[LOTRO] 1/21 - 1/25 Free Return Weekend

Triple B

LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE
MINES OF MORIA

because these ugly bastards aren't going to kill themselves

It makes sense.
The fantasy universe conceived by J.R.R. Tolkien known as 'Middle Earth' is heavily influential in most modern fantasy-influenced stuff. World of Warcraft, I'm looking at you. Did you know the mines of Moria was the dungeon crawl before there were dungeon crawls? So it seems pretty natural that this work of fictional gold would eventually make its way into the massively multiplayer online realm. The guys at Turbine (Asheron's Call, AC2, D&DO) have done a great job translating the immaculate world of Tolkien's creation and presenting Windows PC users with a massively multiplayer Middle Earth. They released Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar in April 2007 and have since released the first major expansion Mines of Moria. For their efforts Turbine has earned the following Reader's Choice Awards from MMORPG.com: [Best Overall Game] of 2008, [Best Expansion Pack] of 2008, and [Favorite MMO Studio] of 2008. Quite impressive given the stiff competition.

There is stuff.
This is a casual, quest-driven MMO that is fine for solo-play but more fun with friends. Built-in voice chat for you social butterflies out there and DX10 graphics that blow plenty of other games out of the water - water that is inferior to what you will see in Middle Earth when you start playing, trust me. Everything you could want exists in this game in some form or another: instances, quests, raiding, player housing, kinships, crafting, PVP and legendary weapons you can customize. The player vs. player combat is given a separate zone to avoid interrupting or impeding on casual play while allowing those with a competitive edge a chance to get their kill on.

Lots of stuff. [Monster Play] [Books] [Roleplaying] [Player Housing] [Fellowship Manuevers] [Music]

Spoiler:

As for PVP, this is called [Monster Play] and it is very much what it sounds like. Allow me to explain: At level 10, players are given the option from their Character Selection screens to choose to play a Monster in that specific zone. Higher-level Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits and Men have a special area to slay Orcs, Spiders, and other 'evil' races played by real people. The success of those fighting for good can effect the rest of the players on that particular server by giving a buff such as +5% XP Gain - and that is the most PVP will effect you if you choose to steer clear.

Lord of the Rings Online sets itself apart from other games in the genre with quest lines called [Books] which contain solo and group quests that tend to culminate in wonderfully executed story-driven instances. Each patch brings with it content rife with themes and recurring characters that really help to flesh out the lore-based experience Turbine is going for. This occurs approximately every two months, and subscribers can continue to receive the free 'Book' updates without purchasing the Mines of Moria expansion but they'll miss out on areas further than Eregion and the use of Legendary weapons.

For [Roleplaying] or just fashion, Turbine has given us cosmetic outfits so that you may customize your appearance to your liking without sacrificing the benefits of top-quality gear. The unofficial Penny Arcade server for U.S. players -Landroval- is also the unofficial roleplaying server - allowing all who have wished to roleplay within the realm of Frodo, Legolas, and Aragorn the ability to do so without worrying about too much 'LOL' and 'BRB' cluttering chat. It helps that most of the users on this server are mature, nice, and helpful, providing for a wonderful RP experience. There's room in your character panel for your character's biography as well as a system for establishing generations and families. If any of that sounds appealing to you, be sure to stop in to the Prancing Pony in Bree, a common gathering place for roleplayers in Middle Earth.

LOTRO uses instanced neighborhoods to keep things compact for [Player Housing]. Your character can buy a house that is shared amongst all other characters on your account so long as they share the same server. Regular houses hold one extra chest and room for decorations while deluxe houses hold two extra chests and even more room for decorating. Kinships that reach a high enough lifespan can purchase a kinship house that comes with not one, not two, but three chests for all your storage needs. With use of travel rations you can quickly port to your house or your kinship house.



There are times during combat where you can shatter your enemy's defenses and perform a [Fellowship Manuever]. This happens due to a special attack from a burglar or guardian, or by random luck. When it happens you will see a manuever wheel with four buttons. [RED] indicates instant damage, [YELLOW] is strong damage over time, [GREEN] means restoring health and [BLUE] brings back some power. You can simply press the button you need as an individual or coordinate as a team to pull off certain combinations that do much more. More information can be found here.

The despair wrought by Sauron is a heavy burden indeed, which is why it is important for those with a penchant for artistry to remain hopeful and fight back with [Music]. LOTRO has harps, horns, drums, bagpipes, cowbells, and more. Music can be performed manually by note or with convenient ABC files and other players can hear you play. If you're in a fellowship, you can sync up with them to play separate instruments. Or if you're just passing by you can join in and improvise, though it's polite to ask first. This helpful link explains it rather well.

Summary of the .abc music system and what it can do for you:

The .abc system allows you to add .abc files to your MyDocuments/Lord of the Rings Online/Music folder, and play them in-game.

There are several ways to get your slimy little meathooks on these so-called ".abc files":

-Transcribe your own. Unfortunately you'll have to look elsewhere for information on this method, seeing as I don't know jack shit about manually transcribing .abc files. D: Though if anyone who reads this has helpful information, I'll be glad to edit this OP to include it.

-Download 'em! There are several websites dedicated to providing .abc files for use in LOTRO. The best of which is TheFatLute.com. Not only does this site have an awesome name, but also a metrick fuckton of .abc files just ripe for the pickin'. Simply save the file to the folder specified above, and you're ready to go.

