LOTRO: Five Things I Do Not Use Anymore

View fullsize

I logged into The Lord of the Rings Online today and started sorting through my inventory and vault on my primary character, which is a level cap Lore-master. After 14 years and a great deal of change, it’s hardly surprising that an MMO such as LOTRO generates so much bric-a-brac and superfluous items. Much of which is obsolete or only of use for a very short period of time while levelling. Much of this junk is linked to wider systems and mechanics in the game that are no longer relevant or at the least are no longer as important to the game as it has grown and expanded. In fact, off the top of my head, here are five aspects of LOTRO that were a big deal at one point during the games lifecycle (indeed some were major selling points) but now are not essential as you progress through the game. Certainly they don’t necessarily have any major bearing upon the average LOTRO player (follow the link for a discussion about this particular definition) with an alt at level cap. 

Mounted Combat, War-steed and War Wolf. I can remember when the Riders of Rohan expansion was being touted by then developer Turbine and the concept of mounted combat was referenced as being the alleged Holy Grail among players. All I could think of at the time was that I hadn't asked for it. When it finally arrived it was clunky, with steering your War-steed especially difficult with heavier mounts. For some classes, being on horseback was utterly absurd and far from fun. But what cannot be cured must be endured, so many players just got on with it. However once the expansion was completed I and others never touched this mechanic ever again. Hence I have never bought any further cosmetic items for my War-steed because why would I do that for something I don’t use? My only regret is that I didn’t get much use out of the War Wolf companion that the Lore-master gets through traiting in a specific fashion.

Cosmetic Items. I’ve said it before and I will say it again and again. Cosmetic outfit options for the Lore-master class in LOTRO are very limited. You can either look like Ming the Merciless or Rick Wakeman during his cape fetish era from when he was in Yes. Neither look appeals to me. Despite the fact that the developers added the ability to wear non-class related items cosmetically, a long time ago, there is precious little that looks sartorially appropriate for the Lore-master. So after finding about three outfits that I can live with, I don’t believe I’ve altered my primary alts appearance for over half a decade.

View fullsize

Landscape Soldier. Due to power creep and finally having obtained some good quality gear, I no longer use my Landscape Soldier any more in LOTRO, unless there is a unique situation that requires it. PVE content is manageable (to say the least) and introducing a third party after my pet is unnecessary as far as I can see. Plus, due to their chaotic AI and poor handling, Landscape Soldiers are an extremely blunt tool. Considering how useful (and fun) companions are in Star WarsThe Old Republic as well as your away team in Star Trek Online, it’s a shame that LOTRO got saddled with such a less versatile equivalent.

Food, potions and other consumables. For most PVE content in LOTRO, my current stats are sufficient to see me through. Occasionally an instance may require a boost of some kind. If that is the case, the consumables that come from Hobbit Presents will do the job. Older iterations of food, potions and such like become obsolete rather quickly due to the speed of levelling and it is easy to clutter your bag with items you don’t need. For me and the manner in which I play LOTRO at, these items are not required. Raids are a different matter but again, is that really an issue for the average LOTRO player?

View fullsize

Crafting. Most of the people that I know who craft regularly in LOTRO, do so for pleasure. They enjoy the process as a relaxing experience. Crafting used to be quite a lucrative activity as well. Sadly, the crafting system in the game today is bloated, so those who have kept up to date and reached the required level of competence can just about stay on top of it and create gear for themselves. You simply don’t see much low level crafted gear on the auction house anymore. I will craft during the early levels of the game as it can provide a good additional source of XP. But sooner or later, it becomes too much of an unwieldy mechanic to maintain. Again, for a player such as I, avoiding crafting at the endgame is not in any way an impediment. Good gear is available elsewhere in her game.

Now I fully expect many people reading this to disagree and extol a contrary opinion. That’s fine with me if that is the case. In some respects it means that you’re getting more value out of this ageing MMORPG than I am. However, I’m sure I am not unique in my outlook. Perhaps the longevity of LOTRO is indeed part of the problem, along with a development team that always has more work than staff. Hence, older reputation faction currencies are left to languish in player’s barter wallets, effectively worthless beyond their designated level. The enjoyment of fishing becomes somewhat strained by level cap and the other hobbies touted to be added to the game remain conspicuously absent. I live in hope that Standing Stone Games will address these issues but I suspect that as time goes by yet more items will be added to the list of “things I do not use anymore”.

LOTRO: EG7 Community Update

View fullsize

Last December EG7 announced that it had purchased Daybreak Game Company and its portfolio. It subsequently became apparent that DGC was not just the publisher for Standing Stone Games but in fact their owner. Something that many players had suspected for a while. After an investor briefing was published, it became clear that EG7 were not just another corporate body out to asset strip and make a fast buck but were in fact genuinely interested in growing and improving the games that they now owned. For players of the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online, a wave of cautious optimism spread throughout the community. Hints at a graphical overhaul for the game and a potential console conversion were well received. Further news and specific details have been eagerly anticipated.

Yesterday, EG7 published a press release as well as a YouTube video, in which CEO Robin Flodin discusses what the company has been doing for the last 4 month in relation to its current portfolio of games. The written statement is somewhat broad in its scope and conciliatory in its tone. Robin Flodin uses a lot of management speak. That is not necessarily a bad thing. We all use the terminology of the industry that we work in. However, it is far from vague and does indicate how EG7 see their role and what their future remit is. “Many of these games, while successful and continually supported, have had their unique challenges. Many of these challenges are long standing and important, but due to their scope or other situations, haven’t been feasible to address. All of us want this to change”. He then further states “I want to assure you that this effort is a priority for me, EG7, and Daybreak. We have been listening to the community feedback and to all of your questions and concerns. This is an ongoing effort and as we make progress, the goal is to develop specific plans to create an even better game experience for all of our players”.

View fullsize

The video is a little more specific and proves illuminating as to the company’s policy and approach. Here Robin Flodin makes some direct comments about the company's intent. “We’re trying to make these companies better. We’re trying to help them improve in areas where we think we can create value”. He admits where they feel DGC has gone wrong which is a candid and unexpected statement of fact. He references mistakes made with the handling of H1Z1 and Planetside 2 and it would appear that the code for H1Z1 is currently being audited to see what can be done with it. Possibilities range from revamping the game and rolling it back to the iteration players liked best or to repurpose the code into another title. This is an interesting development because it shows that EG7 are not just going to arbitrarily dismiss and close games that they own. It would appear that they have a far more long term business mindset than DGC.

So what does this mean for LOTRO? Well both these statements, although not specific to the game, do inspire a degree of hope. It seems to me that EG7 see themselves as troubleshooters and facilitators who wish to invest, encourage and empower the various companies that develop their portfolio of games. The idea seems to be to foster improvement and growth, based on consumer feedback. If we are to take such policies at face value, the I think the most practical thing to do is to give EG7 a year and see if there are any noticeable changes. With regard to LOTRO let us see if they can encourage Standing Stone Games to be more innovative. I don't expect to see any major change in content design immediately but it is not unreasonable to expect a wider discussion about future development and an improvement in community relations from SSG. 

View fullsize

EG7 doesn't strike me as corporate pirates. They seem to want to improve the titles they own and keep both customers and their investors happy. However, their position is very much one of enabling and supporting the existing developers. This approach is fine if the only previous problems a developer has experienced were a lack of funding and confidence from their owners. What concerns me with regard to encouraging and enabling SSG, is that they don’t strike me as being the most imaginative thinkers at senior level and appear to be somewhat entrenched in their views. Therefore there is still potential that they may steer LOTRO off a cliff if left unchecked. Perhaps what SSG requires is an injection of fresh talent and for LOTRO to be put in the hands of those who have a more aspirational view of its future potential. As ever, only time will tell but it is pleasant to have some hope in the interim.

A Month in Gaming

View fullsize

I usually write this recurring post at the beginning of each month, reflecting upon my gaming activities over the previous thirty odd days. I refrained from writing an instalment at the beginning of April as I really didn’t feel I had much to say. However, now that a further month has elapsed, I believe sufficient has happened for me to continue. I do worry that these posts get repetitive and simply writing “ I played MMO A or B” is not sufficiently engaging. Luckily, I do feel that I have more to say this time round as I’ve broadened my gaming horizons recently and feel that I’ve done more, compared to other months. So let me begin with my return to console gaming. Something I haven’t done since 1999 when I purchased a Sega Dreamcast. After some procrastination, I’ve finally bought a Nintendo Switch and it has proven quite a hit not only with me but my grandchildren.

At present, I have three games for the Switch. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Yono And The Celestial Elephants and Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection. Essentially, any Mario based game is a joy to play and Mario Kart is an exemplar for the Nintendo brand’s virtues. It offers both fun and a challenge but it’s warm friendly graphics and inherent charm mollify the competitive elements that come with such a driving game. Yono is a A Legend of Zelda-esque adventure/puzzle game starring an elephant. Despite its child friendly aesthetic and design, there is a degree of depth to the gameplay. Due to it’s linear world design and narrative, it lends itself to short bursts of gameplay. Assassin’s Creed offers a different type of challenge, mainly because it requires mastering an action RPG using a controller, rather than keyboard and mouse. This is a very good port and I must admit I am impressed that the Switch can handle an open world environment so well.

View fullsize

I returned briefly to Call of Duty: Warzone recently, mainly to see the new map of Verdansk. When the game launched in early 2020 the story associated with Warzone was linked to events tied to the 2019 soft reboot of Modern Warfare. But because CoD is a yearly franchise, a new iteration was released in September and story elements began being integrated into Warzone. The only problem being that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is set in 1984 thus requiring the most tortuous and convoluted plot devices to square the ongoing narrative circle. From my perspective, bringing weapons from an older period into a game set in the present was problematic to say the least, causing balance issues. Furthermore the inclusion of Black Ops content brought zombies into the game. Hence Warzone is now a sprawling mess of differing types of gameplay. A recent nuclear blast has “conveniently” destroyed the contemporary iteration of Verdansk and replaced it with a version of the zone from 1984. Simply put I just don’t like the cumulative changes that have come to the game, so once again I’m taking a break from it.

