We’re very pleased to announce the LOTRO Player Council!

[Sapience]

If you would like to be a part of helping shape the future of LOTRO, providing targeted feedback to the development team and working with other players from around the world to make LOTRO even better, submit your application today. Full details are available at www.lotro.com/playercouncil We look forward to hearing from you!

[QuinnaBorden]

Wow this sounds really awesome! I hope it works out well!

[Urwendil]

​
Congratulations on the establishment of the council and I hope it turns out well for the game.

One question:

any geographic region officially supported by The Lord of the Rings Online

What exactly does it mean?

TIA
​

[LordVoronturEU]

If you would like to be a part of helping shape the future of LOTRO, providing targeted feedback to the development team and working with other players from around the world to make LOTRO even better, submit your application today. Full details are available at www.lotro.com/playercouncil We look forward to hearing from you!

Sapience, if you've been a regular player at some point during the last 6 months, does that count?

[Nasty8]

Sounds like a great opportunity to help grow this game!

[LongMarch]

Nice to see this moving forward. With the right execution (and no doubt some massaging), this should be a valuable resource both for game development/improvement and improved player-dev/player-player relations.

To All who end up on the Council, good luck and have fun!

[''Cris''']

I would like to ask if there is a position for a representative for Roleplay matters or a person more concerned with that subject and the immersion in general of the game.
This may seem of little value to some, yet lets not forget that Middle-earth RP is something that many Tolkien-fans love and it does indeed bring the immersion to a (even) higher level and the peoples of this mythical world come real (in a way and to an extent). Many times it may feel to one like stepping into the books due to various events and gatherings that occur. It can be a great experience but yes I will leave it at that.

Thank you in advance.

[Sapience]

Sapience, if you've been a regular player at some point during the last 6 months, does that count?

The hope, and goal, is for the council to be made of players who actively play the game. Those who have stopped or are 'on a break', might have good ideas, but since they aren't actively playing it does limit their usefulness to us a bit. So we'd really prefer those who are actively playing.

I would like to ask if there is a position for a representative for Roleplay matters or a person more concerned with that subject and the immersion in general of the game.
This may seem of little value to some, yet lets not forget that Middle-earth RP is something that many Tolkien-fans love and it does indeed bring the immersion to a (even) higher level and the peoples of this mythical world come real (in a way and to an extent). Many times it may feel to one like stepping into the books due to various events and gatherings that occur. It can be a great experience but yes I will leave it at that.

Thank you in advance.

All playstyles have a place. Make sure you put that you RP in your play style preferences.

Likewise if you play creep exclusively, or you solo exclusively, or you focus mainly on crafting, or raiding. We're setting a big table (30-50) for a reason. So we can be as inclusive as possible.

[Bel-Astarte]

Good work on pulling the various elements of the game together in its design.

I honestly can't think of any particular item I'd add.

I wish all the participants wisdom, patience, and fun in their duties.

[Sito_Origami]

A very interesting idea, and I've thrown my name in the ring, given I've had one or two comments on these very forums. I like the emphasis on 'constructive' and 'mature' in the proposal for the council, a quality sometimes lacking in the conversations. The strength of LOTRO is in the number of ways there are to enjoy it, and the diversity of the fanbase. The challenge is in continuing to please everyone - a big job to be sure.

The cynical will have reason to turn noses up at this idea, scoff at it as a PR stunt, but I can't see something this detailed being anything but genuine. Particularly if they are even offering the occasional travel money to a lucky few up front.

Whomever ends up participating, I too wish them the best of luck.

[Lexyanna]

I am very excited to see how this works out. Those of us who have been playing the game for several years now have witnessed so many changes, some good and some bad, and I think the melting pot of ideas from such a large group would do nothing but benefit us all.

[Rucagorn]

A great initiative, lets make this Middle-Earth a better place

[bastiat1]

Getting more direct and focused feedback to Turbine can only be positive no matter how things break.

[Darlgon]

What if I’m chosen for the council and people harass or grief me in game because of my participation or if they don’t like suggestions the council made?

Harassment is harassment and a violation of the EULA, TOS and Community Guidelines. Players engaging in this behavior for any reason are subject to action based on the existing prohibitions against harassment.

Wow.. so sad you had to include that part. But also realistic as some people cant keep their mouth shut. But, if they are harassed or griefed in game, guess what, they most likely violated the NDA condition of not revealing council information.

However, I might add a request. Make it avail to say.. 5/10 of the most active members of the previous council avail, either as an executive council or as members of the council to allow some continuity of the body into the second year. After all, then Turbine does not take full responsibility on retraining a whole new class every year. Take a lesson from the House and Senate, with overlapping terms to prevent having to train a whole new bunch of guys who dont know how things work each year. (Well, maybe the theory was sound, even if the House and Senate actually show how it is NOT supposed to work.)

