many older MMOs suffer from a common problem. Increases in level cap, along with an ever growing catalogue of content, lead to older material becoming redundant. There is no incentive to play older, lower level quests once you have reached level cap nor to revisit completed regions and instances. Furthermore, new players cannot play with veteran friends due to their obvious level differences. This is just poor game design and it also antagonises players. However, two years after its initial release, The Elder Scrolls Online tackled this very issue in late 2016 with the One Tamriel update. This allowed players of any level, in any faction, to travel to any other PvE zone and tackle appropriately-scaled content. Hence a veteran player can now group a newbie and both will equally benefit with regard to XP and loot drops. It is literally a “game changing” achievement that makes the game far more inclusive and open ups a wealth of previously gated content. Should this not be a default system in every MMO?

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Star Trek Online: Upgrading Gear and The Exchange.

Cryptic’s MMO ode to the Star Trek franchise is far from perfect. Even after 10 years it still sports numerous bugs and as a game has never really hit its full potential. However, it does get a lot right and exudes an appropriate Trek vibe. It also includes not one but two straightforward systems that improve the game immensely. The first is the opportunity to upgrade gear and even change the statistical modifiers on it. Therefore if you take a liking to a Mark I item at the start of the game, you can retain it and upgrade it as your character progresses through the 65 levels. Yes, this can be quite a costly process with regard to using in-game resources but does means that not every item is doomed to obsolescence. You don’t have to unceremoniously ditch something you’ve worked hard to obtain. And the other thing that I feel STO does very well is its own unique version of “auction house” or The Exchange as it’s known in this case. Firstly STO runs on one shard, so there is a substantial customer base to interact with. Secondly, there are no listing fees at all. Thirdly, the moment an item sells you are notified and the cash (Energy Credits) go straight into your virtual wallet. Although hyperinflation is a thing (as it is in most MMOs), at least you don’t have to worry about selling items quickly and efficiently.

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The Lord of the Rings Online: Auto Loot.

I find it ironic that one of the most old school and somewhat dated MMOs around, still manages to have a game system in place that is still lacking from more recent titles. The Lord of the Rings Online added auto loot to the game with the Rise of Isengard expansion back in 2011. Until then, you had to approach a defeated foe and manually collect your loot on a per item basis or as a whole. At the most you could assign this process to a specific key and hoover everything up within a small AoE but it was a pain. Sifting through loot at source always has been and remains so a potential problem. But auto loot changed this and did so in a radical fashion. The moment you now defeat an enemy, all loot is directly placed in your bags. Again for those who wish to sift manually, this setting can be toggled off but for us busy, lesser mortals, we can just blast through an area indulging in mass slaughter, safe in the knowledge that all loot has been collected. The only thing you have to be aware of is your respective bag space, and if you screw that up there’s a very generous overflow system. Again, shouldn’t this be the norm?

So these are five examples of “quality-of-life mechanics in MMOs” that I find invaluable. I’m sure there are plenty of others out there that can be referenced. Feel free to leave comments below of examples that you enjoy and would like to mention.

LOTRO: The Scarcity and Cost of Essential Items

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I wrote recently about how I completely re-equipped my Lore-master using lootbox gear and purchasing new items using Ember of Enchantment. This did significantly boost my overall statistics and make an improvement in my combat performance. But something has still felt “off” and it was only a few days ago that I finally figured out exactly what it was. My Legendary Weapons are still wanting. I found myself standing next to another level 130 Lore-master while handing in a quest, so I decided to inspected their build. Luckily they hadn’t opted to remain “private” so I could examine exactly what gear they had and the statistics on their LI (Legendary Items). Although their armour and jewellery was broadly comparable to mine, their LIs were far superior. And it all came down to “Legacies” and what tier they were. Mine are currently level 69 and 70 on my First Age Staff. And on my First Age Lore-master Book, they are level 65 and 66. At present, until I unlock further legacy tiers, my LIs are not earning any XP and that is irksome.

