MMORPG.com's Jon Wood had the chance to speak with Turbine's Jeffrey Steefel and Aaron Campbell about the upcoming Lord of the Rings Online expansion, Siege of Mirkwood.

MMORPG.com:

Presenting Siege of Mirkwood as a digital expansion is a fairly radical departure from the aggressive retail box release of LotRO's first expansion, Mines of Moria. Is this an indication that a second expansion couldn't hold up to a retail distribution, or are there other factors at work?

Turbine:

Players and the industry should look at this as another example of Turbine exploring more and more ways we can continue to bring quality entertainment to our customers, and provide choice and diversity of offerings. Mirkwood Digital distribution means neither the end of retail LOTRO releases nor the end of free content updates. We are simply doing something different for Mirkwood to bring significant new content to players just a year after Moria, and in the most appropriate way possible for this particular product, and time. We want to continue to provide serial entertainment to players through both free and paid content offerings and this will continue to be the backbone of the LOTRO experience.

Read the Siege of Mirkwood Interview.

Nice interview... i like the way the game is growing...

AWSOME! xD

I love how they listen to the player base.  The mount changes are just what I need.  Not having to dismount every time I talk to an NPC or go through a door, makes me all tingly inside.  I'm also excited about the skirmishes,  they sound interesting.  I just hope they're not overhyping them to fail.   =(

Turbine:
I'd disagree that this change has little impact. Sometimes the smallest things can have the largest impact on day-to-day life as a player. Changes coming to mounts include mounts as a skill (so they no longer take up inventory space), interacting with NPCs from your mount, mount-based emotes, and the ability to rename your mount. This is something that the development team was passionate about and we're glad to see it complete.


Like redesigning your player models, which IMO happen to be some of the ugliest looking of any MMO I've played. Not to mention the lack of choices in character customization, allowing for an extremely limited variation in the look of characters. I can't understand how a game with such amazing environments can have such ugly character models. It's like oil and vinegar, they just don't mix.

Expand on these two things and I'll be content and come back.

Originally posted by junzo316

I love how they listen to the player base.  The mount changes are just what I need.  Not having to dismount every time I talk to an NPC or go through a door, makes me all tingly inside.  I'm also excited about the skirmishes,  they sound interesting.  I just hope they're not overhyping them to fail.   =(

What? Do the playerbase ever asked for a mage-like class? Do the playerbase ever asked for a gating content? Do the playerbase ever asked for GOATS?? Do the playerbase ever asked to not recieve any free content updates during the last years except for a couple of hastly-crafted 30 minute instances? No, Turbine is not listening to their playerbase, Turbine is no longer interested what the bunch of lifetimers has got to say, they already squeezed their wallet. Turbine is interested and appeal to new market.

Originally posted by MrcdesOwnr

 It's like oil and vinegar, they just don't mix.

Except on a salad.. yummmmmm

Originally posted by MrcdesOwnr

Turbine:
I'd disagree that this change has little impact. Sometimes the smallest things can have the largest impact on day-to-day life as a player. Changes coming to mounts include mounts as a skill (so they no longer take up inventory space), interacting with NPCs from your mount, mount-based emotes, and the ability to rename your mount. This is something that the development team was passionate about and we're glad to see it complete.


Like redesigning your player models, which IMO happen to be some of the ugliest looking of any MMO I've played. Not to mention the lack of choices in character customization, allowing for an extremely limited variation in the look of characters. I can't understand how a game with such amazing environments can have such ugly character models. It's like oil and vinegar, they just don't mix.

Expand on these two things and I'll be content and come back.

That's not a small thing. also, LOTRO is not lacking in appearance customization.

Originally posted by Thillian

Originally posted by junzo316

I love how they listen to the player base.  The mount changes are just what I need.  Not having to dismount every time I talk to an NPC or go through a door, makes me all tingly inside.  I'm also excited about the skirmishes,  they sound interesting.  I just hope they're not overhyping them to fail.   =(

 

What? Do the playerbase ever asked for a mage-like class? Yup alot of people asked for that, I wasnt one of them but I love my Rune keeper!

Do the playerbase ever asked for a gating content? Yup alot of people were asking about progression after reaching level cap so there was any point to keep playing instead of just rolling an alt or quit. And since almost all content in LotrO and most MMOs is gated I dont see the problem.

 Do the playerbase ever asked for GOATS??  You people were asking for some mount in Moria, dont see the issue. Even thou I think they should stay in Moria only. But it a very small issue.

