Producer's Letter

[Selfassured]

I don't understand why anyone would run missions. This endgame needs more group content

Yea, missions are utterly boring, how can anyone even run missions all day long, you got kill that and this repeat and leave , where are the days of classic instances? Its unbelievable. People keep forgetting how game was so good back then. Release quality 6 man classic instance except BS missions.

I really feel sorry for anyone who is slave of that grind with missions and just endless festivals or current end game is catastrophic.

[Vilan]

I guess high elf brawlers weren't lore-breaking enough. We need us some hobbit loremasters and elf burglars.

Sigh.

And nothing new for endgame. Oh, more missions I guess. Cool.

Well, time to work on some alts.

[Selfassured]

1000% this. They obviously realized they have absolutely nothing to offer here so just decided to break lore for no reason and offer something that takes no dev time. Race/Class combo's is not the answer.

I'm so glad I left 3 months ago when the HoR grind was already too much to bear, I cant imagine a full year of just spamming HoR and HoA. Good god this letter was bad.

Thanks man. Thank God someone will agree with me and voice it out. Yea good that you left and expressed your disappointment, cheers whenever road takes you.

[Arachne]

Closing Anor in six weeks ? It is summer a lot of folks are not around because of this. Move to another server ? Where our names are already taken ? How is that fair ? I Alpha tested this game so I have been here since day one and honestly I am not a happy camper atm. I realize Anor has a low population, but you are asking us to go to the already laggy US servers. You would be surprised how many founders are indeed on Anor. So is the pretense to perhaps closing down the game completely ? Has it finally come to say good bye. I am not denying we have had a good run but seriously. Many of us have spent many hours making our toons. Many friends have been made. To just announce such a short time span for closure? It is not that easy to just pick up and move. free transfers or not. I am pissed I will lose my characters names some I have had since Beta. Just because someone else had decided to use it after me. Or not use it just reserve the darn name so it is never available. No one wants to run about with a - 1 after it. But six weeks ? What about our houses we might not get back the houses that we had on Anor cause they are taken on the other servers. Oh I am so angry atm. You made us change from ithil now this and that was debacle too.

[why-becauseIcan]

Thanks SSG for the work you are doing! I'm glad to see a shift in focus from endgame to more casual stuff. Please can we have another questing region for like level 80, so we have an alternative to Rohan. Keep it up! And don't listed to the crazy lore people, being able to play a hobbit RK/LM is AWESOME!! I just have to test high-elf Burglar, cant wait!

[Brinswith]

Yea, missions are utterly boring, how can anyone even run missions all day long, you got kill that and this repeat and leave , where are the days of classic instances? Its unbelievable. People keep forgetting how game was so good back then. Release quality 6 man classic instance except BS missions.

I really feel sorry for anyone who is slave of that grind with missions and just endless festivals or current end game is catastrophic.

Put a few shattered Gundabad traceries in there and people will run them till the cows come home. It's a lot easier for them to stick a few in there with weekly locks than it is for them to finish up the 6 man instance that was left on the cutting room floor.

Looking at the companion it seems the new missions from Elladan and Elrohir will have at least 5 chapters of course that's not definite or final. Just speculation based on what can already be seen in the companion.

[Pontin_Finnberry]

I will say Hobbit Lore-masters is basically nonsensical, I get this is a game and has to be fun, but at end of the day there many ways to make it fun without going off the track, Hobbit LMs have gone off that track.

But looking forward to most other things coming soon.

[Hastran]

"Starting with 33.2, which is planned for September, we’ll expand which classes are available to more races! Dwarfs and Stout-axes will now be able to become Captains and Wardens; Elves and High Elves, Burglars; Hobbits, Lore-masters and Champions; and humans, Rune-keepers."

...No, just No! LotRo is not WoW. These decisions are completely antithetical to being true to the Lore of Tolkien's world. It truly seems that there is no one left at SSG who has any regard for what he wrote. All this accomplishes is bring in more people with the WoW mentality who don't care about the books and will degrade the cullture (to many of those already). You have Progression servers.... How about a Lore True server where this kind of absurdity doesn't exist? (i.e. No Hobbit Loremasters, No Elf or High Elf Burglars etc.).

This has to be the worst decision I have seen since I started playing in 2011.