-Convert them from MIDI files. This is my personal favorite method. If you can find a MIDI of a song you want to play in-game, all you have to do is save it to your hard drive and use a program such as LotRO MIDI Player to convert it to .abc format. This marvelous little piece of software is nothing short of genius. It's user-friendly, easy to figure out, and it bloody works. Be sure to keep the MIDI preview box checked at all times, otherwise it'll attempt to play the song in-game. From there, just tinker around with which instrument channels you want to remain in the .abc file (drums are turned off by default when you import a MIDI, seeing as they wreak havoc when played on a lute or somesuch.) When you're satisfied with how your song sounds, just save the converted .abc in your LOTRO Music folder as previously specified, and you're golden.

Good places to find MIDI files include (naturally) Google, and MidiDB, along with many others.

But...but...how do I *play* them?!

I'm glad you asked.

First, you have to own an instrument. If I really *had* to tell you this part, maybe you should go back to the World of EverHammer or whatever you were playing before you realized you were playing the wrong game and decided to rightfully join the LOTRO community. Instruments can be purchased from Bards, which are present in damn near all the towns in the game. They're represented on your map/radar as an icon of a lute. Note: You *can* learn more instruments than what are initially available to you. Simply ask a Minstrel of decent level to teach you. They can mentor almost every instrument in the game.

Once you have acquired your instrument(s) of choice, equip one and enter music mode. Do this by typing "/music" in the chat box.

From there, you can do one of two things:

-If you know which song you want to play, simply type "/play songname". Note that you will need to know exactly how the name of the .abc file is formatted in order for this to work.

-If you want to see all the .abc files you have in your music folder, type "/playlist" and it will bring up a list of all the songs available to you. Once you've picked your song, once again type "/play songname", and enjoy the music!

Do keep in mind that you will not be able to move without interrupting the song until it is over. You also won't be able to use most of your keyboard until the song has finished. If you need to type during a song, use the mouse to click the chat box. I figured this one out the hard way. Also, if you need to reply to someone sending you a tell, but you're still playing a song, type "/r" in the chat box. Once you hit the space bar after typing "/r", you will be able to type your reply message.

The possibilities are endless, so if you're still wasting your time crafting, questing, or leveling up in any way, knock that shit off and do something productive like playing music by the fire at the Prancing Pony!


Example: "My Name Is Jonas" by Weezer

Spoiler:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epved3_Mfmw&feature=related

The race card. [Men] [Dwarves] [Hobbits] [Elves]

Spoiler:

The Race of Men
Not as long-lived as Elves, sturdy as Dwarves, or resilient as Hobbits, Men are renowned for their courage and resourcefulness.
Passive Skills
Diminishing of Mankind - Decreased Will (-8).
Easily Inspired - Increased Morale Restoration.
Gift of Men - Improved Fate (+15).
Strong Men - Improved Might (+15).
Playable Classes
[Burglar] [Captain] [Champion] [Guardian] [Hunter] [Lore-master] [Minstrel] [Warden]
[Cannot play as Rune-Keeper]


The Race of Dwarves
Dwellers of stone and miners of metal, the Dwarves are a doughty folk, resistant to the corruption of the Enemy -- but not to greed.
Passive Skills
Lost Dwarf-Kingdoms - Reduced Fate (-8).
Stocky - Reduced Agility (-8).
Sturdiness - Increased Might (+15) and Vitality (+10), improved Common Damage mitigation (+1.0%).
Unwearying in Battle - Morale/Power regeneration (+0.5 each) in combat, reduced out of combat (-1 m, -0.5 p).
Playable Classes
[Champion] [Guardian] [Hunter] [Minstrel] [Rune-Keeper]
[Cannot play as Burglar, Captain, Lore-Master, or Warden]


The Race of Hobbits
Happiest when enjoying a simple life with six square meals a day, Hobbits are solid and dependable when called to action.
Passive Skills
Hobbit Courage - Improved Fear Resistance (+1.0%).
Hobbit Toughness - Improved Vitality (+15).
Rapid Recovery - Improved out of combat Morale Regeneration (+1.0).
Resist Corruption - Improved Shadow Mitigation (+1.0%).
Small Size - Reduced Might (-8).
Playable Classes
[Burglar] [Guardian] [Hunter] [Minstrel] [Warden]
[Cannot play as Captain, Champion, Lore-master, or Rune-Keeper]


The Race of Elves
Long ago, the Elves, also known as the Fair Folk, welcomed the younger races of Middle-earth and allied with them when the need was great, but centuries of war, betrayal, and hardship have made them fiercely protective of their seclusion.

Tall and strong, fair and graceful, Elves have keen senses and a deep affinity for the beauty of the natural world.
Passive Skills
Agility of the Woods - Improved Agility (+15).
Fading of the Firstborn - Reduced Fate (-8).
Sorrow of the Firstborn - Reduced Morale (-20) and Out of Combat Morale Regeneration (-1.0).
Suffer no Illness - Improved resistance to Disease (+1.0%)and Poison (+1.0%).
Playable Classes
[Champion] [Guardian] [Hunter] [Lore-master] [Minstrel] [Warden] [Rune-keeper]
[Cannot play as Burglar or Captain]

The class system. [Burglar] [Captain] [Champion] [Guardian] [Hunter] [Lore-master] [Minstrel] [Rune-keeper] [Warden]

Spoiler:

[Burglar]
The Burglar (de-buffer) is a master of stealth and misdirection. Burglars are able to confound foes with a variety of clever and debilitating tricks. They also excel at attacking from the shadows, allowing them to take enemies by surprise. A burglar is also known as an Expert Treasure-hunter, able to use their Track Treasure skill in order to seek out those valuables.