Sadly, I have spent precious little time playing The Lord of the Rings Online, returning briefly to check out the latest content update which proved to be very disappointing. I do worry that this game is just treading water with regard to its growth and that developer’s Standing Stone Games are limited in the scope of their vision. The anniversary festival is currently live in the game but it really isn’t doing anything new. Yes, the various events can be fun if you are playing them for the first time but the various trinkets and baubles that you can obtain are purely cosmetic. If you are not enamoured with collectibles there is a substantial amount of content currently available that is of no interest or use to you. Furthermore, at present I own all the content available in LOTRO. Hence if there’s very little reason for me to subscribe to the game. I find it odd that SSG don’t seem to be offering any broader incentives to become a VIP.

View fullsize

Star Trek Online, which has some similarities to LOTRO with regard to its age and the fact that it’s based on a popular intellectual property, seems to perpetually have events and goals for players to pursue. I created a new Klingon alt in late January due to the then recruitment event. By the end of March I had brought the character to level cap and had gotten as far as level 5 with all reputation factions. I also bought a Legendary D7 ship and have spent time trying to equip it with the best gear that I can. One of the best aspects of STO is that there’s always something to do. Since January the game has had the Klingon Recruitment event with the storyline revamped, it’s celebrated First Contact Day and there have been two Red Alert events which are great for earning reputation marks. The game is currently running a revised version of the Delta Recruitment event, so if you’re thinking of playing STO, I’d urge you to roll a new character before May 13th. I now have three new alts making a total of nine altogether. Most unusual for me.

There are a few other games I’ve been intermittently playing over the last two months. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is something I regularly return to and is fun in small doses. As I’ve mentioned before, I keep The Elder Scrolls Online up to date as I will more than likely return to the game once the next expansion launches. As for immediate gaming goals I have none of any significance at present. Naturally I’ll continue with STO and keep a weather eye on LOTRO. I want to come to grips with Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection and finally complete a game from this franchise (I’ve started Black Flag). The convenience of the Switch is a big selling point and I seem to evenly spend my time (at least for the meantime) using it as a handheld device as well as docked to the TV. It certainly has reinvigorated my attitude towards gaming which had become increasingly indifferent of late. I hope that this positive outlook continues over May and beyond.

LOTRO: The Further Adventures of Bilbo Baggins

View fullsize

I was hoping that 2021 would be a good year for the MMORPG, The Lord of the Rings Online. New owners, along with hints at a revised community relations policy and a recent roadmap for future content have all been positively received by the game’s stoic community. Furthermore, the recent demise of the LOTR based MMO by Amazon Game Studios has eliminated any immediate competition. Sadly, two things have occurred recently indicating that developer’s Standing Stone Games are still tone deaf to the player feedback and lacking in any tangible long term vision for the game. The first was a statement made by Executive Producer, Rob “Severlin” Ciccolini, regarding Legendary Items in the game and the subject of grind. The second was the new “Further Adventures” quest arcs, as described in February’s Executive Producer’s Letter, which uses the “missions” system that was added to the game in Update 28.

According to Mr. Ciccolini you cannot remove Legendary Items from LOTRO for the following reasons. “We want players to have things to do while they are leveling. I know that some players are ‘Oh, this is too grindy and sometimes we overdo it,’ but ‘grindy’ doesn’t scare me as much as ‘I don’t have enough to do.’ ‘I don’t have enough to do’ is worse because players want to play the game but they don’t really have goals to pursue. [If the LI system is removed], a couple things happen: One, players become much more reliant on weapon drops and if they don’t get the weapon drop they want, their DPS will lag […], and two, a weapon drop is one-and-done; we want to make sure that when [players] get a weapon they can then develop it”. (This quote was taken from Q&A with Severlin live stream on Friday April 16th)

View fullsize

There’s a lot to unpack in that statement and none of it is good. LOTRO players can be very innovative with regards to finding things to do in the game. Levelling alts, crafting, role playing, completing deeds, trading on the auction house, furnishing their homes, min-maxing, exploring the world, enjoying the festivals and hanging out with friends are but a few I can think of. So claiming that without grind there would be no “goals to pursue” is spurious to say the least or alternatively a statement of unparalleled ignorance of one’s own game. However, even if we accept this statement, offering grind instead or real content is hardly laudable. Plus as fellow blogger Wilhelm Arcturus said in comments left on the YouTube Q&A video, if SSG pursue a course of action justified by this erroneous supposition, it simply proves that they’re “committed to bad game design”.

Frankly, I often get the impression that SSG simply does not understand what attracts people to the MMO genre per se. They seem to see their own games as far more of a live service rather than an example of a massively multiplayer online game, in the classic sense. I also feel that the major decision makers over at SSG are somewhat behind the curve with regards to modern developments and changes in the MMO genre and are possibly very entrenched in their ways. Their attitude toward community relations certainly seems archaic. It may also be a case that the ebb and flow of staff over the years has left them with serious skills gaps. All the new content that is added to the game has a tendency to be very formulaic and simply variations on existing themes. I don’t think that the staff actually know how to create certain content anymore and integrate it into the game. 

View fullsize

Which sadly leads me to “The Further Adventures of Bilbo Baggins”. This is the first of a series of self-contained, episodic story arcs that use the “missions” system. Launched yesterday and currently available free using the redeem code SAVEBILBO, this new content is simply underwhelming and lacklustre. It is entirely built upon existing game assets and offers nothing new other than the very simple narrative. Each instalment requires the player to port to an instanced section of the existing game world and kill a few waves of standard mobs. It is not especially difficult or fun to be honest. It’s all somewhat disappointing and mundane. I find it most concerning that SSG intends to charge for this content after the promotional period ends and have more material of this kind in development. Overall this is a very inauspicious content update and does not bode well for the remainder of the year. Let us hope that the imminent 14th anniversary celebrations are more creative.

LOTRO: A Golden Opportunity

View fullsize

Back in Summer 2019, Amazon Game Studios announced it was co-developing a new free-to-play MMO set in Middle-earth, along with Athlon Games. The latter was at the time a subsidiary of Chinese publisher Leyou Technologies. However, in December 2020, Tencent bought Leyou Technologies which led to a series of contract renegotiations and reviews of ongoing projects. According to Bloomberg these negotiations did not go well and as a result, the new MMO has been cancelled. A spokesperson for Amazon recently stated that “we have been unable to secure terms to proceed with this title at this time. We love the Lord of the Rings IP, and are disappointed that we won't be bringing this game to customers”. Hence, Amazon will not have a complimentary game for their upcoming $1bn Lord of the Rings television series. At this point, possibly the only people who are happy with this outcome are Standing Stone Games, the developers of The Lord of the Rings Online.

LOTRO still exists today, 14 years after its launch, for several reasons but a major factor is that it is the only Tolkien based MMO in existence at present. Players endure the game’s numerous rough edges and age because of their dedication as fans and the simple fact that there's nowhere else to go. I, as well as many other LOTRO players, were curious to see what sort of game Amazon Game Studios could produce. If it had provided certain key elements of game play, along with a good artistic interpretation of Middle-earth, then I would have definitely considered playing it. But that is no longer an option. LOTRO remains the only MMO of its kind for the present and as a result I’m sure the current player base will remain loyal. However, I don’t think that SSG should be too complacent. The current situation is a bit like living in a small town which only has one mall to hang out at and one night club to go to. No matter how poor or inadequate they are, they'll get a degree of patronage purely by default. Hardly an edifying business model.

View fullsize

If you’re familiar with my gaming history, you’ll know I enjoy LOTRO but I clearly recognise it is far from perfect. It's age is one reason as the game was conceived and designed to serve the needs of the MMO genre of 2007. Over the years it has been revised and augmented. It has reached a point in its life cycle where it has an established player base and sufficient revenue to continue producing content. However, possibly due to staff changes and a reticence to tinker with fundamental aspects of the game, we have reached a point where nothing radically new is being added to LOTRO. To invoke a food based analogy, if the MMO genre is comparable to the fast food industry, then LOTRO is a sandwich shop. Its sandwiches are different to its competitors but beyond that, all it can offer its customers are different fillings. If you want a tea cake, forget it.

View fullsize

With the immediate competition out of the picture for the present and new owners EG7 genuinely interested in developing and supporting LOTRO, SSG appear to have a golden opportunity to refine and improve LOTRO. By developing some of the features that have been put on hold over the years and removing those that have proven unpopular, arcane and unwieldy, much could be done to increase the game’s longevity. Furthermore, a renaissance in their communication strategy could be instrumental in rebuilding community bridges and getting the player base onboard with a long term plan. Yet my past experiences with LOTRO leads me to believe that such an opportunity is likely to be squandered. I have seen no evidence thus far that SSG have a plan and even if they do, their continuing Johnny Tightlips routine is counterproductive. If Amazon’s new MMO hadn’t been cancelled, I wonder if things would be any different?

LOTRO: Day, Night and Weather Cycle

View fullsize

I don’t know about you guys but whenever I log into The Lord of the Rings Online, it’s usually night in the game. This is a curious anomaly that can be somewhat frustrating if it’s the test server and I want to take some screenshots of new content. I put this down to the fact that I usually log in to LOTRO in the evening, here in the UK and I am unfortunately in sync with the Laurelin server night time phase. Sadly, there are no third party addons that can track the in-game time and server reboots always reset the game’s internal clock. However, I do like the fact that the game has a clear day and night cycle, which adds greatly to the overall ambience of LOTRO. Both of these phases have subcategories, all of which persist for specific times. Here is the cycle as it stands at present in the game.

Day Time lasts 1 hour 42 minutes 20 seconds

Dawn = 9 minutes 32 seconds 

Morning = 28 minutes 42 seconds

Noon = 17 minutes 47 seconds

Afternoon = 27 minutes 58 seconds

Dusk = 18 minutes 21 seconds

Night Time lasts 1 hour 23 minutes 40 seconds

Gloaming = 9 minutes 30 seconds

Evening = 27 minutes 59 seconds

Midnight = 8 minutes 59 seconds

Late Watches = 19 minutes 1 second

Foredawn = 18 minutes 11 seconds

Apart from giving the virtual Middle-earth a greater sense of realism, could this game mechanic be used for quests? Well initially it was. In an earlier iteration of LOTRO (circa 2007 - 2008) there were several quests that were night time specific. The ghost in Bree was nocturnal and one story arc had you meeting a Brigand infiltrator, again only at night. However, despite this time mechanic adding ambience to the proceedings, it was a nuisance if you received such quests at the wrong time of day. You could find yourself having to wait 90 minutes which is not a lot of fun in an MMO. Unlike single player games that use this mechanic, you cannot advance time in a shared world. Hence these quests were altered to allow access all of the time. It is also why we don’t see NPC and vendors keeping working hours and returning to their homes at night. So sadly, the day and night cycle is purely cosmetic in LOTRO as it now stands.

