Be The Gamer » LOTRO http://www.bethegamer.com Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 LotRO struts the runway for Fashion Week http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/09/lotro-struts-the-runway-for-fashion-week/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/09/lotro-struts-the-runway-for-fashion-week/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/lotro-struts-the-runway-for-fashion-week/ Filed under: , , , , ,

Fashion Week
Are you more into looking good in Lord of the Rings Online than defeating the very heart of evil? Then Turbine's got a special week planned just for you. Starting today and going through the 16th, Fashion Week will be blazing through LotRO.

LotRO's cosmetic system allows players to assemble their own outfit looks independent of slotted gear and has become a popular feature in the game ever since its inception. Through Fashion Week, Turbine will call on the best-dressed to strut their stuff in the hopes that in-game CMs will see them and award special titles.

Also included in the week will be fashion-themed lotteries and a screenshot contest in which the best entries will be voted upon by the community. To give players inspiration, Turbine links to three game outfit blogs -- Lotro Fashion, Lotro Stylist, and Cosmetic Lotro -- and has given each of the blogs special codes to hand out for free in-game dyes.

MassivelyLotRO struts the runway for Fashion Week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/09/lotro-struts-the-runway-for-fashion-week/feed/ 0 The Road to Mordor: A fresh start http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/ Filed under: , , , , ,

LotRO
I don't know about you, but sometimes I fall into the trap of forcing myself to do something in a game because I feel internally obliged to do it. Somewhere along the line, "setting a goal" became a Bataan Death March that absolutely had to be accomplished before I'd allow myself to do what I truly wanted. In my case, it was the stubborn determination to get through the remainder of Rise of Isengard's content even though I had slowed to slogging through it, feeling burned out on my Lore-master after well over a year of constant play on the character.

So I sat back and re-evaluated. My reasoning for finishing Isengard was to make sure I was at the top of the game and could evaluate any new high-level content that came along for you guys, which was a noble reason. But the truth was that in so doing, I was playing something that was leeched of enjoyment for the time being and really needed to be put aside. Once I realized that, the solution was obvious.

A fresh start. That's what I wanted: a completely fresh start to the game. Hey, it's still (sort of) a new year, so why not? And once I gave myself permission to do that, my adventures in Lord of the Rings Online brightened up considerably.

I might be weird in this, but I absolutely love starting over from scratch in long-term games from time to time, even though it means scrapping (or putting aside) a whole heap of achievements and the effort spent acquiring them. This week I'm going to look at my fresh start with LotRO and why it has me buzzed to log in for the first time this year.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A fresh start

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A fresh start originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

    ]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/feed/ 0     LotRO video rock stars could win fame, glory, and Turbine Points http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/03/lotro-video-rock-stars-could-win-fame-glory-and-turbine-points/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/03/lotro-video-rock-stars-could-win-fame-glory-and-turbine-points/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/lotro-video-rock-stars-could-win-fame-glory-and-turbine-points/ Filed under: , , , , ,

    LotRO
    Do you consider yourself a rock star within your MMO? Do men and women swoon upon your approach? Does a soundtrack ring out exalting your triumphs with every step you take? Do you carry a Sharpie around at all times to autograph body parts? Then you probably have an ego problem or something.

    For everyone else, A Casual Stroll to Mordor is calling on creative talents to come up with fun "I am a rockstar" videos for Lord of the Rings Online -- and the site is willing to pay handsomely for the best efforts. Players are tasked with making a rock star-themed commercial, which can be any shade of serious or funny, and submitting it for a chance to win in-game store cash. Two Turbine Point cards, valued at 2500 and 1500 TP, are up for the first and second place winners.

    Entries for the contest are due by February 17th. There are several rules for prospective video-makers, so head on over to CSTM for the full details.

    MassivelyLotRO video rock stars could win fame, glory, and Turbine Points originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

    ]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/02/03/lotro-video-rock-stars-could-win-fame-glory-and-turbine-points/feed/ 0     EVE Evolved: Could EVE Online go free-to-play? http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/29/eve-evolved-could-eve-online-go-free-to-play/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/29/eve-evolved-could-eve-online-go-free-to-play/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000 Brendan Drain http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/29/eve-evolved-could-eve-online-go-free-to-play/ Filed under: , , , , , , ,

    EVE Online title image
    When EVE Online was released in 2003, the subscription model was the dominant business model for MMOs. Subscriptions have dominated Western MMOs throughout most of EVE's reign, but in the past two years we've seen the market push toward alternative models. Although the Incarna expansion controversially introduced a cash shop for cosmetic items, EVE Online has remained a subscription MMO in the face of tremendous market pressure to change. Although CCP plans to use a free-to-play model for DUST 514 and World of Darkness, no plans for EVE to adopt a similar system have been announced.

