Wednesday, March 23, 2011
From a Secret Admirer...
The Spring Festival began today, and I got a giant flower from my secret admirer.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Bridges and Stairs and Doors
I have the worst luck with bridges, stairs, and doors.
With bridges, there is some kind of weird lag thing that causes me to hitch forward.
I'm usually aligning myself with the bridge when it occurs, and I end up spinning 45 to 90 degrees. I can't count the number of times I've ended up over the edge. This is worse in Rivendell, where the bridges are narrow.
With doors, I seem unable to align myself properly, and end up slamming into the wall behind the door.
I wish I could blame it on tequila, but I guess it's just shear stupidity on my part.
Stairs fall into both categories.
Sometimes, there is a hitch, but most of the time I simply miss them, especially the curving elf stairs (this is why I didn't buy an elf house - those stairs made me nauseous).
I also hate fighting on stairs. I can never get the camera aligned so that I can see what is going on.
Pointers are welcome! Until then, I'll be the person with his nose in the doorjamb....
With bridges, there is some kind of weird lag thing that causes me to hitch forward.
I'm usually aligning myself with the bridge when it occurs, and I end up spinning 45 to 90 degrees. I can't count the number of times I've ended up over the edge. This is worse in Rivendell, where the bridges are narrow.
With doors, I seem unable to align myself properly, and end up slamming into the wall behind the door.
I wish I could blame it on tequila, but I guess it's just shear stupidity on my part.
Stairs fall into both categories.
Sometimes, there is a hitch, but most of the time I simply miss them, especially the curving elf stairs (this is why I didn't buy an elf house - those stairs made me nauseous).I also hate fighting on stairs. I can never get the camera aligned so that I can see what is going on.
Pointers are welcome! Until then, I'll be the person with his nose in the doorjamb....
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Comments on Echoes of The Dead
The next update goes live on March 21, 2011, and I've a few thoughts on what's going in.
Radiance Removal
I've already posted my thoughts about this update. It's a good thing.
Legendary Items
I was happy at first, since it seemed like the grind to get relics was to be greatly reduced. However, someone posted some numbers, and they weren't encouraging. It's still a grind, especially for the "extraordinary" relics (some are calling these tier 7 relics).
After grinding out a high-tier relic, losing it during deconstruction doesn't sit very well with me. It seems like they've changed one, mostly straightforward, grind, with a repeating grind.
However, the legacy replacement scrolls are are great addition, seeming to make it easier to get a "perfect" weapon (or at least close to one).
At this point, I think the whole LI system is hopelessly complex, and it should be scrapped and rebuilt. I just don't care about building and scrapping endless weapons, praying for legacies, and grinding out relics.
Solofication of Volume II
I love this change. I can finally finish the first half of the volume and get my last legendary skill.
Class Updates (Burglar, Minstrel, Hunter)
I have alts of each class, but I haven't played them enough to comment.
Crafting Changes
Another great change. It will be immensely easier to level a crafting alt (which most of mine are).
Map Home Skill/Racial Travel Cooldowns
And yet more great changes. One more inventory space, and the potential for additional porting skills. And I'll be able to port to Rivendell, Ost Garuth, Bree, and Thorin's Hall without waiting an hour for the shared cooldown to expire.
Character Panel Update
I like the look, but don't like that the tabs have been separated out and stack on top of the original panel.
New Instance Cluster
Any new content is welcome, even if I don't know that I'll actually use it.
Evendim Revamp
I'll take my Guardian, Pentalidor, into the zone as soon as it's live (he's level 29.5, and looking for somewhere to level).
General Thoughts
I'm not happy about all the new barter tokens - especially considering that they aren't being added to the wallet. The amount of reputation and barter stuff we're required to carry around with us is getting ridiculous. There needs to be some serious thought put into the currency system.
I also think that the idea of increasing the tokens required for gear is a really bad move. Psychologically, it makes the goal seem unreachable. I have this problem with the skirmish marks required for the Annuminas/Helegrod sets....each piece costs 2,300 SMs. Between leveling my skirmish soldiers and other needs, getting the 14,000 marks seems completely unavailable.
Radiance Removal
I've already posted my thoughts about this update. It's a good thing.