View fullsize

There are also random weather changes in LOTRO although there is nothing that can be clearly defined as a cycle. Sometimes I’ll log into a zone and it will be raining or overcast but broadly speaking the weather in a place such as Bree is predominantly temperate. Some zones have differing weather for geographical reasons. Naturally, the Misty Mountains are snow covered and the snow fall becomes heavier the higher you climb along the cliff top paths. Other parts of Middle-earth have bespoke weather for thematic reasons. Angmar has a sickly green coloured, overcast sky, reflecting the evil that blights the region. Allegedly the darkened sky is to accommodate the passage of Orcs, who have an aversion to daylight.  Again, it would be nice in principle to have some weather themed or dependent quests but gating content behind a mechanic you may have to wait on,  is not going to be well received.

View fullsize

The MMORPG genre is filled with game systems and mechanics that have been tentatively introduced and then left unfinished by the developers. Often because of the complexity inherent in such systems or because the idea being “tested” was not liked by all players. Weather cycles and the passage of time are such examples. Both of these could play a more active role if the developers of games such as LOTRO felt so inclined. I would be happy to see the return of quests that were time dependent. It would be nice to have some aesthetic details that only happened at certain times or dates. Such as Elves camping out beneath the stars. Or NPCs that come and go in towns such as Bree. Perhaps even animals that graze in fields by day and are then rounded up and taken to barn at night. Such things would add a lot to a game. But at this point in LOTRO’s lifecycle it is unlikely that resources would be used to develop such content.

LOTRO: Executive Producer’s Letter February 2021

View fullsize

Rob Ciccolini, posted an Executive Producer’s Letter for the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online, yesterday. This road map for 2021 pretty much confirms much of the content he broadly referenced in his recent live stream Q&A session. The letter doesn’t contain any major surprises but it is useful to have a more comprehensive time table for what is coming to the game this year. As ever, he thanked players for their ongoing support for LOTRO and Standing Stone Games endeavours. It is too early to determine whether SSG has successfully improved their communications policy but the letter has been fairly well received on the official forums.

The most immediate content release coming to LOTRO is Update 29: Wildwood which was previewed on the Bullroarer test server last month. As this is an addition to an existing area in the game, this update will be free. This content update, coming this month, will be followed by the Spring Festival, which will feature new seasonal instances featuring Grimbeorn. I tried one of these, again on the test server, and it was suitably droll and whimsical. It involves escorting Grimbeorn’s “Big Bees” around the meadows of Lossarnach so they can pollinate the flowers, while you fend off hordes of Goats!

View fullsize

Next up on the road map, Standing Stone Games are planning to release the first of what they are calling “Further Adventures”. These are quest arcs that make use of the existing Mission system that will feature new stories involving major and minor characters in Middle-earth. The first of which involves Bilbo Baggins. If it is well received by LOTRO players SSG will produce more. They’re also keen for player feedback regarding other characters that could feature in such content.

Summer will see the release of Update 30: Update 30: The Blood of Azog. The next installment of the War of Three Peaks. According to SSG “Durin Stonehelmson prepares to lead the Gabil'akkâ beyond the frozen gates of Mount Gundabad. At the urging of Glóin, Prince Durin sends word to the Lonely Mountain to muster even more Dwarves to Elderslade before the reclamation begins. As you aid in this effort, you'll discover the tale of Hermáth Stormhammer, a hero of the Battle of Azanulbizar. You'll experience important moments in the history of Durin's Folk firsthand, such as the taking of the Oakenshield, the death of Azog, the ever-present danger of Durin's Bane, and more! Update 30 will feature a new Interlude, new Quests, new Missions, and a new Raid in a Quest Pack that is free to VIPs!”

View fullsize

The next major expansion will be launched in Autumn. Specific details are lacking at present but Update 31: Gundabad concludes the story of The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves. Whether the new Brawler class is included in this release remains to be seen The River Hobbit race is conspicuously absent and judging by previous comments made by Rob Ciccolini, will more than likely not be available until 2022. The tailend of this year will see the Legendary Servers, Ithil and Arnor, updated to feature the Mordor expansion. There is ongoing PVMP development, focusing on class balancing and SSG are also tinkering with the Legendary Item system, although it seems to be more of a case of streamlining, rather than a major overhaul.

I, like many other LOTRO players, welcome any news about the games development in its 14th year. An expansion and two content updates is not in any way unsubstantial. However, it has been a while since LOTRO has seen the addition of a wholly new system or game mechanic. Missions, which were added with Update 28, are essentially a variation on an existing theme. Namely solo instances. They do not supply a great deal of narrative content and they are not especially challenging in their present form. LOTRO is at present locked into a cycle of supplying “more of the same”. New content simply see’s new reputation factions, new gear, essences and collectibles added to the game. Familiarity and providing a “set menu” does have its appeal, especially within the MMO genre. A clearly defined progression path with known parameters offers stability to the playerbase.

View fullsize

However if LOTRO truly wants to stay relevant and continue offering players an engaging virtual Middle-earth experience, isn’t it time to focus resources on creating something completely new for the game? Sadly, I cannot see resources being used to develop such a thing. Converting existing content so it can be accessed by console players is a sound business decision opening up a substantial new market. The success of The Elder Scrolls Online and Star Trek Online on Xbox and Playstation prove this. So I assume that this sort of work will take priority over the creation of new mechanics, systems, classes and races. Perhaps there are long term plans for such future development and SSG are focusing on the most immediate needs of the game. I still have a degree of optimism that the acquisition by EG7 may drive some substantial changes. As ever, it’s a question of watching and waiting.

LOTRO: Producer Q&A 2021

View fullsize

Executive Producer Rob Ciccolini (AKA Severlin) made a surprise appearance on the latest The Lord of the Rings Online livestream this week and conducted an impromptu Q&A with those viewing. As ever it did not contain any major revelation regarding the long term plans for the game but it did include some interesting nuggets of information. The fact that he engaged with players is a talking point in itself. Communication has been a major complaint from LOTRO players for several years now. Perhaps the negative PR from last year regarding the server outages and the so called “mini expansion” have finally appeared on senior staff’s radar. The fact that LOTRO has a new owner may also have contributed to this “revised” approach to community relations. Here is a breakdown of what Rob Ciccolini had to say, courtesy of Massively Overpowered:

There are plans for LOTRO continuing for a decade and more: “We want it to go on forever.”

A spotted leak of a “landscape difficulty NPC” is part of a project to let players increase the challenge level while questing, but that’s still in the works for all servers.

The Wildwood content update is cool because it fills out content in the mid-levels but has missions for endgame players.

“The more we round out the map in development, the more it feels real.”

Again, Gundabad expansion is confirmed for later this year with a continuation of the main storyline.

The Guardian class update and tank class balance changes are “ongoing.” But a lot of the attention from the class team is focused on the Brawler right now.

No teasing on the Brawler just yet. It’ll probably be part of the pre-order for Gundabad. “Doing a new class is a big deal!”

The studio would love to do more racial housing, but nothing immediate. Definitely not before the expansion.

There will be Update 30 in the summer before Gundabad. It will be an endgame patch that includes a smaller raid. It’ll be handled as a normal quest pack.

There is no release date for Wildwood yet. It’ll be a regular quest pack that’ll be free for VIPs.

He feels communication is “improved,” which is why he’s doing these Q&As.

There will be more talk about “modest changes” for PvMP coming in the producer’s letter.

Producer’s letter is almost ready and will be here within the month.

LOTRO market gifting is coming in the near future, but there is no ETA for it yet.

Scrolls of Empowerment controversy: The team wants players to stay at their level of content rather than going back to farm easier spots.

Apologized for the delay on legendary item revamp, as it’s gotten delayed twice now for different reasons. They are excited to do it, want to do it, but it’s slow in coming because of how much engineering resources it’ll take.

Look for the legendary item revamp “later this year” that will include UI changes. The time frame for this depends on what engineering says when they get in there. They just want one system from level 50 onward that’ll make for leveling alts better.

Transferring from closed game worlds will be happening in “the near future.”

River-hobbits are confirmed to be an upcoming race, but don’t expect to see it until 2022.

They are aware of attack speed and animation issues, but they have to deal with this carefully and delicately since it affects so much.

There are possible plans to create a level 130 Valar boost, but this is not confirmed yet.

No further plans to expand LUA support.

The anniversary event is indeed coming.

The team wants to put more resources into crafting, possibly after Gundabad.

There is more work being done to reduce server lag, especially during raids. New chat server hardware is being worked on.

Kinship revamps are on the list, not at the highest priority but it’s there.

SSG has no plans for Europe-based servers as it doesn’t have the resources to support both.

The studio “learned a lot of lessons” from the War of the Three Peaks “mini-expansion” debacle such as giving VIP players more value from these (“We’re not trying to squeeze them,” he said of charging VIP players) and making the more expensive bundles better.

The team wants to give players more ways to get good gear, including essences.

No new instruments are being announced, but it’s definitely something the team loves to do.

The team has discussed a stat squish, but it’s a “big deal” that requires an entire game rebalance. It would also invalidate every single class guide if this happens. Not saying yes, not saying no.

SSG’s goal is to have something fun for players to do “every 13 weeks,” something cool and interesting as 13 weeks seems to be the point when players start to fall away without further stimulation. It’s why the team wants to get out the as-of-yet-unseen Unfinished Tales quests.

There’s a lot of discussion about investing into the engine and graphics of the game. This comes from EG7’s excitement about improving that.

There are more character customization options in the works, perhaps prior to the expansion.

SSG knows that 4K support is heavily requested, but it requires specialists to do it right. They’re looking into the viability of doing that.

SSG has a number of positions open as it is expanding the team.

Scaling UI is something the team wants to do.

The team looks at the player engagement data from patches to help figure out what should be developed in the future.

The legendary servers should be going to level 105 in the next few months.

GMs are getting more tools to help players better and more quickly.

SSG wants to revamp its website, it knows that it is old.

There are plans for more of these AMAs!