The burglar role is to rob monsters of the ability to deal damage and attack at full strength. As the only class that can reliably create conjunction opportunities (high-yield group-based attacks also known as Fellowship Manuevers), their role in groups is a coveted one.

[Captain]
The Captain (buffer / pets) is a masterful leader, a commanding presence who strengthens allies, but is also skilled in the use of arms. Their battle cries strike fear into the hearts of their enemies, while their allies rally to their banners of war.

The armoured Captain possesses some of the most potent enhancements to the heroes of Middle-earth, this makes the Captain a key member of any fellowship. The Captain's ability to summon a Herald pet at later levels, plus the ability to bring fallen heroes back into the fight, make it a desired group class. The masters of buffing and wipe prevention, Captains can eventually absorb their entire group damage for a short period without succumbing to defeat.

[Champion]
The Champion (AOE/DPS) is the consummate warrior, unrelenting in battle. His fervour allows him to make increasingly powerful attacks. The Champion excels at melee combat and can absorb punishment with his Heavy Armour.

The Champion trades survivability for the ability to deal explosive amounts of damage to multiple foes. Although a fully armoured class when not in fervour mode, it is when Champions enter this state that they deal out the greatest damage, both to single and multiple foes.

[Guardian]
The Guardian (tank) is a protector of the weak and defender of those in need. He is capable of withstanding mighty blows and retaliating in kind. The true Guardian stands to the forefront of battle, shielding his allies from the blows of their enemies.

The Guardian's ability to wear heavy armour and defensive skills enable the Guardian to face creatures that would make other heroes' morale fail. Guardians also have the ability to draw foes' attention away from their allies and to themselves. They also feature the handy ability to give or send an acorn to someone allowing them to be summoned later. Handy if you want to repair and return quickly.

[Hunter]
The Hunter (nuker) is a master of field and forest, unmatched with the bow. Hunters use their survival skills to guide their companions and lay traps for their enemies. The Hunters are at their strongest when attacking from a distance, but they are able to defend themselves in melee combat, when needed.

The Hunter is proficient at dealing out damage to single foes at both range and melee. When Hunters are at range, they can unleash devastating arrow shots that do high damage to single targets. When the lone enemy manages to close into melee range, the Hunter is well-equipped to deal the finishing blow with some melee skills. Hunters can also port the party to various camps becoming the taxi drivers of Middle Earth.

[Lore-master]
The Lore-master (crowd control / pets) is a seeker of knowledge and a guardian of wisdom. He wields ancient secrets and lore to confound his foes and aid his friends, protecting them against the dark powers of the Enemy.

Lore-masters are the masters of crowd-control, with the ability to trap creatures and keep them from hurting their allies. They have many skills that invoke the natural world of Middle-earth but it is draining on the will thus costing them morale to fuel some of these powerful skills. Because of this, they must rely on their pets to supplement their ability to take damage.

[Minstrel]
The Minstrel (healer) is the heart of a fellowship, a herald of hope and renewal. He uses his knowledge of ancient songs and lore to ward against the forces of darkness and bring relief to his companions.

The Minstrel is the master of maintaining the survivability of the heroes of Middle-earth. Minstrels also are able to deal damage to their foes by using their damaging light-based attacks in the forms of songs of power. They have the nifty ability to remove dread from defeated allies as well.

[Rune-Keeper]
The Rune-Keeper (nuker / healer) is a mystical linguist and master of true names. Rune-keepers can heal in one battle and hurl destructive magic in the next using an innovative attunement system.

In lore terms, the Rune-keeper marks the game's first true "magic user." The Lore-master class had his or her powers explained as the harnessing of the traditional powers of nature -- calling down lightning, using water to make foes stick in the mud, or throwing a fireball made from a chemical concoction. In short, the class is more of a combat chemist than a true magician. The Rune-keeper, on the other hand, actually taps into the primal physics-altering powers of creation. It's the same kind of power (though to a far, far lesser degree) as that tapped into by powerful elves like Galadriel (who serves as the model for the class).

[Warden]
The Warden (buffer / pets) is armed with a spear and uses a gambit system to fire off powerful combo attacks at the front lines. Unlike other classes, which have to wait for opportunities, the warden creates his own openings and then capitalizes on them.

Wardens are limited to medium armour so that they can travel swiftly and silently to defend those they protect from threats. Wardens depend on their Determination for protection rather than heavy shields and armor. Wardens all have some military training and have mastered a style of combat that uses combinations of basic attacks to create masterful Gambits.

Your legacy awaits. [Traits] [Deeds] [Hope and Despair]

Spoiler:

Aside from selecting your character's race, gender, class, and appearance, [Traits] are how you customize your hero. As you progress your character he or she will gain trait slots with which to assign virtues, racial traits, class traits and Legendary traits. These serve to give you new abilities or improve the abilities you already have.