Legendary Items
I was happy at first, since it seemed like the grind to get relics was to be greatly reduced. However, someone posted some numbers, and they weren't encouraging. It's still a grind, especially for the "extraordinary" relics (some are calling these tier 7 relics).
After grinding out a high-tier relic, losing it during deconstruction doesn't sit very well with me. It seems like they've changed one, mostly straightforward, grind, with a repeating grind.
However, the legacy replacement scrolls are are great addition, seeming to make it easier to get a "perfect" weapon (or at least close to one).
At this point, I think the whole LI system is hopelessly complex, and it should be scrapped and rebuilt. I just don't care about building and scrapping endless weapons, praying for legacies, and grinding out relics.
Solofication of Volume II
I love this change. I can finally finish the first half of the volume and get my last legendary skill.
Class Updates (Burglar, Minstrel, Hunter)
I have alts of each class, but I haven't played them enough to comment.
Crafting Changes
Another great change. It will be immensely easier to level a crafting alt (which most of mine are).
Map Home Skill/Racial Travel Cooldowns
And yet more great changes. One more inventory space, and the potential for additional porting skills. And I'll be able to port to Rivendell, Ost Garuth, Bree, and Thorin's Hall without waiting an hour for the shared cooldown to expire.
Character Panel Update
I like the look, but don't like that the tabs have been separated out and stack on top of the original panel.
New Instance Cluster
Any new content is welcome, even if I don't know that I'll actually use it.
Evendim Revamp
I'll take my Guardian, Pentalidor, into the zone as soon as it's live (he's level 29.5, and looking for somewhere to level).
General Thoughts
I'm not happy about all the new barter tokens - especially considering that they aren't being added to the wallet. The amount of reputation and barter stuff we're required to carry around with us is getting ridiculous. There needs to be some serious thought put into the currency system.
I also think that the idea of increasing the tokens required for gear is a really bad move. Psychologically, it makes the goal seem unreachable. I have this problem with the skirmish marks required for the Annuminas/Helegrod sets....each piece costs 2,300 SMs. Between leveling my skirmish soldiers and other needs, getting the 14,000 marks seems completely unavailable.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
We All Float...
Pentalidor seems to be a magnet for weirdness. I took him to Trollshaws to farm ore, and discovered that strawberries float...
I harvested the node (for my cook), but I ran past the node several times...and it was always floating.
I harvested the node (for my cook), but I ran past the node several times...and it was always floating.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Things I Wish I'd Known
I posted part of this on the LotRO forums, but I thought I'd expand it and post it as part of my blog.
I'm not an experienced gamer. Before LotRO, my gaming experience consisted of the Mario and Zelda games on various Nintendo systems, plus a bit of Donkey Kong and a few other arcade games. I did try WoW and a couple of other MMOs, but I couldn't get into them.
So, that leads me to my point. There are some things I wish I'd know when I started playing the game:
1. Skirmishes are more integral to the game than is generally implied. Skirmish Marks are pretty important beginning around level 45, when you get a class quest that requires going into Carn Dûm to kill Helchgam for the slime and into Urugarth for other items (i.e., the Emblem of Ritual, the Rune of Evil Presence, and the Goblin-Badge of Rank). It's difficult to get groups for these instances, but they are available from the Curiosities Vendor in any Skirmish Camp. Most of these items cost around 1,000 Skirmish Marks, and the Slime costs around 2,600.
In addition, some of the Volume II and III epics quests require running specific skirmishes at least once (especially after the Echoes of the Dead update on March 21, 2011). You'll need to level your soldier (again, requiring Skirmish Marks) to run these on-level. Also, each piece in the Annuminas and Helegrod armour sets required around 2,300 skirmish marks, in addition to superior third mark and special raid tokens.
2. Grouping becomes more and more important after you enter Moria, and, especially for support classes like Ministrels and Loremasters, you're probably going to have to relearn your toon and reevaluate your traits. As a lore-master, I relied heavily on the red (DPS/Tactical) trait line through must of the Shadows of Angmar content, and I didn't have to rely too much on the self-buff and debuffs - and almost never used the Power-Draw skill. Now that I'm having to run group content, I've found that people expect me to mezz, to supply power, and to be less of a DPS-machine. In fact, in some fights, I do nothing but stand beside a troll hitting him with blinding flash until everything else is dead and the tanks can swoop in for the kill.