View fullsize

There are a few points that I would like to pick up on. Firstly Mr. Ciccolini’s claim that communication has improved strikes me as a little premature. I think we should give this a year to decide if things have gotten better. But at least he has shown up and engaged with the community so it’s a start. Secondly, I am cautiously optimistic about the proposed Legendary Item changes. If the developers can rationalize the mechanics and make the overall system less arcane, then they’ll impress the hell out of me. I still like the idea of a weapon that levels and grows with you as you progress through the game but I don’t want the process to be an insufferable grind. I also don’t want it to be a means to strong arm me into paying unnecessarily. It is unethical and frankly insulting to artificially create a grind and then monetise the very means to escape it. Thirdly, I am definitely interested in a level 130 Valar boost. I have several alts I want to progress but don’t wish to drag through Mordor.

However some of the other issues discussed are a little more nebulous and I suspect will be difficult to address without a lot of financial investment and the employment of specialist staff. Tinkering with graphics and upgrading the game engine are major undertakings. However, if LOTRO is to remain competitive with other MMOs, a more contemporary visual style along with support for 4K, as well as a scaling UI, would be beneficial. However, let us not forget that some people do not like change. Alterations to the Hobbit run animation along with the last character model upgrade resulted in a small but vocal group of players brandishing flaming torches and marching on the Winter Palace. If changes are made, will SSG be able to offer an option for a “classic” game aesthetic?

View fullsize

I am hoping that Standing Stone Games will be more transparent with regard to their actions in the months to come. I don’t expect to see the details of the corporate balance sheet but I would like to know what’s being planned and how things are going. If problems occur I’d like to be treated as an adult and told that there is an issue. It’s only a small percentage of players that tend to lose their shit when there are delays and frankly they’re best ignored. The rest of us tend to have a positive view of the game and want to get behind and support its ongoing development. Hence I hope we see more of Mr Ciccolini in 2021 and we get a clear road map for the next 12 month soon. Hopefully SSG will be a little more sensitive to player sensibilities and feedback. The whole Scrolls of Empowerment debacle is still present in many player’s minds. I still balk not only at the level locking of scrolls but the fact they put a cap on how many you can stockpile at once. SSG needs to get a lot of things right this year if they want to genuinely repair community relations. Let us hope that process has now officially started.

LOTRO: Bullroarer Update 29 Wildwood Preview #1

View fullsize

When I heard that Update 29 for The Lord of the Rings Online would be an area between Evendim and The North Downs, I assumed there would be a new zone somewhere above Fornost. Well it pays to remember never assume anything. I logged on to the Bullroarer test server tonight and found that Wildwood (as the new area is called) is actually located in North West Bree-Land. Standing Stone Games have developed what was previously an inaccessible part of the Bree-Land and created an interesting new region. It maintains the existing idiom of the overall zone with regard to aesthetics and mobs but from what I have seen the PVE content available is pitched at level 45 or thereabouts. It would appear that there is an NPC based at the Trestlebridge Gate who offers level cap Missions that take place in the new area.

Before I discuss this specific quest arrangement, I would like to talk briefly about Wildwood. If you ride North along the Greenway towards Trestbridge, there is a turning to the left of the road once you get just beyond the Orc camp where Rob Thornley is held hostage. This road bears West above the Cirith Nur Orc camp and then the terrain opens out into a wooded and grassland region that is Wildwood. Like most of Bree-Land, the area is blighted by Ruffians and Poachers. Due to its close proximity to Evendim, there are also Tomb Robbers along the banks of the Brandywine. You will find Orcs occupying the old Dunedain ruins of Norwarden and Overwine Hall. Wargs congregate around the aptly named Gnawbone Pit. There is also a village that has been overrun by bandits called Cotfast. There are two mines in the new area called West and East-delf, both of which are occupied by bandits. In the depths there is the cavernous area of Writhenset, complete with spiders and a maze of web tangled tunnels.

View fullsize

An old Watch Tower, Sutwarden that overlooks lake Starmere. The lake flows out into the Brandywine through the Brandy Hills. There is another Dunedain ruin called The Old Bluff-house. Again this is rife with Wildwood Assailants. Tucked away in the farthest top left hand corner of Wildwood is a rickety rope bridge, Marl’s Crossing, that straddles the river that separates this new zone from the North Downs. It is held by Half Orcs and at present cannot be crossed. Even if it could it would lead to a part of Evendim that is currently inaccessible anyway. In many ways this highlights the unusual nature of Wildwood. It is surrounded by older areas which are designed to be level 20 to 30. For example the Brandy Hill Ruins and the home of Svalfang The Stone Giant abut closely to the Wildwood. So players with low level alts will have to tread carefully when in the area, less they stray into mobs with a higher level.

The main quest hub for the new area appears to be Trader’s Wharf which is on the Eastern banks of the Brandywine river. A group of adventurers and traders are attempting to reclaim the Wildwood from the various bandits and poachers. There’s a reputation quartermaster and other traders, along with the obligatory weeping NPC, who in this case is a Hobbit. According to the notes on the official forum, it is here that the quest to explore the Wildwood can be started. The new zone can also be approached from Trestlebridge which now has a Western entrance and a road that runs out into the new area. It is at Trestlebridge Gate House that you can find the NPC that bestows content for players at level cap. It would appear that these are specifically Missions and therefore are designed for solo or duo players. I tried several of these and found them to be broadly similar to those found in War of Three Peaks.

View fullsize

Wildland is not a huge new area but I must admit, I like the fact that SSG have opted to develop an unused area of an existing and much beloved zone. Bree-Land is one of the oldest regions in LOTRO and it is nice to see a new area that maintains the existing idiom. There are a few oddities at present which may be placeholder content. It is somewhat incongruous to find a Moose in such an area. I am also intrigued by the Wandering Jorthkyn that I encountered. Naturally I will complete the PVE content when it is formally released, although being level 45 it will offer no tangible benefits apart from the story. And I must say I am far from thrilled that the only level cap content on offer are Missions, which I am not especially enamoured with. Overall the scope of this update, which is apparently going to be free, is somewhat reduced compared to previous releases. I suspect the pandemic is to blame for this. It will be interesting to see how the community receives Wildwood and whether Missions are popular or not.

NB. The Bree-Land Map been updated to reflect the new area of Wildwood. SSG have also revised the maps for The Shire and Ered Luin.

MMO Tropes: The Hero

View fullsize

If I may quote myself “The MMO genre is rife with its own set of tropes; recurring themes and motifs that have become established and ubiquitous. All of which are ideal material for a hastily produced, lazily conceived, recurring blog post”. This time round, I would like to discuss the following. The Hero, the Chosen One, the Übermensch. As that is the role that we so often are assigned in this genre. Developers broadly assume that most players want a power fantasy and precious little else is on offer. Hence we find ourselves in a  story in which we are destined to do great deeds in a virtual world, whether we wish to or not. I can see the superficial appeal of such a conceit. Most of us are not such overachievers in real life. So a game in which we get to do stuff to the world, instead of the world doing stuff to us has an inherent allure. But like most MMO tropes, unless it is implemented with some panache and creativity, it quickly becomes a tiresome cliche.

In The Lord of the Rings Online, upon creating a new character and entering Middle-earth, you soon find that even the most humble and parochial of Hobbits is destined for an epic adventure of the utmost importance. Due to the nature of the lore you cannot be an active member of The Fellowship of the Ring but your paths frequently cross. And you are revered as you progress through the game, as your fame and renown proceeds you. It’s hardly a low key affair. In Star Trek Online, your Federation character rapidly rises through the ranks of Starfleet, after you are forced to take charge in a crisis during your maiden voyage. The Klingon storyline takes an alternative approach with your avatar challenging the ship’s Captain to single combat after you discover their treachery. And in The Elder Scrolls Online, if you elect to follow the original primary storyline, you become the Vestige, empowered with unique abilities as a result of the temporary loss of your soul. Get you.

View fullsize

Although these examples all work within the internal logic of their respective games, they are all rather formulaic. After a while, if you’ve played several MMOs, then the archetype of the predestined hero becomes rather dull and at times actively annoying. But it is easy to understand why this narrative construct prevails in gaming. Because it is already the default setting of so much fantasy literature, film and television. Power fantasies per se are a mainstay of our popular culture, providing both the moral and ethical rectitude that is so sadly lacking in real life. In an MMO the bad guy will be dealt with and justice will be served, where in reality they tend to die in their own beds, rich and content while their victims scream into the abyss. Furthermore, power fantasies tend to be driven by robust archetypes who wield power justly. Hence it is John McClane the cop who defeats the terrorist by using force and cunning in Die Hard, rather than Colin McTavish, the junior photocopy clerk, who works in the administrative department of a small company making stilts for Dachshunds.

However, not every player wants to be a dashing hero or is comfortable with a never ending litany of quests and missions that are predicated upon mass murder and destruction. MMO players often revel in the low key fun of crafting, farming resources and trading on the auction house. In fact some will argue cogently that they desire a game where they can progress just by pursuing benign and benevolent activities such as being a jeweller or armorsmith. Every now and then, I am delighted when I read about a gamer who has managed to play through an MMOs by crafting or some other non-stabby and murderous means of progression. Sadly, this is not always possible or if it is, the player hobbles themself by missing out on vital drops or skills points that are gated behind story content. It’s a shame that game developers have not been more proactive in catering to players that desire a non heroic role. Some gamers are perfectly content with the prospect of just being an average citizen in a virtual world, as they are in real life.

View fullsize

I think one of the measures of a good MMO is how much choice it offers its players. The more the better. Given the complexity of branching narratives that contemporary games can support, it would be intriguing to see an MMO built upon such a system. I like the idea of being a foot soldier who can participate in battles but your personal actions directly affect career progression. If you just hold your position and fight the enemy then you’ve done your job. If you seek out additional tasks and risk, then you increase further in rank and responsibilities. This way you can seek to be a hero or choose to remain less assuming. And why not let players be a chef, a farmer or a quantity surveyor? There is scope for inventive gameplay within such disciplines. Instead of seeking the Sword of Kagnazax your goal could be the Mixing Bowl of Sha Ka Ree or the Trowl of House Harkonnen.

At present, the hero character is the default setting of the MMO genre and as such it must be endured by the player. And like most tropes common to the MMO genre, it is more of a means to an end, rather than something to be over analysed and dissected. Because if you do the latter, the logic of it all somewhat falls apart. It makes for an awkward situation when you swagger into a tavern, expecting to live large on your reputation as the bane of the foul Marmidons and vanquisher of the Nibble-Pibblies, only to find that everyone else present has done exactly the same. Too many cooks and all that. Plus who really wants to live in a virtual world, filled with nothing but heroes and over achievers? Nothing mundane or normal would ever get done. Who is going to deal with the blocked drains in the Lion’s Arch or treat Ultan Foebane’s haemorrhoids?