LOTRO's advancement system comes with a secondary form of quests known as [Deeds]. These do not count as regular quests and are not considered a primary source of experience for gaining levels, but often are achieved regardless of intention. (Deeds ask that you kill a certain number of a type of enemy, travel to a certain set of locations, do a certain area's quests, or use a certain attack several times.) What they lack in XP they make up for in building your character's individuality. Certain deeds only reward you with a title, the aesthetic attachment to your floating name (such as Vegetarian, if you eat a selection of vegetarian dishes). However, other deeds may give you new traits or level up current traits. To assign new traits, visit your local bard. Easiest to find is the bard in Bree's Prancing Pony.

It is not enough that you raise your blade to fight the evil of Sauron, you must have the will to swing it without fear. Lord of the Rings Online takes from the lore a heavy emphasis on [Hope and Despair] allowing you to gain hope from the presence of good NPCs and despair from the wicked. Despair can build unless you have armour or items laden with hope. You will gain despair from dying, encountering overwhelming evils, or traversing the worst of places - too much despair and your morale/power will begin to drain. Soon, the fiery, lidless eye sees you from where your mini-map ought to be. And then, you will cower in fear and ultimately render yourself vulnerable. In this instance, hope is your anti-drug.

Get a job. [Armourer] [Armsman] [Explorer] [Historian] [Tinker] [Woodsman] [Yeoman]

Spoiler:

[font=book antiqua"]Armourer[/font] [Prospector] [Metalsmith] [Tailor]
An Armourer knows that all that stands between a good soul and the grave is often a thin sheet of metal.

Armourers can create a wide variety of armour, but they specialize in heavy armour and shields. Capable miners and smelters, they can procure and prepare the metal they need. While they can craft clothes and leather armour, they will need to trade for the tanned hides required. This is an excellent choice of trade for one who relies on heavy armour and shields.

[font=book antiqua"]Armsman[/font] [Prospector] [Weaponsmith] [Woodworker]
An Armsman knows the many secrets of weaponry, and can craft almost any weapon imaginable.

Armsmen are capable of crafting any weapon you might ever need, so it's an excellent choice for anyone who relies on a blade. An Armsman is proficient in mining and smelting, but will need to trade for wood with which to make bows, spears, and the like.

[font=book antiqua"]Explorer[/font] [Prospector] [Forester] [Tailor]
These canny travellers know much of the lands of Middle-Earth and its resources.

An Explorer can live off the land, crafting leather armour and clothing while gathering any resource they come across. Explorer is an excellent choice for anyone who wears Light or Medium armour, or wants to specialize in resource gathering. Do you want to learn this trade?

[font=book antiqua"]Historian[/font] [Scholar] [Farmer] [Weaponsmith]
Historians are the caretakers of lore and legend that the forces of light dare not forget.

Historians are unique in that they have access to the Scholarly arts, allowing them to research ancient lore and use their discoveries to the advantage of their fellows. In addition, a Historian has the more practical talents of cultivating land, and forging the blades that are so often spoken of in the histories they study.

[font=book antiqua"]Tinker[/font] [Prospector] [Jeweller] [Cook]
Fascinated by things intricate and beautiful, the Tinker seeks to create great things.

A Tinker's greatest skill is that of jewelcraft, and a skilled Tinker can create baubles of both beauty and utility. A Tinker can harvest the precious metals and stones he needs for his work, and given the long hours this trade requires, it is good that a Tinker is a fair hand at preparing a hearty meal.

[font=book antiqua"]Woodsman[/font] [Woodworker] [Forester] [Farmer]
A Woodsman is trained to survive off the land, and make weapons from natural materials.

Woodsmen are the foremost bowyers in Middle-earth, and are capable of crafting fine weapons from wood, as well as gathering and treating the raw wood they need. Their knowledge of plants and nature also makes them natural Farmers. Woodsman is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to create their own mighty bows.

[font=book antiqua"]Yeoman[/font] [Cook] [Farmer] [Tailor]
Hard-working and knowledgeable about the land, a Yeoman is well versed in farming, cooking, and forestry.

Yeomen are the salt of the earth, tilling soil and preparing food with natural skill. They are also able to create clothes and leather armours, though they need to trade their produce for the hides required.

Scenic world.[Credit to Lowlylowlycook]
The initial launch of the game covered the region of Eriador, including the Shire, Rivendell, Breeland, and other landmarks from The Lord of the Rings. This has been expanded to Moria and Lorien. Open the spoiler below to see some beautiful shots of Middle Earth.

Spoiler:

Angmar:

Spoiler:

The Shire:

Spoiler:

Bree-Land, including the Barrow Downs:

Spoiler:

Misty Mountains

Spoiler:

Rivendel

Spoiler:

Thorin’s Gate

Spoiler:

The Ered Luin

Spoiler:

The Trollshaws, the lands between Bree and Rivendel:

Spoiler:

The Lone-Lands, including Weathertop:

Spoiler:

The North Downs, including the gates to Angmar:

Spoiler:

Ettenmoors with PvMP

Spoiler:

Evendim, the lake country:

Spoiler:

How to play...
You can buy the game at most retailers and online . Seems you can get it for $20 or even less. I'd start by putting the DVD into your computer.

...for free.
You can get a 7 day trial http://www.lotro.com/trial. It's a 4.7GB download. The high rez client is even bigger.