There are only 2 formal dungeons ("classic instances") before Moria: Great Barrows and Fornost. While other areas require grouping, the groups are not as formal as these two; thus, you can complete quests in areas like Nan Warthen (North Downs), Dol Dinen (North Downs), Garth Agarwen (Lone Lands), and others with one or two others people. Also, you don't have a full array of skills yet, nor do you have class and racial deeds completed. As a result, you probably won't fully realize your role in the group.
I really wish the development team would add some new true instances/raids so that lower-level toons can begin learning the role their class should assume during a formal grouping. These could be tied to some sort of mentoring system, with it's own deeds, titles, and rewards.
3. You will probably need to reevaluate your traits every so often. While Virtues might remain static, your Racial, Class and Legendary traits will become more situational - you'll be traited one way for soloing, and another for instances/raids.
As you learn the game, you might also experiment with Virtues to determine what works best for your class and play style.
4. You can't do every quest in every zone - nor should you try. Learn the color-coding system, and a good rule of thumb is to start wrapping things up when MOB names turn light blue. Or, if the zone offers deeds for completing a certain number of quests, complete those deeds and move on (you can come back later to grind reputation and slayer deeds). At that point, begin wrapping up the quest chain.
I spent way too long in North Downs....and finished all but one quest there. Because of that, I had to play catch up in a lot of other zones.
5. Gold is virtually worthless in the game, especially after you buy a decent mount and your house. For armour, weapons, potions, and jewelry, join a kin (if you participate in good faith, most kin mates will be willing to craft stuff for you at little or no cost (and the cost is usually just materials)). The good stuff usually drops as loot in instances, or can be bartered for using the various marks, tokens, or medallions that drop in those instances.
After you get your house, about the only thing you'll need gold for is skill upgrades, reputation mounts, cosmetics, and class items (i.e., your legendary pages).
There are probably some other things I'm forgetting, but that's all for now.
I'm not an experienced gamer. Before LotRO, my gaming experience consisted of the Mario and Zelda games on various Nintendo systems, plus a bit of Donkey Kong and a few other arcade games. I did try WoW and a couple of other MMOs, but I couldn't get into them.
So, that leads me to my point. There are some things I wish I'd know when I started playing the game:
1. Skirmishes are more integral to the game than is generally implied. Skirmish Marks are pretty important beginning around level 45, when you get a class quest that requires going into Carn Dûm to kill Helchgam for the slime and into Urugarth for other items (i.e., the Emblem of Ritual, the Rune of Evil Presence, and the Goblin-Badge of Rank). It's difficult to get groups for these instances, but they are available from the Curiosities Vendor in any Skirmish Camp. Most of these items cost around 1,000 Skirmish Marks, and the Slime costs around 2,600.
In addition, some of the Volume II and III epics quests require running specific skirmishes at least once (especially after the Echoes of the Dead update on March 21, 2011). You'll need to level your soldier (again, requiring Skirmish Marks) to run these on-level. Also, each piece in the Annuminas and Helegrod armour sets required around 2,300 skirmish marks, in addition to superior third mark and special raid tokens.
2. Grouping becomes more and more important after you enter Moria, and, especially for support classes like Ministrels and Loremasters, you're probably going to have to relearn your toon and reevaluate your traits. As a lore-master, I relied heavily on the red (DPS/Tactical) trait line through must of the Shadows of Angmar content, and I didn't have to rely too much on the self-buff and debuffs - and almost never used the Power-Draw skill. Now that I'm having to run group content, I've found that people expect me to mezz, to supply power, and to be less of a DPS-machine. In fact, in some fights, I do nothing but stand beside a troll hitting him with blinding flash until everything else is dead and the tanks can swoop in for the kill.
There are only 2 formal dungeons ("classic instances") before Moria: Great Barrows and Fornost. While other areas require grouping, the groups are not as formal as these two; thus, you can complete quests in areas like Nan Warthen (North Downs), Dol Dinen (North Downs), Garth Agarwen (Lone Lands), and others with one or two others people. Also, you don't have a full array of skills yet, nor do you have class and racial deeds completed. As a result, you probably won't fully realize your role in the group.
