The Lord of the Rings Online official site has been updated with a description of session play, one of the new features that will be added to the game in the next update. Session play will allow players to enter the world and play with a temporary character in the form of a troll, a ranger, or a chicken.

Our first content update, Book 9: Shores of Evendim, expanded the world of Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings OnlineTM: Shadows of AngmarTM with new quests, content, and an entire new region. For our next update we wanted to introduce something a little different!

One of the new features to be introduced in our next big content update is what we're calling Session Play!

Session Play is a new system that allows you to play as a character other than your normal character. These characters do not have permanence, so you don't keep them like you do your Free Peoples or monster play characters. You could play as a Ranger, a Troll, or... a chicken. It's an opportunity to explore Middle-earth from a different - and sometimes unexpected - viewpoint.

Read more about session play here.

Weird...   could be fun though.

*BAWK!*

I fully endorse this feature

*BAWK!*

While the chicken thing sounds possibly fun I dont know how I feel about this as an update.  Is this the sort of "free content" we can expect from here on out?  I dont want an Evindim popping up every month necessairily. 

Having pissed on that... I do think that if we can engage in a sort of spacific PvP as a troll outside of MP that might be fun. 

I dont want the boys to get too distracted from the game... well, not too much.

LOL cant wait to be the top Cock on the Block.

(sorry couldnt resist)

Happy 4th to all who celebrate it.

Originally posted by Guinnesstout

While the chicken thing sounds possibly fun I dont know how I feel about this as an update.  Is this the sort of "free content" we can expect from here on out?  I dont want an Evindim popping up every month necessairily.

Don't worry to much about it. As the article says, "one of the new features", I'm pretty sure this Session Play isn't the only thing the update will be focusing on. Let's just wait to see what else they have in store before we bash the update as a whole.

 Well... Wasn't exactly expecting this sort of expansion I give them 4 stars out of 5 for creativity though!I seriously cant wait to see whats next! Hrmm I hope fishing is in the game soon. Not to mention small canoes would be great Imagine zooming thru the midgewater on your elven canoe! I think this games going to be a plethora of mini-games by the end of its lifecycle.

weird idea, but it'll let me play as a Ranger, so i suppose it's not a bad thing... but still a chicken?

itll be like playing a cockroach on WoW...

creative though, i'm definately going to try it... just because of curiousity.

What a great idea1  It's almost exactly what I had pictured "Monster Play" to be!  I can't wait to try it - I  this game!

like "who cares"

they should get working on other things that this stupidity

One wing to rule them all... and in the dark meat bind them

Is this a JOKE ?

I can't wait to play a chicken. I wish other games had such interesting and wacky playstyles. Anything to get away from the 1337s (I'm pretty sure there will be no 1337s playing as chickens - they're all posting on the LotRO forums saying it's a waste of time and a joke LOL).  Be nice to have an alternative to the grind for a while too.

It's nice to see a game that has a bit of a sense of humour - the first minstrel class quest was a riot!  Bravo LotRO team.  Keep the fun content coming.  Anyone who doesn't like this idea has no sense of humour.

Originally posted by hellsmasker

like "who cares"

they should get working on other things that this stupidity

lighten up!

these are games - ya know - something to have "fun" with

I find it odd that you don't keep the "character".  So what is the real point, other than an interesting diversion?

Is it the 1st of April? 

EQ did this years ago, it was called Monster play, sound familiar? You could play a few of the MOBs in EQ, level up, but if you died you were level 1 again. Its fun for about 7 minutes and 23 secounds.

You got to be joking about the chicken.  Why would anyone want to be a chicken, except to freely explore the areas not flagged in  PvP mode?  Must have miss out reading the benefits of being a chicken somewhere in the posts.