As you can see from the picture below, the main legacy and the secondary legacies on this Lore-master’s LIs are all substantially higher than mine. This player has therefore applied a lot of Anfalas Star-lit Crystals and Anfalas Scrolls of Empowerment to them both. These are essential resources that are not casually acquired. If you wish to stockpile such items you need to farm the Minas Tirith repeatable dailies and regularly undertake the featured instance. The various festivals that occur during the year can also provide another useful  source. But if you are serious about acquiring a substantial supply of these, then you need to maintain a daily schedule and repeat a lot of content. Once again this is a prime example of how older MMOs reward the continuous participation of the “loyal” players and disincentivise the casual player. The only other alternatives are to try and purchase these items via Auction House (which is impossible due to the hyper inflation that is rampant in the game), or to use the LOTRO Store.

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If you want your character to be adequately equipped at level cap then you need to spend as much time and attention on your LIs as you do your gear. Simply put Anfalas Star-lit Crystals and Anfalas Scrolls of Empowerment are essential items. It would be nice if LOTRO had mechanics that allowed you to trade in or deconstruct old barter currency or gear into a universal currency, so players who do not have the time (or inclination) to grind for essential items, had an alternative means of obtaining them. But the bottom line is that such a major overhaul is not coming to LOTRO. Standing Stone Games more than likely lack the in-house expertise to retrofit such a system and even if the skills are there, why should they do such a thing when the store provides a lucrative alternative? In the meantime, I’ve trawled through my barter wallet and used what I have to purchase a few more Anfalas Scrolls of Empowerment. I managed to do all three of the Minas Tirith instances over the weekend and earned a few more but I cannot see myself farming these on a daily basis. Repeating these instances at level 130 it is a dull undertaking. Thinking about this matter has also made me consider how do casual players with multiple alts, address this issue. I suspect they don’t. Which means that there must be many other LOTRO players with lacklustre LIs.

LOTRO: Solving a Gear “Problem” with Money

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Before I crack on, I would like to point out that I’ve put  the word “problem” in quotes, to reference the fact that this is an opinion and not a universal fact that confronts all players of the MMORPG, The Lord of the Rings Online. Now that’s out of the way, let me start by saying that the way in which game developers think you should play their products can at times be at odds with how the players like to do things themselves. LOTRO is a classic MMORPG in so far as the player is expected to level their characters playing a variety of PVE content, then play repeatables to obtain intermediate gear, then pursue endgame content such as raiding. Simply put, it means you get the best gear once you’ve arrived at level cap and not while you’re levelling. Usually PVE content is not too problematic if you maintain a relevant build and gear according to level. However, LOTRO does have several zones and expansions that are “wild cards. For example Mounted Combat in Rohan is a nuisance for melee classes. And then there’s the gear check and increase in mob difficulty that occurs in both Mordor and Minas Morgul expansions.

Now my approach to MMOs has been consistent since I first started playing the genre in 2008. I am not especially enamoured with end game content and tend to enjoy PVE based levelling the most. I don’t harbour any notions about “challenges” or “testing one’s mettle”. Nope, I run on the sound military principle of ensuring that you are as well equipped as possible at all times. For example, when I was levelling an alt in 2019 I used account bound barter currencies to ensure they had the best gear every 10 levels. I was not content with lacklustre drops and found that investing in good skirmish sets increased my overall performance. The bottom line is when playing an MMO I like to be overpowered. Which brings me nicely to my current situation. I am halfway through the latest LOTRO expansion and I have hit level cap. Questing in the Morgul Vale now lies ahead of me and I suspect that it is going to be a slog. Hence I want to be OP so I can negate the purposely contrived slow pace set by the developers.

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After completing the first half of the latest expansion, Mordor Besieged, I acquired a new set of Green quality gear. It was superior to that I had earned through the Vales of Anduin but it still felt underwhelming. It offered survivability but no discernible “edge”. So I decided to conduct an experiment to see if I could get better equipment now, rather than waiting to finish the expansion. Having searched my Barter Wallet I had no currency that I could use that would yield superior gear. So I decided to see what I could get via Adventurer's Steel-bound Lootboxes. So I bought £30 worth of LOTRO points (LP) with some Christmas gift money and then proceeded to buy 22 Black Steel Key. These are purchased from the LOTRO Store for 195 LP each, or 5x for 900 LP. I then opened 22 lootboxes which gave mainly Embers of Enchantment along with buffs, boosts, cosmetic items, essences and the occasional item of gear. I then bought further jewellery and gear with the Embers. I also disenchanted old gear and some of the items I obtained that were duplicates or unwanted cosmetics.