A Month in Gaming

View fullsize

I last wrote A Month in Gaming post in December. Quite a lot has changed over the last two months. I have abandoned Cyberpunk 2077 as it has totally failed to hold my interest. I just couldn’t get on with the first person perspective. I also stopped playing Neverwinter, despite the game having many appealing elements. Sometimes, when you start an MMORPG that has been running for years, you feel so “behind the curve” that the prospect of catching up with everyone at the endgame is too daunting. And because the Call of Duty franchise has a yearly lifecycle, a new iteration of the game was released in November. Black Ops Cold War subsequently replaced the reboot of Modern Warfare and a lot of the new games content subsequently bled through in the free Battle Royale version. I’d been playing Warzone since last April and it was beginning to get a little stale. So I didn’t buy the latest Battle Pass and decided to move on. And then there’s The Lord of the Rings Online. Let it suffice to say I have completed as much of the latest “mini expansion” as I require and the game is now “on hold”.

View fullsize

Moving on from what I’m not doing, to what I am, Star Trek Online has been keeping me busy and providing the majority of my gaming entertainment. I have also spent some time perusing various online game retailers back catalogues, to see if I can find something new (or old) that interests me. The latter of these activities is an ongoing undertaking and I have not as yet found an RPG or action game that takes my fancy. Multiple titles fill my “wish lists” but for the moment none of them particularly excite me. Fortunately, STO has been the source of my fun over Christmas and New Year. I created a new TOS era Federation Captain last February and I initially played through the bespoke story arc for that faction. I resumed playing this alt over December and focused on getting them to level cap. As the game's content scales to level, I then started playing through all the major stories in order and benefitted from some of the mission rewards being level appropriate. 

View fullsize

I won’t spend too much time waxing lyrical about STO here as I have done that in other posts. I will say that being a licensed game of a major franchise does have advantages and that STO can be very “Trek-like” at times. Most of the missions (apart from some of the earliest ones in the game) are fully voice acted, lore heavy and well conceived. As with LOTRO, it’s often the little touches that will raise a wry smile because of some minor canonical reference. For example, there is a Horta hidden in a side passage of a mine in one particular story. If you defeat the Romulans attacking it you receive the accolade “No Kill I”, which is a joy for any Trek aficionado. Replaying through the various stories was a pertinent reminder as to where this MMOs strength lie. Another noteworthy achievement was that I finally saved sufficient funds to buy the 10th Anniversary Legendary Starship Bundle and have finally got a Tier 6 TOS era Constitution Class ship. I love the Jefferies’ Phase II Constitution Refit skin.

View fullsize

Over the course of February I shall continue with STO, especially now in light of the new Klingon Recruitment Event, which seems to have been very well received. I shall also seek out a new game if possible. At present I’m considering The Council, as it’s an investigative RPG with a focus on dialogue, as opposed to an action driven game. I may have a second attempt at Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker, as I never managed to complete the story last time round. So far, none of the big triple A titles coming this year particularly excite me. But it’s not as if there’s a shortage of good games to play. It’s really just a question of trying to find the right one for you. No doubt I shall return to LOTRO, as and when they have a content update. I still have Fall Guys installed for when my Granddaughters come and visit.

LOTRO and Community Management

View fullsize

Hanlon’s Razor asserts “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”. Therefore it is a useful tool when applied to politics, business management and public discourse. All of which are rife with contention and rancour. However, this is often due to human incompetence rather than premeditated malevolence. So with this maxim in mind, let us consider the conundrum that is the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online, its developer Standing Stone Games and their ongoing propensity for bad community relations and poor business decisions. Last year, there were major server outages which kept the game offline for a substantial amount of time. Despite SSG enjoying a community that is broadly sympathetic to their cause, they handled the problem appallingly. The community manager at times gives the impression that doing his job is positively distasteful to him. However, the recent acquisition of SSG by Enad Global 7, gave the community hope that 2021 would be a better year. Sadly, nearly a month into the New Year and SSG have managed to upset their customers yet again.

Earlier in January, SSG tested Update 28.3 on the Bullroarer server. Among the various changes to the game were several restrictions made upon Scrolls of Empowerment which are an essential item for levelling your Legendary Weapon in the game. The proposed changes effectively limited player access to this resource within existing content and increased the availability in the latest “mini expansion”. Effectively the player base were potentially being coerced into buying War of Three Peaks to access SoEs and having to work harder. To say there was a public outcry is an understatement. The LOTRO community and the gaming press were scathing of this crass proposal. So SSG dialed backed the changes but not in any meaningful fashion and posted their revised proposal on the official forums. The playerbase again pointed out that acquisition of SoEs is still far from equitable but SSG remained deaf to their requests and intransigent to the last. Today, Update 28.3 was formerly released on the live servers and the changes became official, multiplying the grind for SoEs by approximately five times.

View fullsize

This incident needs to be considered within a wider context, as SSG have “form” for making decisions that fly in the face of good community relations. In fact Community Management has been a hot potato for both Turbine and now Standing Stone Games since 2009 when the game brought out the lacklustre Siege of Mirkwood expansion and was beginning to transition (behind the scenes) into a free to play game. Information has always been slow in coming and problems are all too often dealt with with an air of annoyance, rather than empathy. Now no one thinks that being a CM is an easy position and most adult gamers understand that business decisions are made at a senior level. Therefore community management is mainly about PR and pouring oil on troubled waters, rather than hands on change. However, SSG seems to fail to understand this and their current incumbent CM for LOTRO, Cordovan (AKA Jerry Snook), certainly comes across like a square peg in a round hole. His responses to player criticism and concerns often appear indifferent and implicitly passive-aggressive. One wonders if he even enjoys or wants the position he holds.

LOTRO has endured bad community relations for over a decade now and one has to ponder how and why a company such as Turbine/SSG so consistently manages to get things wrong. It may be down to the fact that it is a relatively small company which has key members of staff that have remained in position throughout the company's lifecycle. It could be possible that there simply isn’t the talent in-house to provide someone who is sufficiently au fait with the requirements of modern community management. Perhaps the company is so focused upon keeping the gaming running and their staff employed that dealing with their customer base is simply a priority that is much further down the list. However, many players were hoping that the EG 7 acquisition would potentially fix this perennial problem, as they have implied that they will be investing in the game. 

View fullsize

LOTRO is a unique game with a correspondingly unique community. There is a strong core of mature and thoroughly invested players who hold the game in a great deal of affection. They are understanding and forgiving with regard to the games business and development decisions, possibly too much so I would argue. But at present, LOTRO is the only virtual Middle-earth in town and so in some respects the player base has nowhere else to go. However, I do believe that even their stoic patience is beginning to run thin. A cursory look at the official forums will show lifetime account holders and LOTRO aficionados one step away from throwing in the towel. Certainly, there could at least be a drop in subscriptions. Some have surmised that EG 7 may have arrived too late and that SSG are flailing around as the business slowly fails. There’s certainly more going on than meets the eye and eventually the truth will out. In the meantime if SSG wants to do anything positive to help the current situation then they need to focus on their community relations and management. Because at present it is an active impediment to the well being of LOTRO.

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

View fullsize

Last year I wrote a post about several “quality-of-life mechanics” found in MMOs. Systems and functionality that just make a game more manageable or convenient. Despite having many features in common, MMOs are far from identical in their interface and controls. If you’re a genre aficionado, then you can usually bluff your way through a new game and decipher how to play it. But for new players, often just trying to figure out how to do a simple thing, like find your skill points, can be an uphill struggle. However, every now and then, you’ll come across some simple functionality in a game that is useful and makes a task much easier. So I have collated another five “quality-of-life mechanics” that I feel are significant and beneficial to the player. Some are very minor but that does not diminish their value. Sometimes, less can indeed be more.

Star Trek Online: Away Teams and Combat Pets.

Some MMOs include AI companions that can join you on quests. I used to enjoy the virtual company of Guss Tuno in Star Wars: The Old Republic and his amusing quips and personal foibles. However, Star Trek Online goes a step further and allows players to take a 4 man away team with them on ground missions. You can pick your away team from your Bridge Officer personnel and have whatever mix of classes you wish (Engineering, Science and Tactical). Hence, a well balanced team can provide heals, buffs and DPS support. Furthermore, if you wish to play more tactically, you can assign basic instructions to your away team, such as holding a position or suppressing fire. It’s all a bit hit and miss at times but it adds to the fun and has practical benefits. If you are defeated you can opt to respawn or call a team member over to revive you. If you have an android as part of your away team they have the ability to reboot themselves. If the entire team wipes they will self revive and then resurrect everyone else. You also get to customise your away teams gear, so you can make them very robust if you choose wisely.

View fullsize

Like other MMOs STO has cosmetic pets. But it also has a modest collection of combat pets that can be used offensively during ground missions. It is possible to equip up to 4 of these at a time, although I wouldn’t advise such a strategy as it comes at the expense of other useful ground equipment. Combat pets can be very effective if used in conjunction with deployable turrets and other ground support weapons. Plus it is great fun to watch a combat Horta leisurely sliding over to the enemy. However the jewel in the crown is the Bio-Engineered Furiadon. Who doesn’t want an armoured dinosaur equipped with lasers fighting at their side?

LOTRO: Simple Rally Horn.

The Lord of the Rings Online has a huge game world. Standing Stone Games’ virtual Middle-earth has grown prodigiously over the last 14 years. If you want to play through content with another player or need assistance, it can be quite a chore for one party to travel to the other. The is a complex network of stables and auto mounts across the various zones and it can take a while to get from A to B at times. However, the simple rally horn is a consumable item that will summon another player to your location, if you are grouped with them. They can be obtained from the Hobbit Gifts, which are a daily login reward, or purchased from the store. They are incredibly useful and I always keep a few in my bag for occasions when I want to team up with another player. Because so many play LOTRO PVE content solo these days, these items are often overlooked.

View fullsize

Guild Wars 2: Revival.

Over the years, the MMO genre has experimented with various systems that handle player “death” or “defeat”. I’ve never liked “corpse walking” as it is a major inconvenience. Many games have a specific class that can revive, resurrect or heal a downed player which is fine if you have one in your group but not so good if you don’t. In STO, your AI companions can revive you which is beneficial. However, I feel that Guild Wars 2 handles this mechanic the best, insofar as every player has the ability to revive another. As it is a game with wide expansive zones and dynamic events it makes sense to have this common skill. When a player is defeated and in a “downed” state, they can either retreat to a nearby waypoint, or be resurrected by one or many players. The more players that participate, the quicker the process is. It is a simple and efficient process and I wish it was available in other games.