    There's no sense in trying to deny it: The market is changing, with microtransaction-supported free-to-play games producing far more money than subscription titles. Hybrid models that give players the choice between microtransactions or a regular subscription have turned the industry on its head. When Turbine first implemented a hybrid model in Dungeons and Dragons Online, not only did profit shoot up from the free players but subscriptions rose. When the studio gave Lord of the Rings Online the same treatment, profits tripled almost overnight. The money is firmly in microtransactions, and it would be disingenuous to assume CCP won't chase that kind of financial reward. But could EVE even support a free-to-play business model, and what alternatives are there?

    In this week's EVE Evolved, I ask whether it would be possible for EVE Online to adopt a free-to-play business model, and I suggest a simple alternative model that could really work.

    Continue reading EVE Evolved: Could EVE Online go free-to-play?

    MassivelyEVE Evolved: Could EVE Online go free-to-play? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

      ]]>       http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/29/eve-evolved-could-eve-online-go-free-to-play/feed/ 0       The Road to Mordor: Riders of Whoa-han! http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/28/the-road-to-mordor-riders-of-whoa-han/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/28/the-road-to-mordor-riders-of-whoa-han/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/28/the-road-to-mordor-riders-of-whoa-han/ Filed under: , , , , ,

      LotRO
      This past week we heard from Turbine about its general plans for Lord of the Rings Online in 2012, and while it may not have hit everything on my personal wish list for the year, it was a good start.

      I was mulling over the question of whether it's better for MMOs to show all of their big cards up front like Turbine or to parcel them out over the course of the year. Both have advantages, of course. Front-loading the year with a broad overview like this gives players long-term reasons to stick with the game, but it also can steal the exciting thunder from these events down the road. On the other hand, measuring the big news out during the year would probably give Turbine more publicity, but it could frustrate players who might feel "in the dark" about the company's plans.

      In any case, we got what we got, and there's a lot to chew over for this week's column: unbound skirmish soldiers, Riders of Rohan, the Great River, and the fifth anniversary. So let's get started!

      Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Riders of Whoa-han!

      MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Riders of Whoa-han! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

        ]]>         http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/28/the-road-to-mordor-riders-of-whoa-han/feed/ 0         The Soapbox: Credible currency http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/24/the-soapbox-credible-currency/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/24/the-soapbox-credible-currency/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000 Eliot Lefebvre http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/the-soapbox-credible-currency/ Filed under: , , , ,

        Sometimes the bird flies away, and sometimes you unchain it and smack it in the head and then complain that it left.
        Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

        With all of the other crises hitting the gaming world, it's easy to have missed the fact that Lord of the Rings Online has started selling statted gear in the cash shop. It's not endgame gear, of course, and it's mostly there for low-level players to get a minor boost. Really, as has been said by others, it's not something all that unusual, nor is it game-breaking in the slightest. It's just a convenience thing.

        It's also something that Turbine promised would never be done.

        I don't have an issue with the sale of low-level armor with stats on it, in Lord of the Rings Online or in other games. What I do have an issue with is the matter of credibility, the one currency that every company starts with and loses over time. Credibility is something you have to spend carefully, and every so often, a company spends it wrong. And the results, in the long term, are never pretty.

        Continue reading The Soapbox: Credible currency

        MassivelyThe Soapbox: Credible currency originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

          ]]>           http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/24/the-soapbox-credible-currency/feed/ 0           The Road to Mordor: Convenience, not advantage http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/21/the-road-to-mordor-convenience-not-advantage/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/21/the-road-to-mordor-convenience-not-advantage/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/21/the-road-to-mordor-convenience-not-advantage/ Filed under: , , , , , ,

          LotRO
          Prior to Lord of the Rings Online's free-to-play implementation, players were raising concerns of potential abuse of the F2P model and the LotRO store in particular. The CM at the time, Patience, posted a now-infamous response stated that Turbine was about selling "convenience, not advantage" in the store. I thought it was a terrific stance to take (and still is, for any F2P MMO dabbling in microtransactions). It wasn't long, however, before the thread was purged from the forums entirely, although the playerbase has held on to those three words to this day.

          That phrase has echoed in my head over the past week, ever since we heard that statted armor was coming to the in-game store. I've been among those who have championed Turbine's F2P model as the way to do things right -- to offer fluff, a la carte content and convenience without straying into so-called "pay to win" territory that has plagued cheaper games. But now I wonder if the new motto is "convenience and advantage," especially in light of several other questionable store selections that have been pushed through despite player resistance.