This post is not the time or place for a debate on the subject of “pay to win”. I shall leave that for another day. However, I have included in this article two pictures which show my Lore-masters stats before and after I re-equipped using lootboxes. Broadly, I am happy with the results. I have had my stats boosted across the board with only Critical Rating taking a hit. I can adjust this by replacing an essence or two. After I replaced my gear I ran a skirmish (Thievery and Mischief) and certainly didn’t struggle as I have previously. Defeating the encounter bosses was far quicker than before and I never felt I was in any jeopardy. Light armour classes often feel squishy and now I believe that quality has been mitigated. Mobs don’t take so many hits to die and the pace of combat seems to have returned to a more equitable rhythm. Fights no longer seem like a reactive process but a proactive one. I prefer this.

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Now, this simple test is far from scientific and I’m sure a more invested player would have produced far more data on the statistical difference between builds. Then there’s the argument that the current gear progression offered by the new expansion is not a problem per se and my outlook is just down to my personal foibles. Something I wouldn’t argue against. I am simply advocating using whatever resources you have available to ensure you are as optimally geared as possible. I’d rather that process didn’t require the spending of additional money and I’m also not asking for raid gear to be available outside of raids themselves. However, regardless of where you stand on such issues, LOTRO is a game that was developed when prevailing MMO trends were a lot different. The genre has changed a lot in ten plus years. I remember when Turbine (now SSG) introduced the long term project of rebuilding the town of Hytbold in Rohan, as a means of earning top tier gear, outside of raiding. It would be nice to have something comparable now. However, I think the developers have discovered that this gap in the gear market that I have highlighted, can be monetised and that is how it will be treated from now on.

Thoughts on the Minas Morgul Expansion

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I was afforded some free time this weekend, so I logged in to The Lord of the Rings Online and blitzed through about half of the Minas Morgul expansion and managed to reach the new level cap of 130 ( I was level 128 when I started). I finished the first two new chapters of The Black Book of Mordor and completed Mordor Besieged; the section of the new expansion that is set in the Second Age on the plateau of Gorgoroth. It’s a curious and initially engaging part of the game. In the past LOTRO aficionados have only been able to briefly access iconic events of the past through session play where they get to be someone else, via a short story driven instance. Mordor Besieged offers a revised area of the existing Mordor map; namely Dor Armath. All though a desolate place in the Second Age, this region is not the wasteland we see in the Third Age. The landscape has several active fortresses held by both sides and The Nazgul roam freely. But there is little of real substance to do here (a point I shall return to) and after a while it gets somewhat repetitive.

But as ever with LOTRO, the “gold” is in the story that Standing Stone Games have crafted. On this occasion there are several interesting interpretations of the lore. Firstly, there is the battle on the slopes of Mount Doom in which Sauron is defeated. Tolkien says in his text “at the last the siege was so strait that Sauron himself came forth; and he wrestled with Gil-galad and Elendil, and they both were slain, and the sword of Elendil broke under him as he fell. But Sauron also was thrown down, and with the hilt-shard of Narsil Isildur cut the Ruling Ring from the hand of Sauron and took it for his own”. This is directly reflected in a cutscene which shows both Gil-galad and Elendil injuring Sauron and then getting burned by the power of the One Ring. However, Sauron himself collapses after expending such power and being wounded twice. Isildur then cuts the ring from a greatly weakened Sauron’s hand. This differs from from Peter Jackson’s adaptation that shows Isildur being the far more proactive in the Dark Lord’s demise.