The Elder Scrolls Online: The Crafting Bag.

Storage, bag space and inventory slots are a perennial problem in most MMOs. Many players feel obliged to store everything “just in case”. Therefore, you can never have enough storage and therein lies the problem. Monetising bag space is an easy source of revenue. Perhaps the biggest culprit for hoarding space are crafting items. I tend not to craft in MMOs but I do trade in such commodities. So even I am not immune from this problem. Which brings me onto The Elder Scrolls Online and the way the issue is handled in that game. The Craft Bag is a unique subset of the player's inventory, that does not take up any space and can store an unlimited amount of all crafting and style materials. Therefore when you are out in the world playing through content, armour, weapons and jewellery etc will be deposited in your regular bag space but crafting items are automatically segregated into the craft bag and doesn’t steal space. The only caveat is that this facility is only available as part of an ESO Plus subscription. However, I usually play ESO for 2 to 3 months a year and during that time, I always subscribe due to the practical benefits of this bag.

So these are another five examples of “quality-of-life mechanics in MMOs” that I find useful and consider game enhancing. I’m sure there are plenty of other examples. Feel free to leave comments below any that you enjoy and would like to mention.

LOTRO: Proposed Changes to Scrolls of Empowerment in Update 28.3

View fullsize

2020 was a tumultuous year for Standing Stone Games and their MMORPG, The Lord of the Rings Online. The initial success they enjoyed at Easter through offering so much free content was tempered by the server outages over June and July. Their systemic communication failure throughout this period did not help matters. However, the news regarding Enad Global 7 and their acquisition of Daybreak Game Company in December was well received by fans. A graphical overhaul and a console port were both mentioned in an investor presentation. The New Year started well with the news that the first six expansions for LOTRO have been bundled together for the bargain price of £47 (including VAT). However, matters have taken a turn for the worst after a post on the official game forums caught players attention. 

It would appear that the latest test build on the Bullroarer server also includes some changes to both Reputation Accelerator Tomes and Scrolls of Empowerment. If these alterations are carried over to the live game they will not be well received. Here are the details as they currently stand.

Physical Mastery and Tactical Mastery values on Legendary Item Titles are being increased across all tiers.

Scrolls of Empowerment from the Rangers of Ithilien Quartermaster now cap at max-tier 35.

Scrolls of Empowerment from the Dol Amroth Quartermaster now cap at max-tier 35.

Scrolls of Empowerment from Narnaith in Minas Tirith now Cap at max-tier 44.

The quest "March on Gundabad: Additional Steps (Daily)" now awards 2 Scrolls of Empowerment with a max-tier cap of 83.

The quest "The War Effort: Threats to the Battlefield" now awards 3 Scrolls of Empowerment with a max-tier cap of 83.

Note: These changes will not affect items that are already in the player's possession, be they in the inventory, vault storage, housing storage, mail, or elsewhere.

Tradeable, unbound reputation granting tokens now have appropriate region quests gating their usage.

Small Reputation Accelerator Tomes offered on Skirmish Vendors now Bind to character on acquire and have a Max Usage Level of 100.

View fullsize

Scrolls of Empowerment are essential in levelling your Legendary Items. I cannot easily explain the esoteric nature of this game system because it is an utter mess in its present state. Let it suffice to say that SoEs boost the legacies on your weapon, increasing stats that the player has chosen, through 83 tiers. Obtaining SoEs has always been a chore in LOTRO. Despite new content being regularly added there is seldom any that offer these items in any respectable quantity. Hence most players farm older content from Minas Tirith to gain these. However, in Update 28.3 (which is currently being tested on the Bullroarer server), the SoEs that are currently gained from Ithilien, Dol Amroth and Minas Tirith are to be gated at specific tiers. If the legacies on you Legendary Weapons fall within these parameters you can use them. If not then you cannot. It is this issue that is the potential problem. As it stands at the moment, due to the chaotic state of the entire LI system, players use an expedient workaround to gain a resource they need. This change will cut that resource off for many players whose legacies on their LI are over halfway towards the cap.

It would appear that these proposed changes are due to SSG trying to manage LI progression on the two Legendary Servers. Content is released at a slower pace and as they stand at present, the level cap on both Anor and Ithil is 100 where it is 130 on the live standard servers. From a development point of view it is not cost effective to have to maintain two systems, so I can see why SSG have gone down this route But once again we are presented with something potentially being taken away and not replaced with something comparable. SSG are proposing to make the required SoEs available via repeatable content but that is only available in their latest “mini expansion”, War of Three Peaks. If you do not own this, then you cannot access it. Naturally there are store based alternatives available to unlock legacy tiers. If these changes are made to the live game then players will have to purchase War of Three Peaks or look to the store. This is far from a benign incentive.

View fullsize

With regard to the proposed changes to the Small Reputation Accelerator Tomes, this is another example of removing a benefit without an equitable replacement. The barter currencies used to acquire these items are accessible across your account. Therefore a player could use marks earned by a high level alt to buy a rep booster for a newer, lower level alt. Making these items bind to character diminishes their benefit. Again, there is naturally a store alternative. This proposed change is not as potentially damaging as the one regarding SoEs. But ultimately the degree of inconvenience, be it big or small, is not the point. There is a fundamental principle of quid pro quo at stake here and it is being eroded. Hopefully, the feedback on the forums will alert SSG to the PR disaster that potentially awaits them. However, given their track record, I suspect they may well just blithely walk into it.

Update:

As of Thursday 14.01.21 SSG have revised their plan regarding SoEs and made the following statement via the official forums.

Regarding Scrolls of Empowerment:

We really do want to make the process of acquiring these scrolls more varied and more meaningful at a given end-game, but we also want the acquisition process to be appropriate to the level of the content. We'll be fixing a math error quickly discovered by the community regarding how we set tier limits on scrolls from Gondor, which makes them largely useless for Imbued items unless your character is on a Legendary World with a level cap below 115. We also intend to address a gap in available scrolls for solo landscape players at level caps 105, 115, and 120.

Here are our current 28.3 plans for Scrolls of Empowerment:

Scrolls of Empowerment available to barter from the Dol Amroth Quartermaster will cap at max-tier 44 (since this content predates imbuement).

Scrolls of Empowerment available to barter from the Rangers of Ithilien Quartermaster will cap at max-tier 59.

Scrolls of Empowerment available to barter from Narnaith in Minas Tirith will cap at max-tier 59.

Scrolls of Empowerment with a max-tier of 59 will be added to daily and weekly quests on the Quartermaster (Host of the West).

Scrolls of Empowerment with a max-tier of 69 will be added to the Restoring the Three Kingdoms quest in Northern Mirkwood.

Scrolls of Empowerment with a max-tier of 79 will be added to the Protecting the Beornings, Elves, & Woodmen quests in Vales of Anduin.

The quest "March on Gundabad: Additional Steps (Daily)" will award 2 Scrolls of Empowerment with a max-tier cap of 83.

The quest "The War Effort: Threats to the Battlefield" will award 3 Scrolls of Empowerment with a max-tier cap of 83.

A Year in Gaming

View fullsize

Retrospective posts such as this can be a sprawling mess. There is also potential to cover the same old ground that I’ve covered in my monthly summaries “A Month in Gaming”. So I’ll try to be as succinct as I can. Firstly I won’t dwell too much on the iniquities of the video game industry as I’ve covered that elsewhere. Let it suffice to say that the notion of the “rock star developer” and the ethical publisher have proven false. Buying a triple A mainstream game is as morally compromised as buying a pair of jeans made by child labour. But let’s not get caught up in ethics. That’s another post. The pandemic meant that I, like many others, had far more leisure time this year and hence I spent that time gaming. It’s been a good year for video games publishers and the revenue has rolled in. Have I had fun while playing more games? Yes. The games have proven engaging and they also provide a lot to write about, so it’s a win, win scenario from my perspective.

So, what have I played? Let’s start with MMOs.

Star Trek Online: This game celebrated its ten year anniversary this year and celebrated with a lore infused two part story in February which was an utter joy to fans. Sadly the pandemic has somewhat reduced the flow of major story content but there has been further feature episodes produced. I rolled a new character and raised them to level cap by playing events and Task Force Operations. I’m now trying to play through all story missions in order and refamiliarize myself with the narrative arc of the game, which has become confused over the years. I finally achieved my long term goal and obtained a Tier 6 Constitution Legendary Miracle Worker Light Cruiser (a ship that looks like the original Enterprise) and I’m enjoying slowly working towards gear upgrades and advancing in-game systems. When you already have a high end alt that basically has everything available in the game it can become somewhat dull playing that character. Having to start from scratch another is quite challenging. Plus I just love the Trek vibe that is so strong in this game. It covers a multitude of sins.

View fullsize

The Lord of the Rings Online: LOTRO gave away a wealth of content free of charge earlier this year and players returned in droves. And then there were the server outages and the games fortunes took a nosedive. The “mini expansion” was obviously done out of dire financial need but it didn’t help flagging community relations. And then at the eleventh hour developer’s Standing Stone Games were bought out by Enad Global 7 and suddenly a wealth of questions that have been outstanding for the last few years became clear. I have enjoyed the content that I played in LOTRO of late but it doesn seem to be stuck in a rinse and repeat mindset. I’m hoping that a new owner will mean that content will come more often and will be broader in scope. I have a great deal of affection for this MMO and I would like to see it continue, rather than slowly fade away. Let’s see if a Producer’s Letter and a “roadmap” are forthcoming in early 2021.

Neverwinter: I returned to this game briefly for the first time since its beta test in 2013. I enjoyed the hybrid style of action combat and the atmosphere and aesthetic of the game. But it makes that typical MMO mistake of focusing too much on endgame and trivialising the early content. So I have already drifted away.

The Elder Scrolls Online: I started the year playing ESO but as I stated before, you can’t have too many MMOs on the go at the same time or else you end up spreading yourself too thinly and not getting enough enjoyment out of any of them. So I stopped subscribing but briefly returned in June for the Greymoor expansion. Oddly, I wrote a post about Harrowstorms providing a simple guide regarding where they occur and the quickest way to get to them. It proved one of the most popular items I’ve written in 2020.

