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Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria Preview
With the Mines of Moria expansion launch mere hours away, MMORPG.com's Jef Reahard writes this overview of what players can expect from Turbine's first forray into the paid expansion universe.
Chances are you've heard of the little Tolkien game that could, otherwise known as The Lord of the Rings Online. Turbine's plucky PVE-centric game has carved out a respectable niche for itself in today's crowded online multiplayer market, striking a nifty balance between adapting the most widely read fantasy in history and following the rather bland and uninspiring blueprint for current generation MMORPG titles.
Chances are also good that you've heard of the game's first paid expansion, the Mines of Moria, debuting tomorrow in digital download format as well as two flavors of retail packaging. Turbine has long lavished free content updates on its player base, adding a total of six additional 'books' to the existing game since its original launch in April of 2007. Hundreds of new quests, raiding options, housing and reputation systems, and a generous helping of polish have been continuously bolted onto the core game, begging the question of whether or not the first paid expansion is in fact worth the money.
First, a word on pricing: Turbine is offering the digital download version of the Mines for around thirty dollars if you're a current subscriber, and, given the laundry list of features being introduced, it would seem to be a no-brainer if you're currently enjoying spending time in a digitized Middle-Earth. If you're a collector or you just have to have a retail box, you can choose from the Complete Edition (featuring the original Shadows of Angmar game) for $39.99, or the Collector's Edition (a $79.99 behemoth with replica rings, maps, a soundtrack, and more).
Each of these options will unlock two new game regions: Eregion, a barren wasteland located near the West Gate of Khazad-dûm, and the forest of Lothlorien, famously home to Galadriel and considered by many to be the seat of Elvish power in Middle-Earth. The titular Mines themselves are only accessible to players who've progressed as far as Volume 2, Book 1 of the game's main story line, so if you're planning on delving greedily and deep on release day, you'd do well to be sure your character is near the current level cap of 50 and caught up on his epic quests.
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Aside from hundreds of new quests and several large areas to explore, the expansion also introduces two new character classes, the Runekeeper and the Warden, which will give long-time players something new to do once they've taken their pre-existing characters to the new level cap (60). The Runekeeper is something of an oddity. On the one hand, the flexible class mechanics that allow a player to shift between ranged DPS and healing capabilities on the fly offer something new and intriguing. Conversely, the way the class blatantly flies in the face of Tolkien's extensive lore (via garish spell effects and the fact that magic was only practiced by a handful of canonical characters) may be a turn off for purists. The Warden fares better, if the beta build is any indication, as the class is a fairly unusual creation. Basically a tank in medium armor, the Warden makes extensive use of a new 'Gambit' skill/combo system and is very solo-friendly.
No preview of the Mines would be complete without mentioning the new legendary item system. Legendary items, like your characters, will advance by earning experience points, and can also be given unique names (though you really should try to come up with something more original than Glamdring for your +25 sword of face-pwning). As you level, your legendary item, whether it be a weapon or a class item, can follow suit, and can also be re-forged into a more powerful version of itself. The items have a large number of data points associated with them, far more than any other item in the game, making them reasonable facsimiles of characters in their own right, and adding quite a bit of replay value and customization options to the title's end game.
Less promising is the fact that combat is being overhauled in the new expansion, and, while this may conjure up nightmarish visions of 'combat upgrades' from other MMORPGs, we'll hold off on sounding the alarm bells until the system has been put through the paces on the live servers. Many beta players, particularly Minstrels, are peppering Turbine with the equivalent of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it,' but the development team has been adamant about keeping the game fresh and relevant for years to come, so the tweaks aren't exactly a surprise. In simple terms, the underlying combat engine will now calculate off of whole numbers when modifying everything from mitigation, to avoidance, to resistances, whereas previously the system was based off of percentages.
PVP is also getting some attention in the new expansion, with dozens of new traits and skills becoming available for your monster play characters. There will also be some structural changes including control points, flag capturing, and various pathing adjustments.
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Finally, there are several less noticeable but very welcome tweaks, including additional character slots and the elimination of quest inventory items and keys (the former will be stored in your journal while the latter will reside on special key rings).
Ultimately, if you've been digging Turbine's version of Middle-Earth, picking up the Mines of Moria expansion will more than likely serve to deepen your enjoyment, as it has quite a few noteworthy mechanical additions that go far beyond the token new areas found in many game expansions. New players may be overwhelmed at the level of content, and much of what the expansion has to offer is geared toward veterans anyhow. Hardcore Tolkien purists may be put off by aspects of the new Runekeeper class, and there is some doubt as to the necessity of the forthcoming combat changes, but casual fans and those looking for a pleasant PVE-focused game with high production values will most likely feel at home in Turbine's world.
Just need to point out that Volume 2 is completely separate from Volume 1 so you can do the soloable Volume 2, Book 1 without having done any other Book.
Thanks for the summary preview!
Anyone looking for the complete notes will find them here.