Secondly, in the Lost Lore of the Last Alliance, if you collect all the pages and read the text in order, it states that Gil-galad uses two of the Elven Rings to destroy the Black Gate by summoning a firestorm. However, wielding two rings nearly kills him and he swears he will not do such a thing again. As dramatic as this may be it contradicts the source text. Tolkien states the following. "But the Elves fled from him; and three of their rings they saved, and bore them away, and hid them. Now these were the Three that had last been made. But Sauron could not discover them, for they were given into the hands of the Wise, who concealed them and never again used them openly while Sauron kept the Ruling Ring". Using two Elven rings to force your way into Mordor doesn’t sound much like “concealing” to me. But LOTRO is an adaptation of Tolkien’s work, designed to accommodate the needs of the MMORPG genre. It’s best not to be too picky about lore or as you’ll find that a lot of the game doesn’t hold up to close scrutiny.

Usually in LOTRO, the Epic Story moves events forward and regional quests support or embellish the wider ongoing narrative. In Mordor Besieged, it doesn’t quite feel that way. There’s a lot of “treading water”. Some parts of the Epic are just superfluous exposition and only about half is of any importance. Most of the zone quests are of the “fetch” or “slayer” variety despite some fun lore references (such as the inclusion of Hobbits from the Gladden Fields in The Last Alliance). Overall, the entire first half of this expansion seems to be somewhat drawn out and could have been a free update in its own right. Which begs the question is Minas Morgul really a true expansion. Or is it two updates? Or a hybrid made of material left over from the Mordor expansion from two years ago, that has been retooled and padded out so as to be called an “expansion”? I hope the next half offers more. I have enjoyed my experience so far but on a critical level Minas Morgul has been lacking in depth of content.

LOTRO: Catching Up With Content

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I regularly fall behind the latest content release for The Lord of the Rings Online. So it is not uncommon for me to “binge play” in an attempt to catch up with others in my kinship. The November release of the Minas Morgul expansion (which I have now grudgingly purchased) raised the level cap to 130. I managed to gain nearly 5 levels recently by repeating the Yule Festival daily quests and supplementing them with skirmishes. I used a lot of rested XP and bought a lot of progression perks with Destiny Points. However, as I mentioned in a previous blog post, I was struggling in the skirmishes as I was geared for level 120, so I decided to return to playing PVE content in the Vales of Anduin. As this content is designed for players at level 120, it has proven a more equitable player experience; especially as I was level 125 when I returned to the Wolf-denes. I was able to progress through the zone, focusing on the various quests stories and not having to continuously worry about being underpowered and at risk of defeat. Last night I completed Update 24 and have managed to reach level 128 with my Lore-master. I now feel that I am adequately prepared for the new expansion.

There are certain advantages to “binge playing” an MMO. First you get a far clearer picture of how your progress through the game impacts upon your character’s abilities. Virtues, reputation and LI progression have all notably increased as I have comprehensively played through the Epic Story and all regional quest hubs. I have maxed out the virtue of Wisdom and have now set Honesty to benefit from the ongoing XP gain. These longer, lengthier play sessions allow you to make specific decisions about your character’s stats and then tangibly see them grow. It does feel different to intermittent game play and gives you a sense that you’re in more control. Plus having spent more time becoming re-acquainted with the subtleties of my main alt, I have subsequently been able to trawl through my vault and make informed decisions about what to keep and what to dispense with. I have numerous essences that are no longer relevant so they have gone to other alts. The ongoing questing has also provided some useful new intermediate gear. I’ll take any statistical boost no matter how big or small. Anything that makes proceeding through Minas Morgul as frictionless as possible is a boon.

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The second bonus that I find comes from “binge playing” is that I get to focus far more on the quest narratives. The regional quests often link and underpin the main story line, providing subtle lore references and interesting vignettes. The Vales of Anduin has been exceptionally beneficial in this way. It was a pleasure to return to Goblin Town and I like the concept of the various post fall-of-Mordor power struggles that occur all over Middle-earth. The incursion of Gundabad Orcs into the Misty Mountains was very plausible as well as fun. I also liked the story of Old Mad Ubb and his legend among the Woodmen of the region. His true identity was not too difficult to discern but was a nice canonical reference. The expansion of Radagast’s role in the game was also welcome and I was even prepared to go along with the expansion of the lore to explain the Ungoledain. However, developer’s Standing Stone Games also include a lot of “filler” quests in the zone. For every good story mission, there will be several or more “fetch” or “kill” quests. The Gladden Fields is a prime example of this. Sometimes there’s a fine line between enjoying an area and then feeling that you just want to leave because its has outstayed its welcome, due to the ponderous list of chores you are offered.