Dauntless: Not strictly an MMO but it does share a lot of similar mechanics. This is another game that I played during its initial testing period. I returned to find it streamlined, polished and great fun. It is similar to Monster Hunter: World but far more accessible and sociable. It’s well worth a try and has a great art style.

Single player and multiplayer games:

View fullsize

Deathtrap Dungeon: A superb adaptation of the Ian Livingstone adventure book with its branching narrative. An avuncular Eddie Master sits in an armchair and narrates the story while the player chooses text based options. Combat is carried out by the roll of virtual dice. It’s wonderfully old school and an utter breath of fresh air from modern glossy triple A guff.

Call of Duty Warzone/Modern Warfare: I finally returned to the FPS genre after a break of seven or eight years. I bought this reboot of Modern Warfare in April and by that time, Warzone, the Battle Royale version of the game, had just launched. Simply put I had great fun playing up until November and then the next iteration of CoD was launched. Warzone endures but is now weighted towards content from the latest instalment Black Ops: Cold War. Modern Warfare will no longer receive any content updates for multiplayer and its player base will slowly diminish. All of which is an object lesson in the ephemeral nature of video games and the franchise treadmill.

Fall Guys: A fun Battle Royale game? Can there be such a thing? Yes. And Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is just that. I find that if I play this sparingly, then I don’t get too frustrated. It’s amusing to dress up in silly virtual costumes and indulge in what I can only describe as a video game version of Takeshi Castle. However, I still think the game needs some tweaking to adjust certain “human factors”. Plus I haven’t yet won five games in a row and gained a crown. I doubt if I ever will. That peeves me. However, my Granddaughters love this game so I’ll keep it installed.

View fullsize

The Sinking City: Frogwares make the popular Sherlock Holmes games and so The Sinking City shares a lot of the same investigative mechanics. It does have some bugs and not all the mechanics are as engaging as they could be but I really liked this odd, Lovecraft inspired game. It’s very atmospheric. Sometimes a game’s imperfections can be part of its appeal.

Cyberpunk 2077: Let us not discuss the hype surrounding this game or the fickle nature of gamers that projected their own hopes and dreams on to this product. CD Projeckt Red have tanked their own reputation by releasing broken versions for the previous generation of consoles and the game remains controversial. At some point I may write a lengthy blog post on my thoughts on this game, now that I’ve played sufficient to assess it. The short version of that future analysis is as follows. I love the story and the characters because it addresses complex adult issues in a challenging fashion. But I dislike the first person perspective and find that it ruins combat, which is in itself somewhat underwhelming. I never understand why a game that gives you such a rich and varied character creator and then elects to never let you see yourself in-game. Cyberpunk 2077 offers a big, visually impressive immersive world but it is lacking in interaction. It doesn’t feel as alive as the city of Los Santos in GTA V, although it looks better. My advice to those curious about this game is to buy it in six month times when it’s patched and on sale. And adjust your expectations accordingly.

View fullsize

So that’s what I played in 2020. Broadly I had fun. As for next year, I suspect I’ll keep playing games in a similar fashion. MMOs will continue to provide a staple and I’ll try various single player titles as the year progresses. It is customary when approaching the New Year to make predictions and many of my blogging friends will be doing such. I shall now bring the benefit of my fifty three years of “wisdom” to bear on the matter and give my thoughts on what is to come over the next twelve months. Game developers will hype and over sell their products. Gamers will get over excited and partisan debates will divide the community. Some folk will make lots of money and others won’t. Some games will be fun and others will not. Some gamers will be massive assholes, where others will be cuddly and nice. We’ll all keep grumbling but we’ll also keep playing. Finally, no matter how much things change, they will essentially stay the same. And Dwarves will still jump around annoyingly in my peripheral vision while I’m perusing the auction house. See you next year.

LOTRO, Daybreak Game Company and Enad Global 7

View fullsize

It has long been suspected that Daybreak Game Company owned Standing Stone Games and was more than just their publisher. However, being a private company, DGC has been exempt from public scrutiny. Infact, they’ve gone out of their way to keep their cards close to their chest in recent years. Press releases and tweets have been posted and then deleted to try and cover their tracks. To quote Lord Melchett from Blackadder, DGC “twist and turn like a ... twisty-turny thing”. It’s all been somewhat unseemly but at the same time great fun to speculate about. However, on Monday 1st December, Swedish games company Enad Global 7 (EG7) announced that they were buying DGC. Furthermore, as EG7 are a publicly owned company, information about them is freely available. Hence an investor presentation was posted on their website, rich with details of their new acquisition.

Now the foibles and machinations of DGC have become a source of interest for numerous game journalists and bloggers over the years. I therefore strongly recommend the following articles by Bree Royce and Wilhelm Arcturus, as they dissect and delineate the information published in EG7’s investor presentation. Both make for very interesting reading, giving details of the “health and wealth” of the various titles that have been up to now, owned by DGC. I however, will simply focus on the details pertaining to The Lord of the Rings Online, as this is the MMORPG I have the strongest connection to out of all the games listed. Finally, we have some indication of LOTRO’s business performance and its playerbase. In terms of monthly active players, the game has 108,000, of which 37.9% (41,000) subscribe generating nearly $10 million per year. Overall, yearly revenue is $26.7 million. LOTRO has the third-biggest playerbase out of DGC’s (now EG7’s) game portfolio.

View fullsize

So business wise, LOTRO is looking quite healthy. Furthermore, the forthcoming Amazon Prime, Middle-earth based TV show is being cited by EG7 as a potential means of raising consumer awareness of the IP. Something that can then be capitalised upon to promote LOTRO. Any sort of proactive marketing has long been absent from this MMO. Many players were baffled by the lack of any tie-in with the Hobbit movie trilogy, when they were released. Perhaps we will now see a change in policy over the next 12 months. It certainly seems that EG7 has provisional plans. Perhaps the most interesting of these is a proposed graphical and systems overhaul of the current PC version of LOTRO, along with further large content updates and a conversion of the game for “nextgen consoles”. Something that was originally mooted back in 2010, when the game first went free-to-play.

View fullsize

The significance of a console port of LOTRO should not be underestimated. The data in EG7’s investor presentation shows that the console version of DC Universe Online is a popular title and a robust source of revenue. Let us not forget that The Elder Scrolls Online, Neverwinter and Star Trek Online have all increased their players due to the success of their respective console ports. In fact the innovative revision of the UI in STO to accommodate the use of game controllers, actually offers greater functionality than the PC version. LOTRO suffers from a cluttered UI and an excess of quickslots and at present this can only be addressed with plugins. Therefore, a revision of the game may well prove beneficial to all players. Whether the game will support crossplay is another matter. However, I would like to see a console port of LOTRO made available as it would definitely bring new players to the game and re-invigorate the existing community. Let us see whether EG7 proves to be the “new broom that sweeps clean”.

A Month in Gaming

View fullsize

November proved to be a very productive month, gaming wise. I had to self isolate for 14 days, due to coming into contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19. Hence I had far more leisure time than usual. For a second month I applied myself to progressing through the new “mini expansion” in The Lord of the Rings Online. The new zone is a two phase map. The first is Elderslade, a mountainous region to the North of the Wells of Langflood. This area contains mainly story quests. The second phase, called War of Three Peaks, is the same zone but during a period of open war between the Dwarves and the Orcs. Quests here are mainly repeatable slayer and achievement quests. I did not discover this until I had completed the first round, so to speak, only to be offered exactly the same quests again by an NPC. As I had reached maximum rank in reputation for this new faction and there were no rewards of any note for me to spend my barter currency upon, I simply stopped playing through this content. 

Naturally, I was somewhat disappointed by this development because it highlights how developer’s, Standing Stone Games, have padded this content update so they can sell it as a “mini expansion”. However, I moved onto the new Mission system and spent some time exploring that. The missions themselves are fairly straightforward, instanced areas in which the player has to undertake a couple of tasks. Kill a boss, find so many supply crates etc. The difference here from other instanced content is that the enemies are more reactive. Some Orcs self heal or if not killed quickly, call in reinforcements. Some are a little trickier than others. There’s one where you have to destroy doorways to stop Goblins from spawning in Goblin Town. Crowd control skills are useful here. There’s another droll mission in which you have to dance and drink with “partying” Goblins. But overall Mission’s fails to offer anything overtly different. Again there are reputation tiers and deeds to achieve. But they offer paltry rewards, so why grind through them?

View fullsize

I did however, move a lot closer to maxing out both my Legendary Weapons. I was generously helped by a kinmate, who donated a substantial supply of Anfalas Scrolls of Empowerment. Hence all my legacies (apart from the main ones on each LI) are now at level 83. I’m sure given time, I will be able to acquire sufficient Anfalas Star-lit Crystals to max out the main legacies and finally close the book on the entire LI system. It is nice to see that my recent re-equipping with gear from Adventurer’s Loot Boxes and levelling up of my LI has really improved my overall combat experience. Killing enemies is now a lot quicker with critical hits occurring quite frequently. But I now feel that I’ve done as much as I can with LOTRO for the present. I may participate in the new raids, should my kinship re-appear over Christmas. But until there is new story content and tangible rewards to pursue, this MMO will be placed on a backburner.

View fullsize

Throughout November, I have been playing the latest event in Star Trek Online. I must admit that I’m getting quite fed up with this approach to new content from Cryptic. I like stories couched in classic Trek lore and there hasn’t been enough of such content this year. So this is another game that is going to be relegated to intermittent play over the next month. Q’s Winter Wonderland festival is due to start next week but sadly it is not offering anything that I want. And then there is my ongoing return to the MMO Neverwinter. I’m having fun but there are many aspects about the game that I’m not impressed by. This is another MMO which trivialises all gear progression below a specific level. Then there is the excess of currencies in the game. I suspect I will get to level 60 or so and then decide that it is time to move on. It’s a shame because I like the combat style and the way the Warlock class handles. I suspect that December may be an odd time where I struggle to find a new game that interests me. However, I already have an eye on returning to Dauntless.

Should You Have Expectations of Other Players?

View fullsize

Just for a change, Star Trek Online has another event. “Best Served Cold” is a Task Force Operation in which the 5 players must prevent a prison break from the Klingon gulag Rura Penthe. Complete this TFO 14 times and you can earn rewards including a Nanopulse Targ Combat Pet. If you feel disposed to do so, you can set up a private group and complete this with friends. However, most players simply use the auto-group facility that the game offers. As the interdependency of all classes has diminished in STO, there is no obstacle to quickly joining a pick up group. More often or not, there is little or no criteria for failure for these TFO’s so some players will group and do as little as possible. In some events in STO it is possible to join a group and go AFK. The activity will complete regardless of player participation and all then receive the designated reward.