          But let's concentrate on one topic today, that being the stat armor that's now available in the store. Is this strictly a "convenience" item that is meant to aid struggling lowbies, or does it represent the sale of a clear advantage for those who are OK with letting their money game for them? Are we making a mountain out of a molehill by discussing this, or is it far past time that something like this needs to be brought into the public discourse?

          Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Convenience, not advantage

          MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Convenience, not advantage originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

            ]]>             http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/21/the-road-to-mordor-convenience-not-advantage/feed/ 0             Warner Bros. invests in Korean publisher to ‘co-develop certain online games’ [Updated] http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/20/warner-bros-invests-in-korean-publisher-to-co-develop-certain-online-games-updated/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/20/warner-bros-invests-in-korean-publisher-to-co-develop-certain-online-games-updated/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/korean-developer-secures-rights-to-make-batman-lord-of-the-ring/ Filed under: , , ,

            Batman and Barrow-wight
            Unless you live in South Korea or are a massive fan of the F.E.A.R. series, chances are you haven't heard much about Korean studio Inplay Interactive. That's going to change right now, so prepare yourself.

            Inplay is a developer that's worked on F.E.A.R.: Origin Online and SNK All Stars Online but is now poised to rapidly expand its portfolio. Today, the studio announced that it has inked a deal with Warner Bros. to develop two of its most significant IPs into MMOs: Batman and Lord of the Rings. In turn, Warner Bros. will be both an investor and a shareholder of the company.

            [Update: We've learned that our original source was mistranslated. Warner Bros. has indeed invested in Inplay Interactive with intent to "strengthen the Korean development capability of online games to the world." The partnership "Intend[s] To Co-Develop Certain Other Online Games by utilizing Warner Bros. Properties," but the specific properties have not as yet been disclosed as originally reported. We apologize for the confusion.]

            MassivelyWarner Bros. invests in Korean publisher to 'co-develop certain online games' [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

            ]]>             http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/20/warner-bros-invests-in-korean-publisher-to-co-develop-certain-online-games-updated/feed/ 0             Turbine: LotRO cash shop stat armor ‘creates solutions for players’ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/18/turbine-lotro-cash-shop-stat-armor-creates-solutions-for-players/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/18/turbine-lotro-cash-shop-stat-armor-creates-solutions-for-players/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000 Jef Reahard http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/turbine-lotro-cash-shop-stat-armor-creates-solutions-for-playe/ Filed under: , , , , , ,

            Lord of the Rings Online - someone's been drinking
            It's been an interesting week for Turbine, and the development firm has spent some of it doing damage control resulting from its decision to sell stat gear in its Lord of the Rings Online cash shop.

            As we reported last Friday, the company has reversed course, first by selling stat tomes and PvMP gear, and now with new low-level stat armor pieces. Turbine's Adam Mersky tells Gamefront that this is a matter of the firm looking out for its customers. "This is us coming up with solutions to problems players are reporting to us. We're trying to create solutions for players," he says, before stating that Turbine is "not averse to puling things off the store if they don't work."

            What about the eventual sale of high-level stat gear? Mersky says Turbine has "no intention at this time of selling any raid gear in the store."

            MassivelyTurbine: LotRO cash shop stat armor 'creates solutions for players' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

            ]]>             http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/18/turbine-lotro-cash-shop-stat-armor-creates-solutions-for-players/feed/ 0             Choose My Adventure: The sequel! http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/18/choose-my-adventure-the-sequel/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/18/choose-my-adventure-the-sequel/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000 Eliot Lefebvre http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/choose-my-adventure-the-sequel/ Filed under: , , , ,

            Here I go, here I go, here I go again. Girls, what's my weakness? MMOs!
            When I was halfway through my tenure on Choose My Adventure, I had already made it clear that I wanted to come back around for another pass. After all, I had a grand time in Warhammer Online, and I wanted to see what would happen with another run through the gauntlet. I hadn't expected it would be quite so soon, but here we are: It's time for a sequel adventure.

            And as we all know, sequels have to be bigger. They have to be louder. And they need a bigger budget.

            We've got nine games listed past the cut, all candidates for my play for the next several weeks. Some of these games are returning old favorites, and some of them are new to the cut, but all of them should provide for some interesting adventures. So check out the descriptions, make your vote before 11:59 p.m. EST on January 21st, and tune in next week when we kick this sequel off properly.

            Continue reading Choose My Adventure: The sequel!

