LOTRO past, present, and future: Part 3, Rohan and Beyond!

posted this on January 26th, 2012.
Categorized as Game Ideas and Suggestions, Thoughts and Musings.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/lotro-past-present-and-future-part-3/

Welcome back to the final instalment dear reader, you did well, its almost over now!

I have gone over the Store, which I believe will grow and grow, make no bones about it there will be things to come which will frustrate and annoy players. With the level cap on the rise again, watch this process as a point of development. On the flip side, 2011 brought some good things with regard to frequency and quality of content, and some major changes to mechanics, itemisation, and rewards which should facilitate clearer itemisation and instance design moving forward. The system is now a durable one which holds the basics for long term adaptation and development. Yes that is easy to loose sight of admidst the communications mess, store rage, and bugs, but on the whole the actual game content I enjoyed a lot, but the delivery and polish needs some work.

Content going into 2012

Read the rest of this entry »

LOTRO past, present, and future: Part 2

posted this on January 26th, 2012.
Categorized as Game Ideas and Suggestions, Thoughts and Musings.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/lotro-past-present-and-future-part-2/

Yesterday I talked about the store. Doubtless with the news yesterday of the new Riders of Rohan expansion and further updates earlier on this year,  including a new region, and Sapience’s store placation, there will be more warm fuzzy glows around. This does not, however,  mean that tied to all that there will not be further additions to the store and game which people do not like, or cause and out rage. Tempering our knee jerk reactions will be key, as these two things will come hand in hand from now onwards, the store and game will drive each other. Things will not go back to how they were, but I’ve been here 4 years now… I think they are fine, the Halcyon days of LOTRO are just that… a mythical utopia. I have friends who are new to the game and Dunland is their Moria, in a few years, they will be complaining that the Gondor expansion sold out and was buggy, whilst the next round of players is wide eyed at their first experience of LOTRO. To be fair, I even remember original 2007 and Beta players complaining voiciferously about Moria in the way I see ROI being moaned about now.

Today I want to briefly recap LOTRO in 2011, and the new systems, currencies, and functionality, and what that means with regards to the game moving forwards.

Read the rest of this entry »

Riders of Rohan- coming this fall, and new landmass before then!

posted this on January 25th, 2012.
Categorized as Games and Guard News and Events.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/riders-of-rohan-coming-this-fall/

Literally minuites ago a forum section and post appeared on what looks to be LOTRO’s new expansion: Riders of Rohan!

Riders of Rohan will bring players into this epic region, increase the level cap to 85 and introduce Mounted Combat! Rohan is huge! So huge, that this fall we’ll be introducing the Eastern Plains of Rohan, the largest region we’ve ever introduced (almost twice the size of Moria!) You’ll also be able to explore the Eaves of Fangorn and the fabled Amon Hen, where Boromir was slain and the Fellowship broke up! We can’t go to Rohan without introducing Mounted Combat, which will allow you to fight atop your new mount, the War-steed. Mounted Combat will allow you experience LOTRO in a whole new way!

Read the rest of this entry »

LOTRO past, present, and future: Part 1

posted this on January 25th, 2012.
Categorized as Game Ideas and Suggestions, Thoughts and Musings.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/lotro-past-present-and-future-part-1/

Firstly I must apologise for the length of this article. It fact, it’s so long I have split it into three posts that I will release each day to ease the burden on you dear reader! I have been thinking about this, adding to it and editing over a period of a week or two, so it has ceased to become news, possibly even legible, and morphed into more of a review or summary, or perhaps just a vague collection of words and thoughts on LOTRO and its current state and issues as it stands and moving forwards into the future.

Level Cap at Last!

posted this on January 7th, 2012.
Categorized as Dwarf Adventures, Games and Guard News and Events, Just for Fun, Thoughts and Musings.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/level-cap-at-last/

It feels like a long time since I have written a post, so I thought that I would keep you updated on what the Khazad Guard have been doing. Our main Dwarf trio, Izbaruk, Haki and Forest finally got to 75. It only took 3 years, but it was a journey that we thoroughly enjoyed. We dinged just as we got to Forthbrond in the quest chain, so there’s still plenty to explore as a trio, and the Reputation with the Riders of Theodred still to get.

Level Cap at Last!

posted this on January 7th, 2012.
Categorized as Dwarf Adventures, Games and Guard News and Events, Just for Fun, Thoughts and Musings.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/level-cap-at-last/

It feels like a long time since I have written a post, so I thought that I would keep you updated on what the Khazad Guard have been doing. Our main Dwarf trio, Izbaruk, Haki and Forest finally got to 75. It only took 3 years, but it was a journey that we thoroughly enjoyed. We dinged just as we got to Forthbrond in the quest chain, so there’s still plenty to explore as a trio, and the Reputation with the Riders of Theodred still to get.