Also players that signed up before the game went live have founder's status, that includes a lower monthly cost. If you get an invite from one of these players you get some of the same benefits. If that sounds interesting, just post in the thread asking for one.

Triple B

Some useful links.[Official Site] [Maps] [Quest Guides] [Music] [Elf Names]

Spoiler:

Official Websites
Official Forums
Lorebook Sort of an offical wiki with a lot of background info.

Crafting
List of shard droppers Shards are used for 1-off recipies and make some of the best items in the game.

General Info and Guides
The LORO wiki A good place to start when needing info.
Ten Ton Hammer A good place to find some detailed guides.
LOTRO Life Another place to find some guides.

Maps and Quest info
Middle Earth HQ Super nice maps.
The Brasse Questing Guides

Music
The Brass's Music guide
ABC file repository
MIDI related tool

Naming Elves of Middle Earth
http://www.elffetish.com/quengen.html
http://www.elffetish.com/SindaFrame1.php

Who's playing?* [Levels and professions subject to change.]

Spoiler:

Landroval

Spoiler:

[stevo 22] [Angmars Volta]
Raius of Rohan [51] [Man Champion] [Yeoman]
Paramour Elensar [22] [Elf Rune-keeper] [Historian]

[triple b] [The Barrovian Society]
Hjartad [Hobbit Hunter]
Edros [Man Lore-master]
Endorandir [Male Man Warden]
Ashlinel [Man Minstrel]
Edhelohtar [Elf Rune-keeper]
Braignur [Dwarf Champion]

[dedian] [The Barrovian Society]
Dedian Fimbulvetr [48] [Man Champion] [Master Artisan Tailor]
Dedwian [20] [Elf Hunter] [Scholar]
Gawerellas [12] [Man Captain]
Obfus [12] [Hobbit Guardian] [Artisan Cook]

[malkor]
Nkrumor [17] [Elf Hunter] [Woodsman]

[invisible]
Erisbar [18] [Elf Hunter] [Historian]

[the cow king]
Rizzah [Man Lore-master]

[decoy]
Rigli [Dwarf Minstrel]

[psycharil
Kalewyn [Human Lady Champion]

[aldarez]
Kolgrum [Dwarf Champion]

[johanflick]
Bigos [Warden]

galielmus
Pesch [Warden]

Meneldor

Spoiler:

[chrono_traveller]
Quaithiel

[anti-sean]
Cwennwaru [45] [Female Captain]
Bherek [21] [Dwarf Guardian]
Curithir [22] [Elf Lore-master]
Mavist [21] [Hobbit Minstrel]
Parsimony [20] [Hobbit Burglar]

Elendilmir

Spoiler:

[blindside044]
Antestor [Minstrel - Explorer]

Evernight

Spoiler:

[aldo] [Guardians of Narsil]
Alduilas Ravi, Slug Squasher [32] [Elven Warden] [Historian]
[quaigy]
Aurane [20] Captain

Vilya

Spoiler:

[psycharil]
Jaxial [11] [Elven Lady Rune-Keeper] [Explorer]

Firefoot

Spoiler:

[secretexhibition]
Leonric [56] [Man Guardian]
Almasy [23] [Hobbit Hunter]
Spearow [22] [Man Warden]
Aldrage [21] [Man Champion]
Ragonor [17] [Dwarf Minstrel]
Capthammer [13] [Man Captain]

*As it has become increasingly difficult to construct a complete list of players and their character names, I ask that when you join The Barrovian Society, you put your forum name in your player note when you open up the Social Panel.

Landroval is the place to be.

[Contact Hjartad, or join the PA chat channel in-game to join The Barrovian Society.]

-To join the PA chat channel, simply type "/joinchannel PennyArcade wang" in your chat box.

-To type in the PA chat channel, switch to the channel User Chat 1 (assuming you don't have another custom filter enabled). To switch to User Chat 1, simply precede your message with "/1".

-To type in the kinship channel once you've joined The Barrovian Society (or any other kin, for that matter), precede your message with "/k". All without the quotes of course.

NOTE: You must finish all the quests labeled "INTRO" before you are able to join a kinship.


Credit to Stevo22 for most of the OP.


PMAvers has proved what a stand-up guy he is once more by digging up this incredibly helpful guide to Radiance Gear.


So because the old thread has nigh reached capacity, it's time for a new one!

How about that Low-tro, dudes? Discuss.

Aldo

My kin made 2 alt kinships so they could buy all kinhouses in their housing instance. Why yes we have too much gold on our hands.

Simon Moon

Never underestimate the effects of going questing with empty bags on your ability to make money.

I took my level 20 Hunter that I usually leave parked in Esteldin to work on Woodworker's Guild rep out to the Barrows because, uh, well, because I ran out of rest XP on all my other characters. Anyway, I'm having a pretty good time laying waste to all that lies in my path, doing all the new quests, checking out these Bounties things (which I hope they eventually do for higher levels/areas), and make my way back to Bree, where I sell off all the vendor trash I accumulated for the tidy sum of just over 400 silver. Took not quite an hour and a half.