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So the next step for my Lore-master will be to head off to the Morgul Vale and continue with the Black Book of Mordor story. I have spoken to fellow LOTRO players and my kin mates and have received mixed views and opinions about the latest expansion. The story is supposed to be good but the reality of questing in this zone is a bit of a grind. There are a lot of repetitive journeys to specific areas to carry out the most arbitrary of tasks. Mob density is also quite high, making travel from A to B a chore. Plus it is a dark and dour zone as the lore dictates but that doesn’t always make for a good experience. The memory of Mordor and its “testing” nature still lingers in the back of my mind. I hope that Minas Morgul is not cut from exactly the same cloth. However, if that is the case, I can always focus my attention on other endeavours. I can return to previous zones and finish various deeds to increase my virtues. I can also focus on featured instances and roving threats and see if I can earn sufficient barter currencies for new gear. Or I could even focus on levelling my High Elf Guardian who remains on the slag hills outside the Black Gate. Who knows, we may even get a Producer’s Letter at some point with a road map for LOTRO in 2020. That would be most welcome.

The Pace of Combat in MMOs

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This is going to be a very subjective post because much of what I am about describe isn’t based upon measurable data (although I’m sure there are players who would do so) but more how something feels. Ironically, due to my nature I’m usually more disposed towards fact-based analyses but even I have to recognise that humans are driven by emotions and other esoteric factors. And with regard to this subject matter I hate to say it but how I feel greatly shapes my opinion. So let me begin by referring back to the MMO The Secret World, which has evolved into Secret World Legends. One of the main reasons I stopped playing the original version of the game was because the combat was tedious. By which I mean it took too long. I would use an assault rifle and blast away at a mob, only for it to pursue me as its health meter slowly went down. Hence, I would have to reverse while attacking and slowly back peddle until the mob died. As a method it worked but it was extremely unsatisfactory. The weapon felt under powered and the style of attack lacked grandeur. The revised iteration of the game failed to address this so I didn’t stick with playing that either.

Although combat in MMOs is about damage, control and tactics there are also more nebulous factors involved. These being rhythm, pacing and a sense on being in control of your actions so you can read and adjust to the ebb and flow of the fight. There is a sweet spot somewhere between both the technical facets of combat and the more enigmatic matter of how it “feels”. When a game get’s it right, it often something you discern subconsciously first, rather than by number crunching your combat log. And when a game get’s it wrong fighting crosses the line from being a challenging but enjoyable task to simply being a drag. However, we have to temper this outlook with the fact that no two players share exactly the same view on what “feels” right. Let me further add that I always like to gear my characters in any MMO to be overpowered. I want every single buff, boost and boon I can get because to my mind why would you not want that? I don’t look at combat in this genre of games to be some sort of Marquess of Queensberry rules, even-handed, battle of skill to find out who is the better “chap”. No, I want to be able to crush all before me quickly and efficiently.

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Which brings me nicely on to my current situation in The Lord of the Rings Online. I worked my primary character through Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell and came out the other side, well geared and able to hold my own in combat. I continued with Update 24: Vales of Anduin and had no issues making progress. And then along came the Minas Morgul expansion in November 2019 with an increase in level cap to 130 and new gear to grind. If you buy the expansion and follow the Epic story you will be provided with adequate gear from quest rewards to move forward. If however, you have not bought the expansion you will find that doing level 120 plus skirmishes or instances is tricky because you are now behind the gear curve. Also you may find that your Legendary Items are wanting and will need to acquire Anfalas Scrolls of Empowerment to unlock additional tiers on your LI legacies. Collectively these factors have conspired and I am now distinctly underpowered and struggling to progress through skirmishes and group content due to being gimped by not purchasing the latest expansion. Combat is now a slog to wear down mobs. For me this goes beyond challenging and strays into the realm of the tedious.