[Cordovan]

Closing Anor in six weeks ? It is summer a lot of folks are not around because of this. Move to another server ? Where our names are already taken ? How is that fair ? I Alpha tested this game so I have been here since day one and honestly I am not a happy camper atm. I realize Anor has a low population, but you are asking us to go to the already laggy US servers. You would be surprised how many founders are indeed on Anor. So is the pretense to perhaps closing down the game completely ? Has it finally come to say good bye. I am not denying we have had a good run but seriously. Many of us have spent many hours making our toons. Many friends have been made. To just announce such a short time span for closure? It is not that easy to just pick up and move. free transfers or not. I am pissed I will lose my characters names some I have had since Beta. Just because someone else had decided to use it after me. Or not use it just reserve the darn name so it is never available. No one wants to run about with a - 1 after it. But six weeks ? What about our houses we might not get back the houses that we had on Anor cause they are taken on the other servers. Oh I am so angry atm. You made us change from ithil now this and that was debacle too.

We will have more information about the transition from Anor in the coming weeks, but I wanted to clarify for the thread that the Producer's Letter states Anor will be closing on August 31st, which is ten weeks from today.

[Selfassured]

Closing Anor in six weeks ? It is summer a lot of folks are not around because of this. Move to another server ? Where our names are already taken ? How is that fair ? I Alpha tested this game so I have been here since day one and honestly I am not a happy camper atm. I realize Anor has a low population, but you are asking us to go to the already laggy US servers. You would be surprised how many founders are indeed on Anor. So is the pretense to perhaps closing down the game completely ? Has it finally come to say good bye. I am not denying we have had a good run but seriously. Many of us have spent many hours making our toons. Many friends have been made. To just announce such a short time span for closure? It is not that easy to just pick up and move. free transfers or not. I am pissed I will lose my characters names some I have had since Beta. Just because someone else had decided to use it after me. Or not use it just reserve the darn name so it is never available. No one wants to run about with a - 1 after it. But six weeks ? What about our houses we might not get back the houses that we had on Anor cause they are taken on the other servers. Oh I am so angry atm. You made us change from ithil now this and that was debacle too.

I can fully understand and feel for you. Gigantic slap in the face. They ruined so much. Same thing is going to happen to Shadowfax next and Treebeard. As of all else you have said I would be angry a lot,but I predicted that long time, that is the reason why nobody should have high expectations nor invest a lot anymore. Its not worthy, far from it. Don't you miss old Turbine days in 07.08.09 etc

[SniperCT]

Closing Anor in six weeks ? It is summer a lot of folks are not around because of this. Move to another server ? Where our names are already taken ? How is that fair ? I Alpha tested this game so I have been here since day one and honestly I am not a happy camper atm. I realize Anor has a low population, but you are asking us to go to the already laggy US servers. You would be surprised how many founders are indeed on Anor. So is the pretense to perhaps closing down the game completely ? Has it finally come to say good bye. I am not denying we have had a good run but seriously. Many of us have spent many hours making our toons. Many friends have been made. To just announce such a short time span for closure? It is not that easy to just pick up and move. free transfers or not. I am pissed I will lose my characters names some I have had since Beta. Just because someone else had decided to use it after me. Or not use it just reserve the darn name so it is never available. No one wants to run about with a - 1 after it. But six weeks ? What about our houses we might not get back the houses that we had on Anor cause they are taken on the other servers. Oh I am so angry atm. You made us change from ithil now this and that was debacle too.

I for one am ecstatic, I've been wanting to move off of that server since I moved to it! (I moved to it about 3 weeks before they announced ithil closing. I could have moved to Landy instead if I'd just waited 3 weeks. But better late then never lol)

[Fealhach]

" Dwarfs and Stout-axes will now be able to become Captains and Wardens; Elves and High Elves, Burglars; Hobbits, Lore-masters and Champions; and humans, Rune-keepers."

Sorry, don't agree with this move. Particularly Elf Burglars and Hobbit Lore-masters. And considering how long it was before we got non race of Man Captains as well.
What is the Lore justification for this, now?

Cheers

[Brutus778]

Please rethink the changes to available classes for said races. Lotro is known for being a somewhat loyal adaptation to Tolkien's works. After this, not as much. I don't think players have even wanted some of these changes - especially hobbit loremasters. Even if we did, it should not matter.

[BotLike]

I like some options like dwarf captain , but others like hobbit lm sounds like a joke to me.

Also , where is the content ? Did you forget to add it or smth ?
And i don't mean just raid , 6man etc. There's literally 0 content planned for so many months. No areas , no book quests , no nothing.
How is this possible ? What are you guys smoking ?
Your players will get bored and leave. No one cares about farmer's faire , people have been grinding it for like what ? 8 years already ? LMAO.
Bugan treasure hunt on a producer's letter ? REALLY ? That's a side thing over a weekend at best , how is this relevant ? -_-

That's the most disappointing and sad producer's letter ever , i have no words. Cya in half a year i guess.

[SniperCT]

Please rethink the changes to available classes for said races. Lotro is known for being a somewhat loyal adaptation to Tolkien's works. After this, not as much. I don't think players have even wanted some of these changes - especially hobbit loremasters. Even if we did, it should not matter.