Moist

So I log on last night after three hours of patching, messed about with my setting, gawped at the amazing enviroments I thought were mundane when I played on my shitty PC, now I am greeted with at least another hour which is annoying, is this the new patch I saw some ad for when I logged on last night? Fair annoying, also lost my quiver somehow, It was one of those RP items and I just wanted to stick it in my inventory so I could see my hooded cloak and its gone bye bye.

Sad hunter.

Edit:Also pissed at the launchers inability to do anything on the first attempt, I just wanna play the game man stop getting in my way!

Suds

I haven't logged on in a few weeks, but this is how I generally play the game. Play for a little bit, stop for a little bit.

I'm level 58 and the only thing drawing me back into the game is the Summer Festival.

Joshmvii

I have a question for you good folks: How important is having a guardian/warden to tank for the 6 man instance stuff? My wife is going to play a healer, and a couple friends are going to play damage classes. Usually I play the tank for the group in these games, and I was leaning towards making a Warden, but the Captain seems really neat to me as well.

If it's going to be impossible to do instances without a Guardian/Warden as the tank, then I'll definitely roll one of those classes.

Anti-Sean

I've got one alt at 35 and three more approaching it quickly; buying horses for all of them will break me. I'm grinding farming right now to get enough mats for Master tier dyes and paints so I can master that tier; once I can make black dyes, my financial woes should be taken care of. Sooooo slow grinding the farming, though.

Triple B

Simon Moon wrote: »

makin' moneys

Good to know you're having an easier time coming by money than I did at that level. Srsly, though, wait until you reach 60. Yes, you will still need money. More money than you ever thought you'd need. D: Fortunately, being capped means you can farm just about any damn place you like. When you're of proper level, make sure to hit up Burnt Tor in Eregion with at least 3 empty bags. Place is absolutely crawling with wargs that drop some very respectable vendor trash. You'll make 900s in a single run. Which also takes less than an hour. You'll also pick up loads of Extraordinary and Magnificent hides, as the wargs are of levels 50 and 51.

Another thing I love about gold-farming at Burnt Tor is the fact that the wargs only drop items that stack. They don't drop any items that could potentially drag down the rate at which you'll make money. Items such as equipment, recipes, etc. Whenever I'm farming gold, I always destroy the recipes I can't use, and all the equipment unless it looks nice when cosmetically equipped. I find that doing this will give a big boost to your wallet. You're getting rid of all the junk that takes up one inventory slot by itself, and the stuff that stacks will *always* end up being more valuable in a full stack.

Joshmvii wrote: »

I have a question for you good folks: How important is having a guardian/warden to tank for the 6 man instance stuff? My wife is going to play a healer, and a couple friends are going to play damage classes. Usually I play the tank for the group in these games, and I was leaning towards making a Warden, but the Captain seems really neat to me as well.

If it's going to be impossible to do instances without a Guardian/Warden as the tank, then I'll definitely roll one of those classes.

Really, it depends on who you're fellowing with. If you've got a competent healer, it makes a world of difference as it pertains to your need for a tank. Still, having a good tank is never a bad thing. If you're fellowing with a good healer, and mostly champs/hunters, then you should be able to kill everything fast enough to where a tank probably won't be necessary. But if you've got a mixed bunch (for example: LM, Burg, etc.) you'll probably want a guard or a warden on hand to fill out the group.

Aldo

Even though champions can tank if they have a good healer and the rest of the gang holds back on DPS, tanking is really the guardian's and warden's game.

Silas Brown

Goddamn, it is so hard to resist making an alt. But I have such a shot of capping this character if I stick with it. It would be my first capped character in any game ever.

Aistan

To any master metalsmiths in the guild: I found a very nice warden shield recipe that i'd love to have made. I can get all the materials easily enough, I just need someone to put it all together for me and I don't want to bother someone in the middle of a quest line or dungeon.

Kae

ProfMoriarty wrote: »

Goddamn, it is so hard to resist making an alt. But I have such a shot of capping this character if I stick with it. It would be my first capped character in any game ever.

True that. I'm Kae and I'm an altoholic.

I'm telling myself that I have to cap one character before working on another one. I do have a character I made solely to play with my fiance, so I'm only able to level her when we decide to quest together. But I'm trying to work on only one other character apart from her.

I always have about twenty low-level alts in each MMO, and never a max level character. The only exception is Guild Wars, but they basically level for you in that title.

Behumat

Getting ready to start playing this game again. Not sure what character class to go with though, they all look so good. What does the kinship need most of? What race is most fun to play?

Imkish

Honestly, it seems like anything you play would probably be helpful. Sadly, I rarely get on at peak times (damn timezones), so maybe we do have a deficiency I'm not really aware of.

As for race, Man has some nice traits that the others don't get, such as a full heal you can use once an hour. Hobbits are always a bit fun, being the iconic race of the entire saga, and they've got some cool emote animations. Most of the dwarves I meet seem to either want to be Gimli or they wear a dress and insist they're female, so....

Silas Brown

I wanted to roll an Elf earlier, but I couldn't get over how they look like 16-year-old YouTube bloggers.

TurnpikeLad

Hello guys,

I'm a member of a kinship on Landroval but I'd like to be able to play with you guys, help out if people are trying to find groups, etc. It was this thread that got me to try out the demo and PAers are usually cool people.

If you see Ulweard running around, say hi!

Axen

I demand that The Fat Lute be added under Music. If only for having an awesome name.

It is a website that hosts a ton of ABC files too.