            MassivelyChoose My Adventure: The sequel! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

              ]]>               http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/18/choose-my-adventure-the-sequel/feed/ 0               The Road to Mordor: Out of game on party business http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-out-of-game-on-party-business/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-out-of-game-on-party-business/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-out-of-game-on-party-business/ Filed under: , , ,

              Road to Mordor
              Here's an odd confession for a Lord of the Rings Online columnist to make: I haven't been playing the game much in the past month. I've been, for all intents and purposes, on a gaming sabbatical from Middle-earth.

              It's not as bad as it looks at first glance because I do this all the time with any MMO I play. I found out the hard way years ago that nonstop gaming in a singular dedicated title was a terrific recipe for spectacular, many-onlookers-injured flaming burnouts. No matter how good that pixelated pizza is, we've been told, if you have it for every meal, sooner or later it will taste like moldy routine in our mouth. And that's not good for anyone.

              The good news is that my sabbatical is at an end after only flitting into LotRO on occasion over the holidays, and I'm rested up and recharged for another great year of slaughtering wildlife in Tolkien's honor. Before I do that, however, I'd like to take this opportunity to share why I feel that it's OK to "go on sabbatical" from LotRO... and why it even benefits the game as a whole for its fans not to play once in a while.

              Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Out of game on party business

              MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Out of game on party business originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

              Permalink | Email this | Comments

                ]]>                 http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-out-of-game-on-party-business/feed/ 0                 The Road to Mordor: Out of game on party business http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-out-of-game-on-party-business/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-out-of-game-on-party-business/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-out-of-game-on-party-business/ Filed under: , , ,

                Road to Mordor
                Here's an odd confession for a Lord of the Rings Online columnist to make: I haven't been playing the game much in the past month. I've been, for all intents and purposes, on a gaming sabbatical from Middle-earth.

                It's not as bad as it looks at first glance because I do this all the time with any MMO I play. I found out the hard way years ago that nonstop gaming in a singular dedicated title was a terrific recipe for spectacular, many-onlookers-injured flaming burnouts. No matter how good that pixelated pizza is, we've been told, if you have it for every meal, sooner or later it will taste like moldy routine in our mouth. And that's not good for anyone.

                The good news is that my sabbatical is at an end after only flitting into LotRO on occasion over the holidays, and I'm rested up and recharged for another great year of slaughtering wildlife in Tolkien's honor. Before I do that, however, I'd like to take this opportunity to share why I feel that it's OK to "go on sabbatical" from LotRO... and why it even benefits the game as a whole for its fans not to play once in a while.

                Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Out of game on party business

                MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Out of game on party business originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

                Permalink | Email this | Comments

                  ]]>                   http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/14/the-road-to-mordor-out-of-game-on-party-business/feed/ 0                   LotRO reverses policy, plans to sell PvE stat gear through the store [Updated] http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/13/lotro-reverses-policy-plans-to-sell-pve-stat-gear-through-the-store-updated/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/13/lotro-reverses-policy-plans-to-sell-pve-stat-gear-through-the-store-updated/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:30:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/lotro-reverses-policy-plans-to-sell-pve-stat-gear-through-the-s/ Filed under: , , , ,

                  LotRO
                  In July 2010, Massively was told by Turbine that the then-coming LotRO store "would not sell any gear with stats attached." And while the studio has so far kept to the letter of the law, it has fudged the spirit of it with the sales of stat tomes (which boost stats independently of gear) and the addition of statted gear to PvMP (monster play).

                  Consider the law cast aside today, then, as Turbine's announced the coming sale of statted gear in the LotRO store to normal PvE play as well. Light, medium, and heavy armor pieces will soon be available for purchase in the cash shop, and will come with beneficial stats attached. In addition to the typical stats, the store boots will come with a 8% run out-of-combat run speed boost attached.

                  While the gear in question has reasonable stats, it certainly raises the specter of the game's heading toward pay-to-win territory by having it for sale at all.

                  Massively has reached out to Turbine for an official comment.

                  [Update: On the official forums Sapience commented about the sale saying, "It's lower level gear. Many players have given us feedback that there is a sparsity of gear on the AH at these levels and they wanted an alternative. We're trying to accomodate that."]

                  MassivelyLotRO reverses policy, plans to sell PvE stat gear through the store [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

                  Permalink | Email this | Comments

                  ]]>                   http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/13/lotro-reverses-policy-plans-to-sell-pve-stat-gear-through-the-store-updated/feed/ 0                   LotRO reverses policy, plans to sell PvE stat gear through the store http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/13/lotro-reverses-policy-plans-to-sell-pve-stat-gear-through-the-store-2/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/13/lotro-reverses-policy-plans-to-sell-pve-stat-gear-through-the-store-2/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:30:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/lotro-reverses-policy-plans-to-sell-pve-stat-gear-through-the-s/ Filed under: , , , ,

                  LotRO
                  In July 2010, Massively was told by Turbine that the then-coming LotRO store "would not sell any gear with stats attached." And while the studio has so far kept to the letter of the law, it has fudged the spirit of it with the sales of stat tomes (which boost stats independently of gear) and the addition of statted gear to PvMP (monster play).