Do the playerbase ever asked to not recieve any free content updates during the last years except for a couple of hastly-crafted 30 minute instances? We got 2 free updates and now a mini-expanion this year. SoM doesnt cost much and some even get it free. Considering the special offers Turbine give LotrO is ceaper that most other MMOs. Better than the microstransactions companies like SoE and Cryptic add to their sub bases games eh? ;)

No, Turbine is not listening to their playerbase, Turbine is no longer interested what the bunch of lifetimers has got to say, they already squeezed their wallet. Turbine is interested and appeal to new market.

So Turbine does listen to their players and most people seem very happy about the changes coming with SoM. MOM was abit to ambitouse imo which cause alot of problems and pushed back content but now they brought it back on track.

Have fun in Vanguard! ;)

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by MrcdesOwnr

Turbine:
I'd disagree that this change has little impact. Sometimes the smallest things can have the largest impact on day-to-day life as a player. Changes coming to mounts include mounts as a skill (so they no longer take up inventory space), interacting with NPCs from your mount, mount-based emotes, and the ability to rename your mount. This is something that the development team was passionate about and we're glad to see it complete.


Like redesigning your player models, which IMO happen to be some of the ugliest looking of any MMO I've played. Not to mention the lack of choices in character customization, allowing for an extremely limited variation in the look of characters. I can't understand how a game with such amazing environments can have such ugly character models. It's like oil and vinegar, they just don't mix.

Expand on these two things and I'll be content and come back.

That's not a small thing. also, LOTRO is not lacking in appearance customization.

 

 

 

It's not small in regards to the work that it would take to implement. Perhaps not, but I'm not sure that's what they were referring to in the interview and I fail to see where it would be more work than some of the other upcoming additions/changes. Maybe I'm wrong.

You are referring to gear. I'm strictly speaking about features such as faces, etc. I'm talking about the look of your character when creating it. It's very limited in regards to the initial  look of one character from another.

 

Originally posted by Thillian

Originally posted by junzo316

I love how they listen to the player base.  The mount changes are just what I need.  Not having to dismount every time I talk to an NPC or go through a door, makes me all tingly inside.  I'm also excited about the skirmishes,  they sound interesting.  I just hope they're not overhyping them to fail.   =(

 

What? Do the playerbase ever asked for a mage-like class? Do the playerbase ever asked for a gating content? Do the playerbase ever asked for GOATS?? Do the playerbase ever asked to not recieve any free content updates during the last years except for a couple of hastly-crafted 30 minute instances? No, Turbine is not listening to their playerbase, Turbine is no longer interested what the bunch of lifetimers has got to say, they already squeezed their wallet. Turbine is interested and appeal to new market.

Yup, I cant stand Turbine anymore...Theres now way I'll return to LOTRO as long as their running the show. LOTRO is a huge fail in my eyes, its nothing like I expected a LOTR MMO to turn out like.

My only wish is for a different company to try their hand at Middle Earth but its very unlikely. 

/Turbine Fails

Improving the look of characters and add more custimization would be great. +Fix all the ugly animations such as some running and jumping animations!

And LotrO really need a "sidekick" feature so high level and low level characters can play together! Especially with the new skirmishes!!!

Originally posted by Papadam

And LotrO really need a "sidekick" feature so high level and low level characters can play together! Especially with the new skirmishes!!!

err the game mechanics have no need for this.  You get xp based on size of party, but NOT on lvl of members.. if your lvl 30 for example, you get the same xp grouping with another 30 as you do with a 60.. 60's can join the party and have no negative effect..

I'd hoped for a bit more in the interview.  I didn't see anything in there that I didn't already know.

Originally posted by Ethian

Yup, I cant stand Turbine anymore...Theres now way I'll return to LOTRO as long as their running the show. LOTRO is a huge fail in my eyes, its nothing like I expected a LOTR MMO to turn out like.

 

My only wish is for a different company to try their hand at Middle Earth but its very unlikely. 

 

/Turbine Fails

You say Turbine fails, but yet give no reason why they fail.  I can understand that LotRO didn't live up to your expectations, but you could give reasons why they don't.  I see that you play Aion, which has a huge bot/spamming issue.  That to me is lack of dev attention and would make me think that they don't care about their player base and their complaints.  It would leave me to believe that....