I did some calculations today and I need about 140-150 Anfalas Scrolls of Empowerment to keep my LI viable and unlock all possible upgrades. I can either grind these items via the game, buy them on Auction House or purchase from the in-game store. The latter will cost about £150 so that is not an option. Neither is grinding towards a goal. It will take between one and two months and I don’t relish doing the same old quests for that period of time. I do not have the gold required to buy these items from the in-game auction, so the immediate future is one of performing under requirement. This makes combat slow and ponderous which brings me neatly to my original point about once combat ceases to be “fun”, it pretty much kills my interest in a game. This also highlights a problem with a lot of the older MMOs that still exist. To play in an optimal fashion you have to be wedded to the game, play through all content regularly and ensure that you keep on top of all new systems and mechanics. If you in any way take time out and fall behind, then you are potentially disadvantaging yourself.  This is not something that occurs in more recent MMOs such as The Elder Scrolls Online.

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Despite my grumblings at perceived shortcomings in LOTRO, I have a strong connection to the game as it was my point of entry to this genre. Therefore I shall persevere with the situation and see if I can devise a plan to re-equip my character by the path of least resistance. I am also fortunate to be in a kinship that is very generous and resources are often shared. However, it is interesting that I find myself in exactly the same position as I was when the Mordor expansion launched and I arrived late to that particular party. I believe it proves my theory that LOTRO requires a degree of fidelity and regular participation to be experienced in the best way in terms of gear, jewellery and effective DPS. I see now why many players choose to avoid this “trap” by continuously rolling new alts and restricting their game play to specific content, as to not find themselves in the position of having to continuously chase end content. Of course I could make this problem go away by just buying the latest expansion and playing though it but that flies in the face of the old school MMO philosophy of doing things your own way. Perhaps the reality is that’s just not a thing anymore

A Year in Gaming

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Life is often cyclical, if you don’t believe me go watch The Lion King. I started 2018 playing The Lord of the Rings Online and by writing a post about how gamers collectively seem to repeat the same mistakes. And as the year and indeed the decade ends, I find myself once again playing the Yule Festival in LOTRO and reflecting upon how some games that garnered criticism over their egregious business models, have ended up as huge hits. It would appear that gamers are their own worst enemy. I shall leave the psychological analysis of paradox to others. From my perspective, irrespective of the iniquities of the video game industry and certain quarters of the gaming community, it has been a good year, gaming wise. I have enjoyed my time playing MMOs such as Star Trek Online, The Elder Scrolls Online and the aforementioned LOTRO. These and other titles have entertained me, provided me with an opportunity to unwind as well as affording me some much-needed social interaction. I particularly enjoy Wednesday evenings when I log into my Discord server and then chat and play collaboratively with longstanding gaming friends.

In many ways, 2019 was just the same as any other year. If I may quote myself, I wrote on January 1st "it does not seem unreasonable to expect more shitty video games and questionable business practises in 2019” and broadly that has proven true. The video game industry shovelled out yet more substandard products such as Mario Kart Tour, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint and NBA 2K20. All of which are essentially the bare bones games with further content gated behind paywalls and microtransaction. Yet despite the inherent dishonesty of the “pay to start” business model, these titles sold and sold well, thus reminding us that people are the fundamental problem and as a result we get the gaming industry that we deserve. And as for the video game industry itself, it hardly covered itself in glory (again). The latest “trick” seems to be to release a game, get it reviewed and rated and then add an in-game store at a later date. Thus you can avoid any negative publicity during the initial launch window. And then of course there was the Blizzard debacle which raised the inherent dilemma in doing business with an authoritarian country such as China. Oh and “crunch” culture, institutionalised misogyny and general male centric douche baggery still seems to prevail in the industry.

