What's coming? Here's what we know.

[Snoman73]

E3 is coming soon. Have patience friends. Besides, news from Turbine is alot like wizards, its never late, it arrives precisely when it means to.

And by that i mean E3,

[sirwillow]

But at the same time, the message that is being sent is - Don't ask us - we will tell you when we are good and ready, thread closed.

In which case you're misunderstanding. The message is, something is coming, maybe a lot of somethings, but we aren't allowed to talk about it. No matter how much we want to. The marketing ninjas have their swords to our throats if we slip a whisper. Once the sword is removed we will be happy to talk, but until then please stop tempting us to get beheaded.

[jayssen]

In which case you're misunderstanding. The message is, something is coming, maybe a lot of somethings, but we aren't allowed to talk about it. No matter how much we want to. The marketing ninjas have their swords to our throats if we slip a whisper. Once the sword is removed we will be happy to talk, but until then please stop tempting us to get beheaded.

I'm not for a second suggesting that it is the fault of the community managers here in the forum, they are just doing their job. But the situation is what it is, months have gone by with little meaningful communication about the direction this game is headed and what is coming next. I'm just saying that I completely understand a lot of the frustration observed here on the forums and would hope that those that have the power understand what their "silence" does to eager (probably over eager ) LOTRO players.

[FutenCake]

In which case you're misunderstanding. The message is, something is coming, maybe a lot of somethings, but we aren't allowed to talk about it. No matter how much we want to. The marketing ninjas have their swords to our throats if we slip a whisper. Once the sword is removed we will be happy to talk, but until then please stop tempting us to get beheaded.

Micro-transactions

I'm only half joking. If they don't come in some form or another I will be very surprised.

If you are worried that they will damage the game, don't be, go play DDO. MTs can be done right, they can make a game better, and Turbine has the people to do it right.

[Allia]

Micro-transactions

I'm only half joking. If they don't come in some form or another I will be very surprised.

If you are worried that they will damage the game, don't be, go play DDO. MTs can be done right, they can make a game better, and Turbine has the people to do it right.

You're right, the MT in DDO aren't too bad... and apparently it has supplied them with enough revenue that they're coming up on what, the 5th content update since MTs were added about 8 months ago? I'd be willing to accept limited MTs like DDO has to get the release schedule back the way it used to be.

And not to imply that MTs are indeed the cause of the wall of silence, but when MTs came to DDO, this is exactly how it happened. Months of silence from Turbine despite forum outrage. Then the big announcement.

[Graythandor]

You're right, the MT in DDO aren't too bad... and apparently it has supplied them with enough revenue that they're coming up on what, the 5th content update since MTs were added about 8 months ago? I'd be willing to accept limited MTs like DDO has to get the release schedule back the way it used to be.

I think I agree. Basically ANYTHING that gets us our monthly/semi-monthly book updates and semi-annual zone additions back gets a thumbs-up in my book. I don't care if they have to sell Amarthiel's bustier on ebay, I'm all for it if it gets us our content flow back.

[Ignotus]

Keep in mind, if RMTs become a reality, you may be paying real money for those content updates, regardless of how frequently they occur. You may get your wish to get back to much more frequent updates, but those updates will cost real money, hence the reason that they offer them more often.

The rumor of RMTs and the possibility of going F2P with RMTs is why I'm not resubbing. I'm going to wait until after E3 to see what is announced.

EDIT: I guess they could still offer subscriptions and give the updates to the subscribers. I'm not familiar with DDO, but seems like I read that they do it that way over there.

[The_Black_Lyon]

I've never understood what all the fuss was about in regards to Micro-Transactions. I've played four MMOs that offered them in one form or another -- WoW, DDO, AoC and STO. I had paid subscriptions to three of the four games.

At no time have I ever had a problem with them. They have never harmed my gameplay experience, nor did they ever provide other players with an unfair in-game advantage. More often than not, what could be bought what just cosmetic fluff. A cool looking pet here, and different looking bridge design there...Nothing to get worked up about.