I really wish the development team would add some new true instances/raids so that lower-level toons can begin learning the role their class should assume during a formal grouping. These could be tied to some sort of mentoring system, with it's own deeds, titles, and rewards.
3. You will probably need to reevaluate your traits every so often. While Virtues might remain static, your Racial, Class and Legendary traits will become more situational - you'll be traited one way for soloing, and another for instances/raids.
As you learn the game, you might also experiment with Virtues to determine what works best for your class and play style.
4. You can't do every quest in every zone - nor should you try. Learn the color-coding system, and a good rule of thumb is to start wrapping things up when MOB names turn light blue. Or, if the zone offers deeds for completing a certain number of quests, complete those deeds and move on (you can come back later to grind reputation and slayer deeds). At that point, begin wrapping up the quest chain.
I spent way too long in North Downs....and finished all but one quest there. Because of that, I had to play catch up in a lot of other zones.
5. Gold is virtually worthless in the game, especially after you buy a decent mount and your house. For armour, weapons, potions, and jewelry, join a kin (if you participate in good faith, most kin mates will be willing to craft stuff for you at little or no cost (and the cost is usually just materials)). The good stuff usually drops as loot in instances, or can be bartered for using the various marks, tokens, or medallions that drop in those instances.
After you get your house, about the only thing you'll need gold for is skill upgrades, reputation mounts, cosmetics, and class items (i.e., your legendary pages).
There are probably some other things I'm forgetting, but that's all for now.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Alt-itis
Just to clarify something, I play primarily on Vilya (although I have a couple of alts on other servers). My alts are:
Elahedor (Main)
Landroval
Dwenn
Imladris
Thalas
Elahedor (Main)
- Race: Elf.
- Class: Lore-Master.
- Vocation: Woodsman (Supreme Master Woodworker).
- Guild: Woodworker (Kindred).
- Kin: The Guides of Middle Earth.
- Race: Elf.
- Class: Guardian.
- Vocation: Armourer.
- Guild: Metalsmith.
- Kin: Iron Rangers.
- Race: Man.
- Class: Captain.
- Vocation: Historian (Supreme Master Scholar).
- Guild: Scholar (Kindred).
- Kin: The Guides of Middle Earth.
- Race: Man.
- Class: Burgler.
- Vocation: Tinker.
- Guild: Jeweler.
- Kin: The Guides of Middle Earth.
- Race: Dwarf.
- Class: Hunter.
- Vocation: Explorer.
- Guild: Tailor.
- Kin: None.
- Race: Dwarf.
- Class: Champion.
- Vocation: Armsman.
- Guild: Weaponsmith.
- Kin: Iron Rangers.
- Race: Hobbit.
- Class: Ministrel.
- Vocation: Yoeman.
- Guild: Cook.
- Kin: None.
- Race: Elf.
- Class: Rune-Keeper.
- Vocation: Historian
- Guild: None.
- Kin: None.
- Race: Man.
- Class: Warden.
- Vocation: None.
- Guild: None.
- Kin: None.
- Race: Warg.
Landroval
Dwenn
- Race: Man.
- Class: Hunter.
- Vocation: None.
- Guild: None.
- Kinship: None.
Imladris
Thalas
- Race: Elf.
- Class: Hunter.
- Vocation: None.
- Guild: None.
- Kinship: None.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Funny Sight
I was running around Nam Amlug East in the North Downs, mostly scouting for ore, on my Guardian Pentalidor. Suddenly, I came up a Hoar Mantle standing on his head...
It's not a joke. He walked down the side of a rock, but a glitch made it look like he was standing on his head. Unfortunately, I missed getting a screen shot because, while I was maneuvering around him, he decided to finish his way down the rock.
Here is the aftermath. I'm bummed I missed the shot, tho.
It's not a joke. He walked down the side of a rock, but a glitch made it look like he was standing on his head. Unfortunately, I missed getting a screen shot because, while I was maneuvering around him, he decided to finish his way down the rock.
Here is the aftermath. I'm bummed I missed the shot, tho.
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