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However, 2019 wasn’t all doom and gloom. There are always good titles to be found if you look hard enough. The Untitled Goose Game was an utter joy and certainly seemed to touch a cultural never but in a good way. The Outer Worlds found popular acclaim and seemed to compensate for Fallout 76 as a spiritual successor to that franchise. I personally was very pleased by the arrival of Red Dead Redemption 2 on the PC. Yes, the launch was somewhat farcical and I had to downgrade my PC’s BIOS to play the damn thing but the game certainly lived up to my expectations, with its complex and nuanced narrative. And not all video game developers are corporate monstrosities. Compare 2K or EA to Rebellion Developments and the contrast is obvious. The latter is a company that I don’t feel the need to take a shower after buying one of their games. Plus, 2019 proved that there are still plenty of game bloggers, streamers and podcasters who are interested in producing content in a thoughtful, constructive and engaging manner. Too many subreddits are insular, angry communities that “shit in their own watering hole”. Who needs that when you can find honest and genuine content from gamers who enjoy what they play, rather than recriminate over how they think the community and industry should be?

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For me video games continue to provide an entertaining, social and economic leisure activity. They certainly dove tail neatly into my lifestyle and real-world commitments. And so as I await the arrival of 2020, I shall enter the new decade (when framed in such terms it sounds somewhat depressing) pretty much doing the same as I did twelve months ago. I see no reason to stop playing the three MMOs that have been the mainstay of my gaming activities for so long. They are functional and provide both long and short gameplay sessions as well as clear goals. As all these games are relatively healthy from a business perspective, there is regular new content throughout the year. No doubt I will try several single player games in 2020; some of which will be planned purchases where others will be bought on a whim. I may even investigate some of the free titles I’ve acquired from the Epic Store or some of the obscure games I’ve collected in discount bundles over the years. I’m certainly no expecting myself or the video game industry to have any sort of epiphany over the next twelve months. I shall just anticipate more of the same, which after all is life’s default position.

LOTRO: Levelling via the Yule Festival

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As I haven’t yet bought the recently released Minas Morgul expansion for The Lord of the Rings Online, I am presently faced with the problem of looking for alternative ways to gain ten levels, now that the cap has been increased to 130. The most obvious answer is to play the various skirmishes that exist within the game, however I noticed that at level 120 I’m somewhat under geared and not doing as much DPS as I would like. Consequently, skirmishes have ceased for the present to be a cake walk and are more of a strategic undertaking, requiring attention to one’s skills rotation and a generally cautious strategy. I could also just return to the Vales of Anduin and clear some of the outstanding story quests but due to the time of year, I prefer shorter play sessions, rather than get bogged down in lengthy narrative chains. Hence, the current Yule Festival presents the most practical solution to my needs.

Frostbluff, where the LOTRO Yule Festival takes place, is an atmospheric, self-contained zone with a selection of repeatable quests. If you take the time and give the matter some thought, you can come up with an optimal rotation of quests that allows you to undertake them in the most efficient manner. I try to deal with all those based in the town first, then head West to collect the wood via the Wood-trolls, then East to deal with the Frost Grims and cheer the Snowbeasts. Finally I pick the mushrooms and head back into Frostbluff for the various hand ins. All of these quests can be completed within twenty minutes of so. If you choose a time of day when there are less players about, then you’ll not have to worry about queuing for NPCs to respawn and can possibly finish all these tasks in half the time. Furthermore, you soon learn where all the various items you need are and the entire process becomes second nature.

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If you use XP boosters or take advantage of rested XP and other perks, you can receive a healthy amount of XP per quest. If you then undertake 10 repeatable quests each day, then the experience points soon racks up. I’m hoping that by the end of the Yule Festival on Thursday 9th January to have gained three to four levels and be somewhere around 124. I think I’ll then return to the Wolf-denes and finish all of the last update before finally considering buying and starting Minas Morgul. And then it will be back on the gear grind once again and unlocking further tiers on the Legacies of Legendary Weapon. I think my days of being at the cutting edge of LOTRO are now behind me as over for the last few years I’ve found myself playing catch up with most content. However, this is through my own choice. LOTRO is a known quantity and the gaming equivalent of a comfortable pair of shoes. It serves a purpose by scratching a very specific itch but I doubt if its going to reinvent itself in 2020.