/NCSoft Fails

Originally posted by Ethian

Originally posted by Thillian

Originally posted by junzo316

I love how they listen to the player base.  The mount changes are just what I need.  Not having to dismount every time I talk to an NPC or go through a door, makes me all tingly inside.  I'm also excited about the skirmishes,  they sound interesting.  I just hope they're not overhyping them to fail.   =(

 

What? Do the playerbase ever asked for a mage-like class? Do the playerbase ever asked for a gating content? Do the playerbase ever asked for GOATS?? Do the playerbase ever asked to not recieve any free content updates during the last years except for a couple of hastly-crafted 30 minute instances? No, Turbine is not listening to their playerbase, Turbine is no longer interested what the bunch of lifetimers has got to say, they already squeezed their wallet. Turbine is interested and appeal to new market.

 

Yup, I cant stand Turbine anymore...Theres now way I'll return to LOTRO as long as their running the show. LOTRO is a huge fail in my eyes, its nothing like I expected a LOTR MMO to turn out like.

 

My only wish is for a different company to try their hand at Middle Earth but its very unlikely. 

 

/Turbine Fails

Lotro is very successful, doing great, and one of the most fun mmo's out there. Lots and Lots of people play and love it.  They are innovative w/ subscription pricing, and..

They revived DDO with going f2p and making a ton of cash off it.  They just opened another server!

/turbine = success huge fail in your eyes?  Seriously it's not for you that 's fine..but tell me one mmo that lived up to your expectations?

Originally posted by Papadam

Improving the look of characters and add more custimization would be great. +Fix all the ugly animations such as some running and jumping animations!

And LotrO really need a "sidekick" feature so high level and low level characters can play together! Especially with the new skirmishes!!!

Skirmishes are for player range 30 -65.

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by Papadam

Improving the look of characters and add more custimization would be great. +Fix all the ugly animations such as some running and jumping animations!

And LotrO really need a "sidekick" feature so high level and low level characters can play together! Especially with the new skirmishes!!!

 

Skirmishes are for player range 30 -65.

Oh yea I know, just would be nice if everyone could be the same level since its not much fun to play with lvl 65 character if you are 30!

Originally posted by Papadam

Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

Originally posted by Papadam

Improving the look of characters and add more custimization would be great. +Fix all the ugly animations such as some running and jumping animations!

And LotrO really need a "sidekick" feature so high level and low level characters can play together! Especially with the new skirmishes!!!

 

Skirmishes are for player range 30 -65.

 

Oh yea I know, just would be nice if everyone could be the same level since its not much fun to play with lvl 65 character if you are 30!

Random, scaling, encounters.

Originally posted by Vaedur

Lotro is very successful, doing great, and one of the most fun mmo's out there. Lots and Lots of people play and love it.  They are innovative w/ subscription pricing, and..

/turbine = success huge fail in your eyes?  Seriously it's not for you that 's fine..but tell me one mmo that lived up to your expectations?

Lotro is as far to success as it could be with such a huge IP behind. Turbine picked up their money for this overcheap lifetime, and now there's simply not enough regular subscribers.

There's a reason why Lotro since MoM didnt recieve any real content update. In fact, Lotro recieved less content update since MoM, that Vanguard did this year and we all know Vanguard has 4 devs. Want me to make a comparison of the added features one by one?

Successful game with less content updates than Vanguard? Oh give me a break.

Originally posted by Thillian

Originally posted by Vaedur

Lotro is very successful, doing great, and one of the most fun mmo's out there. Lots and Lots of people play and love it.  They are innovative w/ subscription pricing, and..

/turbine = success huge fail in your eyes?  Seriously it's not for you that 's fine..but tell me one mmo that lived up to your expectations?

 

Lotro is as far to success as it could be with such a huge IP behind. Turbine picked up their money for this overcheap lifetime, and now there's simply not enough regular subscribers.

There's a reason why Lotro since MoM didnt recieve any real content update. In fact, Lotro recieved less content update since MoM, that Vanguard did this year and we all know Vanguard has 4 devs. Want me to make a comparison of the added features one by one?

Successful game with less content updates than Vanguard? Oh give me a break.

Thillian knows all.

LOTRO has received plenty of content updates. You just dont want to acknowledge all of it, meanwhile everyone else is generally happy. And turbine still gives out the best deal in MMO gaming and free content to its players.

But, we have been down this road with you, your like a broken record at this point, one, with pointless songs on it.