Now the reason I mention all this is because I had an interesting experience today while playing STO. As ever, although specifically related to this MMORPG, the wider sentiments discussed here are applicable to many others and indeed any game that features collaborative multiplay. The “Best Served Cold” event is far from difficult and easy to complete. As far as I’m aware your team’s score doesn’t even impact on the rewards. However (and there is always a however in gaming), some players want to complete this daily event to the best of their ability, achieving all the various goals. And to do that all players participating have a part to play. Needless to say that didn’t happen in the TFO in which I was participating and someone had a meltdown in team chat as a result. This raises an interesting question. Exactly what do you expect from a PUG, assuming that you should expect anything in the first place?

View fullsize

After playing the aforementioned TFO several times, a clear pattern of game play emerges. There are three satellites to defend from enemy attack, then there are transports to subdue and capture. Finally, each satellite needs to be protected from freighter being used as suicide bombers. Five ships can handle this easily. Three vessels can cover the satellites while the other two can cover the transports and eliminate the explosive freighters. But of course this seldom happens. Some players meander about, while others go AFK. Often you’ll finish the event with a percentage of transports escaped and may be a satellite damaged or even destroyed. Sometimes a player will attempt to “school” others, via the Team Chat. This is usually a recipe for disaster and abuse. Others will log out of the TFO if they feel that some players are “doing it wrong”. I simply focus on what I’m doing and reconcile myself to the fact that whatever happens, at least I get my daily reward and inch closer to completing the event.

There is a lot to reflect upon here. When someone joins a random group do they have any obligation to the other players. Do they need to learn the mechanics of the event or group undertaking? Is it presumptuous of others to expect that those that they group with come with adequate provisions such as health potions etc. Is it realistic to expect other players to be as prepared as you? Well if the group activity is organised with friends or through your guild, then I’d argue that there is some sort of social contract in place. But I just cannot argue that there is a similar code of conduct for PUGs. I’d think that basic good manners and a degree of social etiquette still exists, as we see it from time to time. The person who says “Hi” in team chat. The player that tries to do multiple tasks in the group event to compensate for those who cannot or will not. Those that say “good game” before leaving the group. But sadly this sort of positive behaviour is in decline both in and outside of games.

View fullsize

The problem with PUGs is that they do not foster any group identity or encourage any social interaction. It is simply a means of bringing a group of players together in an expedient fashion to complete a task. No one knows anyone and most do not talk. It is an impersonal system that just reinforces that sense of anonymity so often associated with the internet. A means to an end to get what you want. Sadly most game developers don’t make any attempt to address this. A simple way to foster good behaviour and more proactive gameplay is to incentivise and reward those who do more than just show up. But until this is done, I suspect it is simply unrealistic to expect anything of other players. Encouraging behavioural change requires diplomacy and needs to be handled sensitively because many players do not take “instruction” well. A proposed change in attitudes and habits will appear to some as a personal attack. Such is the world we live in at present. Therefore, for the present it is best to expect nothing from your fellow players by default. If anything beyond occurs, then it is a bonus.

"Why Am I Doing This?"

View fullsize

In-depth story quests, complex systems and incrementable progression are the foundation of the MMORPG genre. The player explores the virtual world, undertakes quests, earns gear and advances through various systems that improve their stats. It’s a formula that has been tried and tested over more than two decades. It works and keeps millions of players engaged with their MMO of choice. However, no matter how much new content developers add to an MMO, there are always a percentage of players that quickly complete it and demand more. The genre is a time sink by nature and many players are happy to do exactly that. Therefore, the most practical way to address this dilemma is to attempt to slow player progression. Hence time gating, making required items “rare” and making content repeatable are just some of the ways developer’s can extend a game’s longevity. And so “grinding” has also become an integral aspect of these games.

I have mentioned in previous posts that with a little bit of creativity, you can mask grind with a veneer of narrative and panache to make it more palatable. If you put some icing on top of a plain sponge cake and you make it marginally more interesting. However, sometimes game developers dispense with even this, leaving the player facing a lengthy, unenjoyable task that is presented purely as a lengthy, unenjoyable task. And it is at this point the players ask themselves the question, “why am I doing this?” Something that developer’s should never want their paying customers thinking. Because most gamers have a set of criteria that they measure a game against. These are usually on a scale. As long as one or two of these criteria are being met then the player will get some sense of enjoyment out of their gaming activities. The moment “why am I doing this?” arises it often means that the player has reached a point where the game isn’t providing any stimulation for them.

View fullsize

So what are these criteria, expectations or measurements by which an MMO is judged by the player? Rather than list lots of niche and subjective examples perhaps defining three broad categories would be more appropriate? I think that at least one of these categories have to be met for an individual to want to continue playing a specific game.

“Fun”: This is a broad generalisation and a very subjective term. I use it here to mean some sort of emotional engagement that the player experiences while playing. The “fun” may be PVP, participating in a raid, undertaking a story quest, crafting, roleplaying or just riding around a virtual world on your mount. Some people also go all in on the social element of MMOs. And because all these experiences are positive and enjoyable, players are happy to continue these and similar activities.

Quid pro quo (Something for something): Sometimes an activity in an MMO may not be especially enjoyable and therefore may not fall into the “fun” category. But if it offers something in exchange for your time and effort then the player may overlook and endure the activity’s shortcomings and do it purely for the reward. The reward can be both literal or figurative. An item or a title. As long as it satisfies the player then they will keep playing. I find that a lot of my gaming is of this transactional nature. I am at times ambivalent towards what I am doing and instead focused on what it will yield.

Passing the time: This is a nebulous category but also a very common one. Many gamers will log into a game after a day’s work simply to unwind. Games per se offer a convenient and effective means of relaxing from stress and anxiety. Often the quality of the game or the complexity of the task being carried out do not matter that much. Undertaking simple, repetitive tasks such as crafting allow people to focus and destress. This is similar to putting the TV or listening to background music, just to “kill some time”. No matter how arbitrary the task or action may be, if it provides a restful distraction then it is serving a purpose. However, this is a fine line to tread.

View fullsize

If a game fails to satisfy any of the three aforementioned categories then the question “why am I doing this?” is bound to occur. And when it does it is often an epiphany. The MMO genre is one that fosters a culture of dedication and even obligation. The sunk cost fallacy also has a part to play. But gamers need to remember that video games are a leisure activity and service. If you don’t like your meal in a restaurant then you send it back. If you’re not enjoying the book you’re reading then stop doing so. TV shows that don’t engage can be turned off. Why should an MMO be any different? The rhetorical question “why am I doing this?” should be a major alarm bell for any MMO game developer. It should be something ever present in their mind, especially when testing content. It is unreasonable for gamers to expect all content to be an enthralling rollercoaster ride. In fact there are cogent arguments for providing content that give players some “down time”. But content should never be so dull that players question while they even bothered doing it in the first place. That is gamer Kryptonite.

LOTRO: Revisiting Landscape Soldiers

View fullsize

In March 2012 Turbine released Update 6: Shores of the Great River for The Lord of the Rings Online. This included the ability to summon your Skirmish Soldiers while playing PVE content. Prior to this you only had access to your soldier when playing skirmishes. Whether this was done to compete with other MMOs that have companions or crew such as Star Wars: The Old Republic or Star Trek Online is not clear. It may have been a purely financial decision, as tokens offering an hour’s access to your skirmish soldier soon appeared in the LOTRO store. Like all changes made regarding LOTRO, opinions were divided at the time. Where I saw this as an increase in player choice, others perceived it to be another step away from the spirit of an MMO and further evidence of the solofication of the genre. Eight years later, one thing is certain. Having access to Skirmish Soldiers throughout the game in general, is not the same as having a full blown companion that single player games and some MMOs offer.  

The reason I raise this subject now, is because I’m currently grinding through the War of Three Peaks phase in the new “mini expansion” and it is a litany of kill and fetch quests in a zone densely populated by enemy mobs. Some areas are best tackled by a small fellowship. As it is not much fun, so I decided to see if I could progress quicker by using my Landscape/Skirmish Soldier. I currently have a Warrior that is maxed out. Sadly this tactic has not proven especially beneficial because the Landscape/Skirmish Soldier is nothing more than a blunt tool. It has very limited functionality and certainly doesn't compete with the flexibility of the Captain's Herald and Lore-master's pets. You can direct it to fight a specific target but the cooldown on that skill takes too long to be of tactical use. It also doesn’t seem to do much damage when fighting an enemy. Having levelled a second character in the last 18 months I have noticed that the Landscape/Skirmish Soldier seems to be more effective at lower levels.

View fullsize

Hence I have toyed with the idea of retraining my Landscape/Skirmish Soldier from a Warrior to another type. However, after some research on the official forums and the LOTRO subreddit, it would appear that most folk choose either a Sage or Herbalist. This is because they can provide debuffs and healing, effectively. Archers, Bannerguards and Protectors (as well as the Warrior that I currently have) all suffer from the same problems; chaotic AI, a penchant for getting lost or stuck in the environment and generally not being able to hold enemies and kill them quickly enough. Plus, if I do decide to retrain my Landscape/Skirmish Soldier, there is the cost to consider. It would appear it takes about 60,000 Skirmish Marks to buy a new role and max out the allotted skills. I currently have 23,000 Skirmish Marks and that took a while to build up. So potentially, this could be a lengthy and costly process, which may still not yield the results I seek. 

View fullsize

Another disappointing aspect of the Landscape/Skirmish Soldier is that they have no associated backstory and therefore I have no emotional connection or investment in them. They are no more than a meat shield. However, companions in SWTOR have bespoke stories, personalities and a varied set of skills. As there are multiple companions available in the game, you use whichever one is appropriate to your circumstances. Their dialogue and sundry banter can be both endearing and annoying. Either way, at least you care about them. And in Star Trek Online, although your away team do not have individual stories, you can at least customise their skills and gear. Having four NPCs providing support with a small degree of tactical control can be a real asset. It would therefore be nice to see something comparable in LOTRO. You should be able to use your Landscape/Skirmish Soldier in the same way you can your pet. However, I don’t think this is on SSGs priority list. It’s just another facet of LOTRO that has fallen by the wayside. Like hobbies, Epic Battles and mounted combat.