[Wanderv]

​
Congratulations on the establishment of the council and I hope it turns out well for the game.

One question:

any geographic region officially supported by The Lord of the Rings Online
What exactly does it mean?

TIA
​

Yes, i have same question. Does Russia count as oficially sypported as it has localisation?

[Nyrion]

This looks very well thought out to me, especially for an alleged 'PR stunt'. Good luck to you all with it, blues and the future members of the council. I sincerely hope this can do some real good for the game.

[Skro-Noleth]

I just had a question while reading this part:

Members of the press or those acting in a journalistic/editorial capacity are not eligible to participate on the council.

Do fansites count as "editorial capacities"?

Regards,
Skro

[Onman]

I think this is a great idea.

While the forums are great for everyone to vent and try to get thier ideas to the devs, I believe the ability of 30-50 people interacting with the devs will accomplish more than entire forum trying to talk to the devs.

Good move in my opinion.

[Bel-Astarte]

Wow.. so sad you had to include that part. But also realistic as some people cant keep their mouth shut. But, if they are harassed or griefed in game, guess what, they most likely violated the NDA condition of not revealing council information.

Or, they could be being harrassed by someone who WANTS them to violate the NDA and is punishing them.

Or, they could simply have fallen afoul of a jerkface without any relation to their status as a member of the Player Council.

How about, nobody should have to be harrassed or griefed in game? Keep it simple, and report it when it happens.

[swattz101]

Wow.. so sad you had to include that part. But also realistic as some people cant keep their mouth shut. But, if they are harassed or griefed in game, guess what, they most likely violated the NDA condition of not revealing council information.

The Council does say that either the member forum names or char name will be supplied to the community to help make the council members accountable. Just knowing the names, some people are bound to be harassed.

[Crell_1]

Who is primarily responsible for sifting through the initial applications and nominations?

An example:
Is it a committee composed of people from various teams (Community/Development/QA/Marketing/Ecommerce), or strictly the community team at the front line?

Since players approvals will be public, can the player base be given an opportunity to present feedback on potential applicants before the final selection process?

[Bel-Astarte]

Since players approvals will be public, can the player base be given an opportunity to present feedback on potential applicants before the final selection process?

What are you wanting, a chance to sandbag someone out of participating?

This isn't like electing a parlimentary representative. If you think you have something to offer (and I suspect you do) by all means, put in your own application.

If you can't be moved to do that, I think asking that those who do put themselves forward run a gauntlet of player opinions on this forum as to their fitness is a bit rich.

[Crell_1]

If you think you have something to offer (and I suspect you do) by all means, put in your own application.

I will not be applying, nor accepting any nominations for this program.

I do however suspect that not all candidates will be regular forum users prior, and that their behavior and attitudes in-game should have weight. If I privately were aware of a situation involving a candiate that might make them unsuitable for this role, I'd want Turbine made aware of it, not to have such things aired in public.

These players are meant to represent us, and I for one want them to be of the highest caliber we can muster.

[Bel-Astarte]

I will not be applying, nor accepting any nominations for this program.

I do however suspect that not all candidates will be regular forum users prior, and that their behavior and attitudes in-game should have weight. If I privately were aware of a situation involving a candiate that might make them unsuitable for this role, I'd want Turbine made aware of it, not to have such things aired in public.

That if a council member does somehow have an unsuitability that Turbine wouldn't have tools at hand to make such an assessment, or that they wouldn't kick someone if they became disruptive?

That is a mainly rhetorical question-because you appear to simply want to be able to blackball a candidate, and that, as I said, is rich indeed.

I shall bow out of this conversation at this point, before I say something I might regret.

[Thorgrum]

What are you wanting, a chance to sandbag someone out of participating?

This isn't like electing a parlimentary representative. If you think you have something to offer (and I suspect you do) by all means, put in your own application.

If you can't be moved to do that, I think asking that those who do put themselves forward run a gauntlet of player opinions on this forum as to their fitness is a bit rich.

It would be rich, if it wasnt a public position.

Imagine for a moment they put me on the council, wouldnt it be prudent for those who dislike my vitriolic style to offer an opinion? Wouldnt their concerns be valid, at least to them?

If this were an anonymous council thats one thing, but it isnt. So as such, public/player opinion is part of the bargain. Sapience isnt a stupid man, Im sure he has considered that reality. Begining the process of shouting it down now isnt going to sever human nature. Good luck though, its going to be entertaining to watch when the list is released and the subsequent posts.

Ill be sure to look for your input specifically.