I need to get on and lvl my Minstrel, but the Lone Lands is sucking the life out of me.

Triple B

Behumat wrote: »

Getting ready to start playing this game again. Not sure what character class to go with though, they all look so good. What does the kinship need most of? What race is most fun to play?

I'll tell you the same thing I tell everyone who asks these questions: Play what's the most fun for you. If you want to know more about the individual classes and races, there's some good information in the OP. Healers and tanks are always nice to have in a clinch, but the reality is that nobody in the kin is going to put a burden on you to play a specific class. We just want to hang out in Middle Earth and have fun. That's what TBS is all about.

TurnpikeLad wrote: »

Hello guys,

I'm a member of a kinship on Landroval but I'd like to be able to play with you guys, help out if people are trying to find groups, etc. It was this thread that got me to try out the demo and PAers are usually cool people.

If you see Ulweard running around, say hi!

Good to know, mang. If it suits you, you're more than welcome to stalk the PA chat channel. And, uh...if your current kinship ends up not working out for you....ya know...*wink wink*

ydejin

Triple B wrote: »

Simon Moon wrote: »

makin' moneys

Good to know you're having an easier time coming by money than I did at that level. Srsly, though, wait until you reach 60. Yes, you will still need money. More money than you ever thought you'd need. D: .

Just out of curiosity Triple B what do level 60 people spend money on? I hear that armor repair for tanks cost huge amounts of cash. Does the rest go to buying consumables on the Auction House?

Triple B

ydejin wrote: »

Triple B wrote: »

Simon Moon wrote: »

makin' moneys

Good to know you're having an easier time coming by money than I did at that level. Srsly, though, wait until you reach 60. Yes, you will still need money. More money than you ever thought you'd need. D: .

Just out of curiosity Triple B what do level 60 people spend money on? I hear that armor repair for tanks cost huge amounts of cash. Does the rest go to buying consumables on the Auction House?

Repair bills get relatively massive at that level, no matter what class you play, especially if you die. Sure it varies depending on whether you wear light, medium, or heavy, but it can still get somewhat costly. Additionally, if you haven't mastered all your crafting stuff yet, you'll be spending a lot on mats if you're like me and have no desire to farm them all. Honestly, you might be spending a lot on mats no matter what level you are, heh. After that, you can spend money on potions, food, cosmetic stuff, housing and unlocking the chests contained therein, rep items and mounts, etc. To say nothing of 2nd and 1st age LI's if you ever feel like snagging one of those. One of those fuckers alone will cost you more than you've spent on everything else combined since you started playing, unless you're lucky enough to have one drop for you. After a while, you're bound to hit a spending plateau where you're able to maintain a healthy supply of money, of course. It all depends on what level you are when you choose to buy certain stuff. If you're a consumer whore like myself, you'll always find a reason to spend money at the AH.


Addendum: For those wondering, I've made a pretty big overhaul to the [Music] section of the OP. Most of the information you'll ever need about the music system is in there now.

Silas Brown

I feel like I'm missing lots of references in this game. I've read the trilogy, as well as The Hobbit, before, but most of these concepts seem so foreign to me.

I'm thinking of reading LOTR over again and putting a hold on the game in the meantime. But damn... I'm so addicted..

Aldo

ProfMoriarty wrote: »

I feel like I'm missing lots of references in this game. I've read the trilogy, as well as The Hobbit, before, but most of these concepts seem so foreign to me.

I'm thinking of reading LOTR over again and putting a hold on the game in the meantime. But damn... I'm so addicted..

There's folks in my kin who have never read the books who seem to be enjoying themselves just fine.

Axen

Aldo wrote: »

ProfMoriarty wrote: »

I feel like I'm missing lots of references in this game. I've read the trilogy, as well as The Hobbit, before, but most of these concepts seem so foreign to me.

I'm thinking of reading LOTR over again and putting a hold on the game in the meantime. But damn... I'm so addicted..

There's folks in my kin who have never read the books who seem to be enjoying themselves just fine.

I tried reading the books once, but found them painfully boring.

LOTRO however, is not.

Silas Brown

I began re-reading The Fellowship of the Ring, and it's kind of interesting to see how some of the more obscure elements of the trilogy have ended up in the game. Stuff like Shirriffs and Bounders, and how specific inn names became inns in the game.

It's part of the reason LOTRO is so immersive. A dedicated effort to closely replicate what is already a richly developed fantasy world. My hat's off both to the late Tolkien and to the developers at Turbine.

Entriech

I don't suppose anyone's got one of those fancy Founder invites, do they? WoW's become..problematic for me lately, and I've been looking for a change.

ydejin

Entriech wrote: »

I don't suppose anyone's got one of those fancy Founder invites, do they? WoW's become..problematic for me lately, and I've been looking for a change.

As I understand it the $199 Founder's referral program ended at the start of this month. If you get rolling, you can get the 2nd Anniversary $9.99 / month rate, but I believe that ends today and things revert to the regular rate on July 1.

Entriech

ydejin wrote: »

Entriech wrote: »

I don't suppose anyone's got one of those fancy Founder invites, do they? WoW's become..problematic for me lately, and I've been looking for a change.

As I understand it the $199 Founder's referral program ended at the start of this month. If you get rolling, you can get the 2nd Anniversary $9.99 / month rate, but I believe that ends today and things revert to the regular rate on July 1.