I could care less than Player X standing next to me has a cool looking pet that I can't get unless I shell out real world money. It's not going to stop me from playing the game. Heck, it might even be a benefit to me. Maybe some of the money made from selling those cool pets will be funneled into future game developments such as new areas to explore. Maybe, maybe not. Won't hurt to give it a chance though.

[musicman2000]

I've never understood what all the fuss was about in regards to Micro-Transactions. I've played four MMOs that offered them in one form or another -- WoW, DDO, AoC and STO. I had paid subscriptions to three of the four games.

At no time have I ever had a problem with them. They have never harmed my gameplay experience, nor did they ever provide other players with an unfair in-game advantage. More often than not, what could be bought what just cosmetic fluff. A cool looking pet here, and different looking bridge design there...Nothing to get worked up about.

I could care less than Player X standing next to me has a cool looking pet that I can't get unless I shell out real world money. It's not going to stop me from playing the game. Heck, it might even be a benefit to me. Maybe some of the money made from selling those cool pets will be funneled into future game developments such as new areas to explore. Maybe, maybe not. Won't hurt to give it a chance though.

Short reply -- you've been lucky.

It always starts innocent -- cosmetic unnecessary fluff. Eventually the lines about what is unnecessary get blurred.

[The_Black_Lyon]

Short reply -- you've been lucky.

It always starts innocent -- cosmetic unnecessary fluff. Eventually the lines about what is unnecessary get blurred.

I understand the potential for the line to be blurred is there, but is there a specific example you had in mind of this being the case? The only example that comes to mind for me would be a game like Farmville or Mafia Wars, and even then I would argue those games were built from the ground-up with micro-transactions in mind.

[gildhur]

Another thing for OP to add to the list:

Moors travel will be free on free weekends (bug fixed).
http://forums.lotro.com/showpost.php...3&postcount=23

[BINKLEY1]

Bug with free weekend travel not applying to Moors travel to be addressed:

http://forums.lotro.com/showpost.php...3&postcount=23

Cheers,
Gloimli

[Aellea]

An RMT model similar to DDO would probably be acceptable to me, as long as it was good for the game as a whole and secured a solid rate of expansion.

DDO offers a standard monthly subscription for $15, which allows access to all content in the game and 500 Turbine Points per month to buy optional items in the DDO Store, which is integrated into the game client. F2P players of DDO are limited in character slots, do not have automatic access to some of the classes or other character options. F2P players also have access to a limited amount of content in each level range and have to purchase addition content packs if they wish to expand their access.

Of course, the world design of DDO makes breaking up the content in this way very simple, where as it would be a bit more complicated in LotRO. Would they close off entire zones? Limit access to a potion of existing quest lines? Etc...

The good thing about the way they handled the transition of DDO is that people who played as subscribers can continue to do so, have access to all the content in the game and also get a monthly stipend of Turbine Points to buy the occasional RMT item or perk. "Part time" existing players, in some cases, may have found switching to F2P as a viable alternative, given their more limited or sporadic play time habits. The biggest advantage to the game is all the new or returning players who come to the game only because of the F2P model, (some of whom end up buying things here and there if the game remains engaging enough for the investment, or upgrade to a Sub).

From what I heard about DDO, there was an initial influx of disruptive or immature players when DDO made the transition, but as someone who recently started playing DDO as a F2P player, I can say that the current community is friendly and mature.

So, the transition could be done in a way that would be good for the game, with out "ruining" things for existing players. They could also really flub things up, but at least DDO shows that Turbine has some experience in making such a transition work in a way that is fair for players and good for the health of the title.

[Stryker1487]

Well done. Stickied as promised.

Cool, I want to hear the story behind that... seems cool that Sapience was working with a community member to help all of us out.

