A Letter from Executive Producer Aaron Campbell

[montecristo143]

RE: Inventory - Part of my own personal "Inventory Management" is to drag the items I always carry with me (potions, food, etc.) to the bottom slots of my last (sixth) bag so it doesn't get mixed with things I pick up along the way. That way I don't have to sort things out. Will this still be doable? Or will the new system basically be like our vaults with nameable compartments (which would also work for me)? As long as the "junk" I pick up doesn't get mixed with my "supplies" so I have to sort through it all everytime I get to the vault, I'm okay with the revamp

[Thornglen]

This Book will indeed be the end of Volume 3, 'Allies of the King.'

MoL

Sounds like quite a way to close out the volume.

Will it have an Epilogue like in Volume II? I know having fellowship quests in the epic line ruffled some feathers, but I liked how it revisited and tied up some bits of the storyline.

[Ezekiel90]

All looks good
Just 2 things
Will there be new Icons for the Westemnet mats? ie. Compendium V having the same Icon as Compendium IV is a bit cheap, and it's harder to find things in vault that are different but look identical.
Are there new instances in the pipe line at any stage? This is what most peeps are craving for
Keep up the good work !

[anthonyx]

I am optimistic with the change in leadership. Maybe the fun factor (for me at least) will return to LOTRO!

[Meneliel]

Thanks for the update. I'm very pleased to hear about the upcoming mail improvements. I've become quite spoiled by the mail in other games, so I can't wait to see this implemented. The VIP perk is a nice bonus.

The inventory changes sound interesting. I was wary of the vault changes back in the day, and that turned out well, so I will remain optimistic on this one.

I've always preferred the North Downs as a leveling path, and I look forward to seeing how it will be tweaked. I will continue to hope for changes to the Trollshaws, as that region is in greater need of help, I think.

Hopefully we will get word on the housing changes soon. Fingers crossed!

[Easca]

This Book will indeed be the end of Volume 3, 'Allies of the King.'

MoL

Just asking, will this book be f2p or will it be like the two books inherent to the HD xpac?

Other than that, welcome back Rowan! Also I like what U13 will entail and I hope to see more epicness later in this year!

[Bobby_Crocker]

<...>

Epic Book: We’re going to Flooded Isengard! MadeofLions has put together an epic experience, where you finally get to experience life as an Ent.

<...>

Fangorn Forest: Quickbeam needs your help! JWBarry has led the charge to build out new quests in Southern Fangorn, including a special friend you might earn.

<...>

It sounds like the quest lines are already done (or at least fully plotted out if not actually coded), but I need to ask anyway : with all due respect, please don't hit us with more "go clean the meadhall/put out food for my men/pick us some berries, wouldja luv?" quests. They don't need to be 'save the world' in grandeur, but please make them not so clearly menial and so disturbingly reminiscent of our time as slaves in Isengard. 'Scout the road ahead for trouble before we depart', 'find out what's making the local tribe of orcs grow feral and more primitive than usual', 'track down the stragglers from Saruman's army who escaped before the flooding of Orthanc', etc. - things like that would be awesome. Even if we're not the central figure in the specific story being told, at least let us not feel like we're the junior assistant to the central figure's great aunt's valet, or the like.

Not trying to be snarky or insulting. Just don't want to do any more washing up for the foreseeable future.

[MaestroJack]

Aaron - not sure if has said this or not, but welcome back to Middle Earth! Glad to have you back!

And Kate - if she reads this - good luck, and good fortune to you: Aa' menealle navua calen ar' malta (May your ways be green and golden).

[OldMadeOfLions]

Just asking, will this book be f2p or will it be like the two books inherent to the HD xpac?

This Book starts after the Battle of the Hornburg is over, and you'll need to have finished Book 13 to start it. So you'll want the Helm's Deep expansion.

MoL

[Garan]

Welcome back Rowan.

Glad to hear about all of the new stuff coming.

