Storylines

[OldMadeOfLions]

Turbine discourages climbing up roofs and hills to scout what's beyond the maps. Rumors say that going too far beyond the landscape could make the server lose or corrupt your character's data or even corrupt the game data itself.

We discourage it because we use those spaces for work-in-progress testing and development, and if you interact with some of those areas you might get flagged in such a way that it confuses the system when those spaces or the things in them are added to the playable space. I love exploration, but I don't want too many characters seeing behind the curtain and getting ahead of our system.

MoL

[Theomur]

Thanks for clarifying that, MoL . So what you're saying is for example: You go beyond the landscape in east of central gondor right now. You log out there and while you're away, update 16 happens. Then the game is confused, cause you're in an area that doesn't exist anymore and is replaced by something else, such as eastern Gondor.

But other than that, it's mainly that you want to hide work in progress. That surprises me. Is there work in progress on the consumers' version of LOTRO?

[KylisZG]

Not much use of exploring nowadays, 2 things await you outside, A: invisible walls, B: port to Archet/Edhelion :///

Wish they didn't put those two, instead just made it much harder to get out! Imagine the dissapointment, you try for 20 min/ half an hour/hour, have a jump here, jump there, then some riding and bam invisible wall

[cdq1958]

I actually had to google "Quarter moon on outhouses" lol!


Another thing I always loved were the two Hobbits agreeing to get married while sitting at a pond. I forget the name of the place, it's north of Hobbiton.

Overhill that is, my friend; and they're cute.

[cdq1958]

Thanks for clarifying that, MoL . So what you're saying is for example: You go beyond the landscape in east of central gondor right now. You log out there and while you're away, update 16 happens. Then the game is confused, cause you're in an area that doesn't exist anymore and is replaced by something else, such as eastern Gondor.

But other than that, it's mainly that you want to hide work in progress. That surprises me. Is there work in progress on the consumers' version of LOTRO?

Yes. When the Wildermore zone was being built, there were things put in prior to the zone's opening to live play. Go to Michel Delving, today, and head toward Little Delving. That's all the spoiler I'm going to give for that one.

[Nymphonic]

Yes. When the Wildermore zone was being built, there were things put in prior to the zone's opening to live play. Go to Michel Delving, today, and head toward Little Delving. That's all the spoiler I'm going to give for that one.

Fiddlesticks and Ninnyhammers, I still have a full shift at work ahead of me!

[djheydt]

Yes. When the Wildermore zone was being built, there were things put in prior to the zone's opening to live play. Go to Michel Delving, today, and head toward Little Delving. That's all the spoiler I'm going to give for that one.

Hm. My junior Minstrel is in Michel Delving cooking;
perhaps I'll send her up there to see.

Edit: All she found were a couple of quests, levels 5 and
7, designed to lead beginning Hobbits into Michel Delving.
I seem to recall those were both there at SoA launch.
What did I miss?

Oh, yes, and there was a Mithril Trader, but what beginning
Hobbit is going to have anything to trade with?

[djheydt]

I'm not really sure about that. Where would he learn what the quarter moon meant?

I don't think he needed to. I think he would've
been guided by the smell.

[ThePinion]

I don't think he needed to. I think he would've been guided by the smell.

I'm so glad I left that story open-ended. This is the kind of debate I was always hoping for.

[cdq1958]

Hm. My junior Minstrel is in Michel Delving cooking;
perhaps I'll send her up there to see.

Edit: All she found were a couple of quests, levels 5 and
7, designed to lead beginning Hobbits into Michel Delving.
I seem to recall those were both there at SoA launch.
What did I miss?

Oh, yes, and there was a Mithril Trader, but what beginning
Hobbit is going to have anything to trade with?

It is easier to see if you're heading from Little Delving to Michel Delving, but look in the little cul-de-sac just past the Town Hole and the Bird and Baby. I noticed something new the first time I ran a newly made Hobbit that finished the Introduction oh, about a month ago. There's nothing yet to them; but when I've seen things like this before, they've either been old quests/content that was cut from a revamp or there will be something coming involving these additions, at some point in the future (remember the Roving Threats that popped up in December?). I expect more players to notice when they do the Spring Flowers quests.