A. Gameshark still exists????

B. ISENGARD! SWEET!

[Nasty8]

Let the 2 week countdown until E3 commence! After the announcement, I won't have to keep coming back to this thread to satisfy my daily need for upcoming information.

/keepsfingerscrossed

[Sapience]

Cool, I want to hear the story behind that... seems cool that Sapience was working with a community member to help all of us out.

A. Gameshark still exists????

B. ISENGARD! SWEET!

Short version. Someone mentioned that there was information currently out there on the forums, but it was scattered because it was all in random comments by Devs, the community team, and links provided by players. So it was suggested a compilation post be created. I agreed to sticky it with one condition, any comment had to have a link to the original 'blue name' that said it for verification (to avoid rumors being put down as fact).

And here we are.

[BellusDuFenna]

Short version. Someone mentioned that there was information currently out there on the forums, but it was scattered because it was all in random comments by Devs, the community team, and links provided by players. So it was suggested a compilation post be created. I agreed to sticky it with one condition, any comment had to have a link to the original 'blue name' that said it for verification (to avoid rumors being put down as fact).

And here we are.

Yes, I'm that someone. Thank you again for everyone that contributed to this thread, it really is quite helpful.

(Note - In case there is any confusion, I didn't create this thread, I'm simply the guy who suggested there was a need, and requested we get such a thread stickied.)

[Aidus]

With an event as large as E3, I seriously doubt they would announce something as small as a content update. It will be about the next expansion. Although, the next content update would be a sidebar, especially since it's free. Mines of Moria was announced in March of 2008, IIRC, and we had two content updates between the announcement and the actual release.

And they'll most likely announce the other "project" they are working on as well.

So what we have so far...

An announcement of an upcoming announcement.

So E3 will be ...


An announcement of the date of an announcement of the up coming announcement the will announce the date of the final announcement of the next announced expansion release.

In the mean time we will get announcements of announced changes and content updates that will be announced at a future date.

The announcement schedule has now been announced.

Good day!

[Nasty8]

I'm getting to the point where I feel like doing this for information...

[swattz101]

The 3rd Anniversary events end on Tuesday, June 29th, the same day as the Summer Festival begins, based on the tentative schedule.

Such a festival tends to be part of an update. (the coming Fall Festival starts on an Tuesday in October.

Curiously, the Fall Festival ends on a Monday, prior to Tuesday, November 16th.

The Summer Festival stuff was part of the recent Patch 1, I believe. At least the new summer mount was.

Just wanted to confirm that when Bullroarer was open before Vol. 3.1 Patch 1, they did a test run of the Summer Festival. I don't remember if there were any new events, and can't find any doing a search of the BullRoarer forums, but I wouldn't rule out any changes being made between now and the Summer Festival.

[tuor66]

Just wanted to confirm that when Bullroarer was open before Vol. 3.1 Patch 1, they did a test run of the Summer Festival. I don't remember if there were any new events, and can't find any doing a search of the BullRoarer forums, but I wouldn't rule out any changes being made between now and the Summer Festival.

I recall some new Ale Association stuff, just wait til the Harvest festival hits and the Hobbits take the gloves off .... " Volume 3 - The Inn League Strikes Back !"

[Forgotten_Legend]

I'm getting to the point where I feel like doing this for information...

wait... i think you're taking fowl session play to a whole new level...

[birdone]

I want to believe that new is coming soon.... Trying real hard but after so many let downs hard to buy into it.... Here is hoping that we get new content soon is the E3 announcement

[Graythandor]

HA! New "Whimsical Wednesday" lottery...

10 x Gift of Greater Patience
50 x Sprig of Thyme
1 x Bow of Forbidden Truths

Cute.

[Sapience]

HA! New "Whimsical Wednesday" lottery...

10 x Gift of Greater Patience
50 x Sprig of Thyme
1 x Bow of Forbidden Truths

Cute.

You guys are quick! And I should point out, you posted your discovery in the right place.