As you may know (or not), I'm a supporter of Turbine's Lua interface. I know Turbine is working with a leaner development team but I wonder if the devs that were donating their time to implement the Lua API survived the layoffs and if so, can they get some official support for developing the Lua API? There are literally dozens of Lua plugin developers which provide Turbine with hundreds of man-hours of custom UI development for each hour that Turbine investment. We received a partial update to the documentation this past year (some of the API is still undocumented or inaccurately documented) but we did not get any kind of API enhancements and no bug fixes - Turbine would see a huge return on investment if they would start officially supporting the Lua API.

[Fralin]

So the promised housing update that was supposed to be released in the fall 2013, released moved to late 2013, released moved to work in progress 2013 with release early 2014 isn't in there I suppose... What about a rebalance? ANything like that planned? Or is it one of those unimportnat things that can be done in a later patch this year... or the next... if there's people for it, so the very least in a couple of years or so?

[Sapience]

So the promised housing update... with release early 2014..

Just wanted to clarify that if you go back and read Kate's letter, which Aaron linked to in his, this is not what she said. No such statement was made.

[Linathrial]

Hello all! I’m Aaron “Rowan” Campbell, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online.*

Update 13 (and LOTRO’s 7^th Anniversary) are coming up soon (He said it! Not me!- Sapience). There is a long list of new features with U13, but I want to highlight some of the key items and the great folks that are working on them.

Epic Book: We’re going to Flooded Isengard! MadeofLions has put together an epic experience, where you finally get to experience life as an Ent.

North Downs: This is a vast and classic region. Budgeford is digging in to modernize and improve the space, much like she’s done in the past with Moria.

Fangorn Forest: Quickbeam needs your help! JWBarry has led the charge to build out new quests in Southern Fangorn, including a special friend you might earn.

In addition, mail will now support multiple attachments. VIPs will be able to open mail in the wilderness through your mail alert. Inventory is getting entirely new management options. And we have a new prototype of Hobnangians that we expect to release later this year.

As Kate mentioned, we’re pressing forward to Gondor! We’re digging in deep (but not too deep) to continue the journey through Middle-earth. I look forward to telling you more about our plans for 2014 and into 2015 in the near future.

Rowan

*For those that remember me, I’ve been with LOTRO since 2006. I stepped away over the last year to run Dungeons and Dragons Online. Now I’m back in Middle-earth and thrilled to be working with the LOTRO team again.

Fantastic guys!

Thank you so much for such an awesome game. Here is hoping that you guys continue marching forward with this wonderful game and that it succeeds {financially too, of course} beyond what we can imagine.

/Cheers

[rosey21]

That was it.

I just hope this mail feature for VIPs stays for VIPs. Meaning that it doesn't get sold in the store to be unlocked by non VIPers & that you cannot subscribe a month of VIP to unlock this for your characters. More things need to be solely for VIPs who stay VIP.

[Mildford]

Cool, changes look interesting.
Welcome back Rowan!

@MoL: the last two books are gated behind HD because you have to do BBs, but what about the upcoming book? I'm sure a bunch of people would be happier if it could be started separately (:

PS: could we please please have new item icons and some flavor text for skills and traits too?

[Vexendynamus]

Are Trollshaws and Misty Mountains revamps coming with Update 13?

[Belnavar]

Hello all! I’m Aaron “Rowan” Campbell, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online.*

*For those that remember me, I’ve been with LOTRO since 2006. I stepped away over the last year to run Dungeons and Dragons Online. Now I’m back in Middle-earth and thrilled to be working with the LOTRO team again.

Welcome back. I hope this means many more good things for LOTRO in the year/s ahead

Update 13 (and LOTRO’s 7^th Anniversary) are coming up soon (He said it! Not me!- Sapience). There is a long list of new features with U13, but I want to highlight some of the key items and the great folks that are working on them.

Are we still on track for a late March release?