Curses. Thanks for the heads up. I'm lookin' into it.

Edit: Looks like the anniversary promotion still sticks you with the 15$ per month rate, which is unfortunate.

Triple B

Entriech wrote: »

ydejin wrote: »

Entriech wrote: »

I don't suppose anyone's got one of those fancy Founder invites, do they? WoW's become..problematic for me lately, and I've been looking for a change.

As I understand it the $199 Founder's referral program ended at the start of this month. If you get rolling, you can get the 2nd Anniversary $9.99 / month rate, but I believe that ends today and things revert to the regular rate on July 1.

Curses. Thanks for the heads up. I'm lookin' into it.

Edit: Looks like the anniversary promotion still sticks you with the 15$ per month rate, which is unfortunate.

No it doesn't. At least not since I last checked. It's a hair under $30 for three months, which equals out to just under $10 per month.

Also, regarding those who find themselves canonically lost because they haven't read the books:

A. You should read the books. Seriously, they're awesome. As long as you have an attention span, that is.

B. A lot of things in LOTRO came from the minds of the Turbine Devs, so not absolutely everything is something you would've known had you read the books.

Entriech

So decided to cave to their "deal" and buy a copy of MoM for myself and the wife.
Problem one, it won't let me purchase the second digital copy for her. Fucking digital river just complains that the transaction failed and would I please enter my information again. Despite multiple valid credit cards, email accounts, and so on.
Problem two, no matter what I do it keeps shoving the normal fucking rate down my throat. I've been fighting with this for two hours, and I can't fucking find 3 months for 30$ anywhere in their goddamn account registration, despite it being posted on their fucking forums that they have special pricing on.
And their account support is only open a whopping six hours a day. Very displeased.

Imkish

Triple B wrote: »

B. A lot of things in LOTRO came from the minds of the Turbine Devs, so not absolutely everything is something you would've known had you read the books.

While that IS true, don't automatically assume that because something was made up by Turbine just because you didn't see it in the movies, or you might make someone's head explode. For example, I forget who, so if you're reading, I apologize: someone in guild chat said that Tom Bombadil was a funny looking guy and asked what he was supposed to be. Someone responded to that by saying they didn't know, and that Turbine just made him up...

I think I about had a seizure. I certainly cried.

Aldo

Running into Old Man Willow was certainly a shock. Too bad nothing really happens besides a weak debuff.

Silas Brown

Tom Bombadil made me regret my biggest sin concerning the trilogy. I only began reading it when the hype for the film adaptation of The Fellowship of The Ring was in full swing. I didn't manage to finish even the beginning of the book before the film came out. I saw the film and loved it, but decided that, since I knew all the events already, there was no use finishing the book.

So I moved on to The Two Towers with absolutely no knowledge of Tom Bombadil until he danced his way into my heart just a couple days ago on LOTRO.

Enig

Aldo wrote: »

Running into Old Man Willow was certainly a shock. Too bad nothing really happens besides a weak debuff.

The forest in general is pretty creepy though. and those elite trees especially. I had been running around between them for several minutes, fighting wolves and such, without realizing they were there. I then accidentally threw a javelin at one. D:

Silas Brown

Enig wrote: »

Aldo wrote: »

Running into Old Man Willow was certainly a shock. Too bad nothing really happens besides a weak debuff.

The forest in general is pretty creepy though. and those elite trees especially. I had been running around between them for several minutes, fighting wolves and such, without realizing they were there. I then accidentally threw a javelin at one. D:

Haha I have such mixed feelings about the Old Forest. On one hand, it was aesthetically amazing, creating just the right tinge of dread. And trying to avoid earning the ire of the giant trees really added to that.

On the other hand, I hate HATE hate HATE forest mazes!

Axen

ProfMoriarty wrote: »

On the other hand, I hate HATE hate HATE forest mazes!

Hehehe. I have been known to stand at the entrance of the Old Forest playing Saria's Song on my flute.

Simon Moon

At least there's a map for the Old Forest, now. There wasn't always. And I could swear that the layout of the place used to change from time to time.

Aldo

That map is grossly inaccurate, though.

Triple B

Imkish wrote: »

Triple B wrote: »

B. A lot of things in LOTRO came from the minds of the Turbine Devs, so not absolutely everything is something you would've known had you read the books.

While that IS true, don't automatically assume that because something was made up by Turbine just because you didn't see it in the movies, or you might make someone's head explode. For example, I forget who, so if you're reading, I apologize: someone in guild chat said that Tom Bombadil was a funny looking guy and asked what he was supposed to be. Someone responded to that by saying they didn't know, and that Turbine just made him up...

I think I about had a seizure. I certainly cried.

If you're trying to suggest that I didn't read the books, you're barking up the wrong tree. Maybe your first sentence was just poorly structured, but that's what it sounded like to me.

That said, there's no reason someone shouldn't be permitted to enjoy LOTRO just because they haven't read the books.

Aumni

I haven't read the books in about 10 years, back in highschool I read them about 6 times...and even after all that time I still remember Tom Bombadil.

Axen

Aumni wrote: »

I haven't read the books in about 10 years, back in highschool I read them about 6 times...and even after all that time I still remember Tom Bombadil.

I didn't even read the books and I was somehow aware of Tom Bombadil.