Merry Christmas

posted this on December 24th, 2011.
Categorized as Just for Fun.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/merry-christmas/

Just a quick note from us to wish all our readers, and fellow players and bloggers a very merry christmas! We hope you all have a fantastic time, and a great new year!

Look forward to playing more LOTRO and more blogging in 2012!

BW

Adam and Emma


Current Cosmetic Outfits: Part 4

posted this on December 19th, 2011.
Categorized as cosmetics, Dwarf Adventures.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/current-cosmetic-outfits-part-4/

Inspired by a couple of the new cosmetic pieces in Isengard, I have been outfitting a few of my characters with a different cosmetic appearance utilising some of these new pieces. One of the first was my Dwarf Hunter; Tyri, in an attempt to revitalise my interest in a class I have always found a bit dull. So armed with a wardrobe full of items and a head full of ideas I set to work.

The intention here was to create a heaving looking skirmisher. Whilst Dwarves were not all plate mail, then were still a doughty and hardy race, well armoured in battle. Sadly outfitting dwarves can be very tough, many players who do make cosmetic outfits are into otherworldly elves, or cute hobbits, and this means cosmetics are often geared towards those body forms, particularly the light and medium armours. There are many many issues of clipping or distorition of designs due to stretchin with armour on dwarves, clipping particularly on gloves, cloaks, and helmets that completely remove their beards, and in addition to this the light and medium armour are often very unflattering. It often takes some time bugging all the faults. However we are getting a bit of an eye for finding something appropriate that will work, and I think in this I have a very nice compromise.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Fleet Footed Goat

posted this on December 13th, 2011.
Categorized as cosmetics, Dwarf Adventures, Games and Guard News and Events, Just for Fun.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/the-fleet-footed-goat/

I have been particularly lucky in the lotteries lately and was very excited to see that I had won the new store exclusive mount on one of my main characters, Haki. And if I do say so myself, the Fleet Footed Goat is absolutely stunning. I know that I have said in the past that I objected to the 2k Turbine Points for the store exclusive mounts, but with this one I could have been seriously tempted. I could still be persuaded to treat some of my other alts to it. It’s very eye-catching in its simplicity – all over bright, pure white, with elegant metal wings and spiral motif, accentuated with what appears to be turquoise gemstones. Just the ticket for the heir to the Khazad Guard, descended from the Broadbeam Dwarf Lords of old. Adam was extremely jealous when he saw it, especially as he entered me in the lotteries when I was having a late sleep on Sunday morning. First I knew of it was when I checked the lotteries at lunchtime and saw that Haki had won. I know for a fact that if Adam doesn’t win it in a lottery he will be purchasing this for Izbaruk. Like the other store exclusives it is one of the fastest and sturdiest mounts in-game, with 68% run speed and 250 morale, and like all store exclusives, this goat will only be available for a limited time. I’m not sure when this will be going live in the store, but my guess would be soon. My advice is to keep checking those lotteries, and in the meantime go grind some TP’s, because this would make a perfect christmas present for all your favourite alts!

I could stretch this out a bit more, but I’m sure you all want to see some screenshots, so here goes!

Read the rest of this entry »

A Whole Lotto Horses

posted this on November 22nd, 2011.
Categorized as cosmetics, Just for Fun, Non Dwarf Characters, Thoughts and Musings.

Shorthand Link:
Full link: http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/a-whole-lotto-horses/

Got to say that I love the lotteries! As an EU player they still have the novelty value, and both  myself and Adam check them regularly on all our accounts. So far we have been pretty lucky, but this last weekend Adam came away with a Worn Symbol, and I got a shiny new horse on two of my alts. The lucky ladies were Emsibelle, my little Hobbit Tank, who won the Steed of the Guardian in a Guardian only lottery, and Fearien, my Elf Loremaster, who won the Cremello Steed. I was pretty excited, and had to rush off and design new outfits to match.

When I first saw the Cremello Steed on A Casual Stroll to Mordor back in March, I wasn’t sure that I liked it. But when I saw it come up in the lottery, I entered it anyway. It is actually quite a difficult horse to outfit with I thought, as it has quite a busy pattern on it and the reds and blues on it can be difficult to replicate on some items. Cosmetic LoTRO have recently done their excellent version of a matching outfit for this horse, so I decided to do my own something simple and elegant suitable for a noble Elf lady.

Read the rest of this entry »