[Brandon_Blackbird]

It is easier to see if you're heading from Little Delving to Michel Delving, but look in the little cul-de-sac just past the Town Hole and the Bird and Baby. I noticed something new the first time I ran a newly made Hobbit that finished the Introduction oh, about a month ago. There's nothing yet to them; but when I've seen things like this before, they've either been old quests/content that was cut from a revamp or there will be something coming involving these additions, at some point in the future (remember the Roving Threats that popped up in December?). I expect more players to notice when they do the Spring Flowers quests.

I'm thinking the whole "seeing Middle-earth with a new friend" will have something to do with that. There's someone new in Tuckborough as well.

[Lady_Lethargy]

We discourage it because we use those spaces for work-in-progress testing and development, and if you interact with some of those areas you might get flagged in such a way that it confuses the system when those spaces or the things in them are added to the playable space. I love exploration, but I don't want too many characters seeing behind the curtain and getting ahead of our system.

MoL

Is it discouraged to explore off-map in areas you aren't (presumably) working on? I occasionally wander around in those ruins across the river in Ered Luin. I even marked it on my map plugin as "Echad Argylin" :P

There are also a bunch of other off-map areas I've been to. But is it actually permitted to do so in LOTRO?

[Theomur]

I'm so glad I left that story open-ended. This is the kind of debate I was always hoping for.

I just discovered the bunny cave in Great River. I'm absolutely delighted and I'm moving in there Please MOAR easter eggs like this please! Gondor needs it!

[ThePinion]

I just discovered the bunny cave in Great River. I'm absolutely delighted and I'm moving in there Please MOAR easter eggs like this please! Gondor needs it!

One of our world designers snuck that in right before Great River launched and we all loved it.

[djheydt]

I just discovered the bunny cave in Great River. I'm absolutely delighted and I'm moving in there Please MOAR easter eggs like this please!

I never saw that! Coordinates?

[Altair6]

Other side of river south and slightly west of Stangard.

[djheydt]

Other side of river south and slightly west of Stangard.

Thanks; I'll go take a look.

[Urwendil]

Thanks, I'll take my Champion who's currently doing the GR epics there

I recently played a large chunk of Vol III with him. The whole Théodred story, the bits about Cynstan, and the dream sequence that follows... It was really heart touching and playing it again was a nice experience.

[Nymphonic]

Other side of river south and slightly west of Stangard.

Oh, I have a lore master near there, I'm gonna check it out!

[Theomur]

I made this little video especially for you guys

[Gwinthilnel]

It is easier to see if you're heading from Little Delving to Michel Delving, but look in the little cul-de-sac just past the Town Hole and the Bird and Baby. I noticed something new the first time I ran a newly made Hobbit that finished the Introduction oh, about a month ago. There's nothing yet to them; but when I've seen things like this before, they've either been old quests/content that was cut from a revamp or there will be something coming involving these additions, at some point in the future (remember the Roving Threats that popped up in December?). I expect more players to notice when they do the Spring Flowers quests.

I need more details, this is driving me crazy! I took my hunter there and am riding around trying to find something out of the ordinary but not having much luck.

[robbie1435]

Yes. When the Wildermore zone was being built, there were things put in prior to the zone's opening to live play. Go to Michel Delving, today, and head toward Little Delving. That's all the spoiler I'm going to give for that one.

You talking about the neighbors? :O

[Urwendil]

I made this little video especially for you guys

Haha, thanks!

[cdq1958]

I need more details, this is driving me crazy! I took my hunter there and am riding around trying to find something out of the ordinary but not having much luck.

See Robbie's post below yours. I'm really trying not to give out too much in the way of spoilers. Yes, there's something new and it is Hobbit-like enough that it will not seem extraordinary.

[Gwinthilnel]

I thought I read somewhere that there are "portals" to regions in places that don't make sense. Is this true and is it due to a bug or on purpose?