                  Consider the law cast aside today, then, as Turbine's announced the coming sale of statted gear in the LotRO store to normal PvE play as well. Light, medium, and heavy armor pieces will soon be available for purchase in the cash shop, and will come with beneficial stats attached. In addition to the typical stats, the store boots will come with a 8% run out-of-combat run speed boost attached.

                  While the gear in question has reasonable stats, it certainly raises the specter of the game's heading toward pay-to-win territory by having it for sale at all.

                  Massively has reached out to Turbine for an official comment.

                  MassivelyLotRO reverses policy, plans to sell PvE stat gear through the store originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

                  Permalink | Email this | Comments

                  ]]>                   http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/13/lotro-reverses-policy-plans-to-sell-pve-stat-gear-through-the-store-2/feed/ 0                   The Road to Mordor: Resolutions, Baggins and Took-style http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/07/the-road-to-mordor-resolutions-baggins-and-took-style/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/07/the-road-to-mordor-resolutions-baggins-and-took-style/#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000 Justin Olivetti http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/the-road-to-mordor-resolutions-baggins-and-took-style/ Filed under: , , , ,

                  The Road to Mordor
                  Mmm... smell that? It's the smell of a fresh new year, that is! Rolled right off the factory floor with no dings, the warranty still intact, and a tank full of gas and dreams. Makes one want to abandon the routine and head out onto the open road, does it not?

                  I'm one of those old fuddy-duddys who actually does New Year's resolutions, whether or not I'm actually capable of keeping them. I think it's important to try to better oneself and keep reaching for higher goals and standards, and if a new year is a convenient excuse to get my butt in gear, then I'm not complaining.

                  So right now I'm staring at a field of endless potential for Lord of the Rings Online in 2012. I've actually been giving it a lot of thought -- what do I want out of this year? As LotRO heads toward its fifth anniversary, is there really anything new left that I haven't experienced? And what the heck am I going to write about for 52 more weeks?

                  Never fear because the more I pondered, the more I realized that there's plenty of content yet to plunder (plus, of course, whatever Turbine has up its sleeves for the year). So for today's column, I sat down and drew up a list of resolutions in two parts: "Bagginsish" resolutions that are all about fluff and creature comforts and "Tookish" resolutions that are more concerned with high adventure.

                  Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Resolutions, Baggins and Took-style

                  MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Resolutions, Baggins and Took-style originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

                  Permalink | Email this | Comments

                    ]]>                     http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/07/the-road-to-mordor-resolutions-baggins-and-took-style/feed/ 0                     Some Assembly Required: A virtual world roundup http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/06/some-assembly-required-a-virtual-world-roundup/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/06/some-assembly-required-a-virtual-world-roundup/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000 MJ Guthrie http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/some-assembly-required-a-virtual-world-round-up/ Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                    Some Assembly Required header
                    If you are perusing this column, chances are you are a fan of virtual worlds and the sandbox genre. Join the club! (Dues will be due on the third Tuesday.) The aspect that compels many aficionados to delve into a game is the ability to make an impact on the world in some small respect instead of making them into Hive Member 1593072 running a static, predetermined gauntlet. How that impact is accomplished, however, varies; there are multiple features that can facilitate it, and which ones are considered most important depends on the player.

                    With the loss of one of the best sandbox games just last month, some players may be feeling a void. Others still are looking/hoping for the "ultimate" sandbox that contains nearly every virtual world feature. Certainly, there are some upcoming games that make some drool-worthy promises, but what about playing something now? There are actually games out on the market that have at least one aspect of the genre, if not more.

                    To start off the new year, Some Assembly Required looks at some of the top features of virtual worlds and lists games that incorporate these features. While this list isn't exhaustive (considering the sheer number of games when you include all of the smaller free-to-play titles, I'd run out of column space!), it is a comprehensive enough overview to point you toward some games worth playing that perhaps you hadn't considered before.

                    Continue reading Some Assembly Required: A virtual world roundup

                    MassivelySome Assembly Required: A virtual world roundup originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

                    Permalink | Email this | Comments

                      ]]>                       http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/06/some-assembly-required-a-virtual-world-roundup/feed/ 0