Alas and alack, the MoM Updater is causing problems for many (like myself) who play LotRO on a Mac. Hopefully, Turbine will have the good sense to resolve this issue when the real updater/game goes live or I am going to be quite disappointed and irritated. The problem is discussed in the forums by disgruntled Mac users here.
I, for one, am hoping Turbine gets this issue resolved, despite their stated unwillingness to do so.
Stradden do you really have time to play any ot these games if so how much. Just curious if you do not mind me asking.
No gaming tonight...but tomorrow will be awesome looking forward to MoM! Thanks for the preview Stradden!
Elamier
Leader of Amrod Ennoro a Kinship on Brandywine
www.amrodennoro.com
LOL< if only!
No, I don't have time. I just post a lot of them (though I do write some). Jef Reahard wrote this one (and a number of others). We have a great team mof volunteers here that deserve all of the credit in the world.
Just a note here... Eregion is NOT a barren wasteland.
Far from it. It is a fairly rich and fertile region as is evidenced by the awesome graphics, but the Elves of old are gone and their ruins are scattered everywhere in the landscape. There are pockets of 'civilization' sprinkled throughout the region and plenty of mobs. The LoneLands and Angmar are barren wastelands, not Eregion. As a matter of fact, Eregion is one of the most beautiful regions thus far and is where I have spent a good portion of beta.
LOTRO is currently the best PVE experience available in any MMO.
Anyone not at least giving LOTRO a try is doing themselves a disservice. I will admit the game starts out rather slow, and doesn't really come into its own until around level 35.
The community is hands down the best of any MMO.
This expansion should be a huge improvement on an already high quality and entertaining game.
I have to agree, this is by far the best pve game out there. Just wish I had some time to play it.
Turbine has added a lot of free content since release prior to this expansion, something they are probably better at than any other developer.
"Less promising is the fact that combat is being overhauled in the new expansion, and, while this may conjure up nightmarish visions of 'combat upgrades' from other MMORPGs, we'll hold off on sounding the alarm bells until the system has been put through the paces on the live servers."
This only includes the mechanics behind the combat then, not the actual animations or anything? I would love if combat in this game become more.. alive or whatever I should call it.
If only the look of the characters in this game would look better I would give it another go, tried it some week ago at the welcome back weekend, not that bad, but character look and combat keeps me out from this game at the moment.
I know for a fact they are talking about the mechanics. Whether they have changed any animations or not, I have no idea.
P.S.: With xpack we'll get Lothlórien and Môria (not Eregion), while everyone (even if they did not bought MoM) will get book 15 and Eregion. Just thought I'll point this out.
Love that they are expanding an already excellent game. MoM looks good. I will for a fact play the trial when it is released again and most likely buy the game in the coming weeks. Can't wait to see what the "barren wasteland" west of the gate can offer.
This lil' article has bits of misinformation. As the above posters have already corrected. Ill fill in a few blanks.
Eregion is lush, verdant and has settlements of good and baddies throughout and is as large as some of the largest areas in game. You will find traces of the fellowships passing as well as the Red Horn Gate (Mountain pass of Caradhras) and the ringforges wherein most of the rings of power were crafted.
The Mines entrance have to be gained by a fight with "The Watcher" and obtaining a legendary weapon which is one of the truly brilliant systems to come along to date (should make obligatory "raid" gear passe). And as other posters have said there is no need to the previous epics,, but you should be at least lvl 48 I would think.
Lothlorien is only accessible through the mines for players same as for the fellowship.
(my information was obtained thru testing in the MOM beta for what its worth. )
I am happy to say, the standard updater, now that MoM is live, installs and operates on a Mac flawlessly (using Windows XP/Boot Camp). I am greatly relieved -- as is my Rune-Keeper. ;)
---- "from Turbine's first forray into the paid expansion universe."
Pardon me, but didn't Turbine make Asheron's Call? What about AC's expansions? You know, Dark Majesty and Throne of Destiny?
Sorry... but this is hardly Turbine's first attempt at a paid expansion.
my first observations of MOM:
so far still no boats,, no slippery ice,, no interactable zone content
no housing area improvement yet
EREGION: looks complete but seems uninspired and bland nothing that makes you go ooo or wow
it is prety large though
RUNE KEEPER: nice but seems weak and narrow as they have no weapons except their runes and they seem a bit weak and watery there is a marginal range attack but none that is fitting the ones with good range have timers. it seems very clumsy and most fights are decited before you can do much switching what you really do is try to drop a healing totem and pop yourself and friends with a tiny heal dot,, then you spam your available attacks
WARDEN this class fairs better, its gambits and combat ability are more instinctive it seems reasonably effective for its level and at least at 2 shot gambits is easy to be competent the range attack is usefull but limited by a long reload timer though i do think you average at least 2 attacks from range.
so far it seems the quests are the standard fare you have allready seen time and time again just with bigger..whatevers... wish they would put in some interesting quests and some content to keep zones interesting even after the quests are all said and done,, in forochel after i completed the quests the zone was effectivly dead and empty there wasnt ANYTHING interesting left about the zone so it reduces it to just prety backdrop for doing the quests only, another reason I keep screaming for slippery ice!