Epic Book: We’re going to Flooded Isengard! MadeofLions has put together an epic experience, where you finally get to experience life as an Ent.

I'm looking forward to experiencing this and the end of Volume 3. Will we get another Epic Book that starts Volume 4 later this year?

North Downs: This is a vast and classic region. Budgeford is digging in to modernize and improve the space, much like she’s done in the past with Moria.

This is badly needed and most welcome, as are the other region revamps. Speaking of which, are those other revamps still tabled for U13?

Fangorn Forest: Quickbeam needs your help! JWBarry has led the charge to build out new quests in Southern Fangorn, including a special friend you might earn.

This is something I'm very curious about and eagerly awaiting. I hope it provides some playability that Helm's Deep end-game lacks (since it didn't have a Hytbold or Wildermore equivalent).

In addition, mail will now support multiple attachments. VIPs will be able to open mail in the wilderness through your mail alert. Inventory is getting entirely new management options. And we have a new prototype of Hobnangians that we expect to release later this year.

All good news. The mail revamp is something I almost thought we'd never see. The VIP perk is very warmly welcomed. VIP really does need to made a more attractive option, and easy access to mail is a very good first step. The inventory revamp ... it depends what this entails. I hope it brings some of the features of TheOneBag plugin I'm currently using, as I find the standard bag structure to be somewhat cumbersome. An auto-sort feature in particular would be nice. And Hobnanigans ... well, that will be a welcome return for sure

As Kate mentioned, we’re pressing forward to Gondor! We’re digging in deep (but not too deep) to continue the journey through Middle-earth. I look forward to telling you more about our plans for 2014 and into 2015 in the near future.

Any more hints on Kate's class-related surprise?

I'm looking forward to hearing more about the plans for LOTRO for the rest of this year and next. I am particularly looking forward to our first glimpse of Gondor, and what will presumably be a full Gondor expansion next year.

-Bel

[Nyrion]

I'm not fond of jumping to conclusions, but since these are things I've wanted for years I'll ask anyway; Could we possibly get confirmation on whether the Trollshaws or Misty Mountains revamps are still set for U13? That Aaron didn't mention them has me slightly concerned.

[Crell_1]

This Book starts after the Battle of the Hornburg is over, and you'll need to have finished Book 13 to start it. So you'll want the Helm's Deep expansion.

MoL

Does book 13 continue the trend of 'session plays will be optional'?

Is the mail perk the only perk coming for VIPs?

Any word on the Ettenmoors Pass?

[WhiteTalpa]

umm sounds interesting

[fearlessassassins]

Hopefully with the change in leadership we will see some news about traditional instances soon. First time Turbine has given me hope that things may change for the better in a long while

[Crell_1]

This Book starts after the Battle of the Hornburg is over, and you'll need to have finished Book 13 to start it. So you'll want the Helm's Deep expansion.

MoL

That doesn't really tell us whether or not NON-VIP players who've purchased the Helm's Deep expansion need to purchase 'Flooded Isengard' (if that's even a region), to participate in the final part of the epic.

[Thornglen]

Any more hints on Kate's class-related surprise?

I'm looking forward to hearing more about the plans for LOTRO for the rest of this year and next. I am particularly looking forward to our first glimpse of Gondor, and what will presumably be a full Gondor expansion next year.

-Bel

I am wondering whether the surprise is related to the "friend you might earn", but I am guessing we will hear more on that in the next month.

[NinjaGranny]

Im have a couple of founder accounts and My kins was mainly lifers

The reason we have all left due to HD was due to Skills trees changing the classes and the game becoming facerolling simple.

Are any of these concerns being addressed ?

We would love to come back to LOTRO (and start giving you money again) .

I mean this as no disrespect and genuinely want to be able to play again as do my friends family kinmates etc. We are in a bit of a void at the moment.

[Tirian-Hammerfist]

This Book will indeed be the end of Volume 3, 'Allies of the King.'

MoL

Will we find out what happens to Lothrandir?