If a hobbit could be a guardian they could certainly be a champion. If a human could an LM I don't see why one can't be a runekeeper. Burglars are basically just scouts so that works for elves. And loremasters are, in lore, basically alchemists. Works for hobbits for me!

[Brinswith]

I do wonder if the closing of Anor on the 31st of August and these changes to the relaxation of class/race restrictions are being made with one eye on the Rings of Power release. They could announce a new legendary server to coincide with the September 2nd release of the TV show and showcase all of these new racial class combos.

I do think it would be stupid of them to close one and then open a new server. Nobody who played on Ithil or Anor would ever trust them again. But you know.... stranger things have happened.

[Selfassured]

"Starting with 33.2, which is planned for September, we’ll expand which classes are available to more races! Dwarfs and Stout-axes will now be able to become Captains and Wardens; Elves and High Elves, Burglars; Hobbits, Lore-masters and Champions; and humans, Rune-keepers."

...No, just No! LotRo is not WoW. These decisions are completely antithetical to being true to the Lore of Tolkien's world. It truly seems that there is no one left at SSG who has any regard for what he wrote. All this accomplishes is bring in more people with the WoW mentality who don't care about the books and will degrade the cullture (to many of those already). You have Progression servers.... How about a Lore True server where this kind of absurdity doesn't exist? (i.e. No Hobbit Loremasters, No Elf or High Elf Burglars etc.).

This has to be the worst decision I have seen since I started playing in 2011.

No, The Writers and overall people who worked since start were passionate and knowledgeable compared to today , nobody knows what they are doing anymore. Its a mockery to Tolkien's Legendarium in whole. Its dead. Nobody cares about legacy, books, beauty, Codemasters ,old Turbine kept everything in check. There was order and respect. You could get name changed rapidly, today i see some ridiculous name as mightyLegollas etc etc, Everyone does what they want. Its all about money. It sad and disgusting. All of this does not make sense.

When you compare old Turbine to this madness, its just unbelieable. its time to time leave.

[Selfassured]

I do wonder if the closing of Anor on the 31st of August and these changes to the relaxation of class/race restrictions are being made with one eye on the Rings of Power release. They could announce a new legendary server to coincide with the September 2nd release of the TV show and showcase all of these new racial class combos.

I do think it would be stupid of them to close one and then open a new server. Nobody who played on Ithil or Anor would ever trust them again. But you know.... stranger things have happened.

Everyone who played first on ithil and when Ithil was closed that was beginning of the end. Shadowfax is next. There are still people above justifing and defending them even after this letter. Its mind blowing. Players on Anor were most affected , I wont even comment ravaging Tolki'ens lore and legacy, its just disgusting.

[Brinswith]

Everyone who played first on ithil and when Ithil was closed that was beginning of the end. Shadowfax is next. There are still people above justifing and defending them even after this letter. Its mind blowing.

That's why I think it's likely they will launch new legendary servers. It's a ridiculous idea but I don't see how they can just keep Treebeard alive. Shadowfax is a lost cause with barely 30 people online during the day (BST)

[DH_Crumbling]

.

No mention of the Treebeard server level increase to 65 in 7 days? feelsbad to be forgotten already.

[Frisco]

Closing Anor in six weeks ? It is summer a lot of folks are not around because of this. Move to another server ? Where our names are already taken ? How is that fair ? I Alpha tested this game so I have been here since day one and honestly I am not a happy camper atm. I realize Anor has a low population, but you are asking us to go to the already laggy US servers. You would be surprised how many founders are indeed on Anor. So is the pretense to perhaps closing down the game completely ? Has it finally come to say good bye. I am not denying we have had a good run but seriously. Many of us have spent many hours making our toons. Many friends have been made. To just announce such a short time span for closure? It is not that easy to just pick up and move. free transfers or not. I am pissed I will lose my characters names some I have had since Beta. Just because someone else had decided to use it after me. Or not use it just reserve the darn name so it is never available. No one wants to run about with a - 1 after it. But six weeks ? What about our houses we might not get back the houses that we had on Anor cause they are taken on the other servers. Oh I am so angry atm. You made us change from ithil now this and that was debacle too.

The closure of Anor was always on the horizon. When the peak population dropped into the 100s back near the end of Moria in early 2019, it was clear that the server would not be around once it caught up to live. But it was still fun for a time. Names might not be lost--it's temporarily disabled, but naming collisions go in favor of the character being transferred if the existing character with the same name has been inactive for over a year. Hopefully it will be enabled by Anor merge. And there are some lower-populated server options for people who like that. Nothing as low as Anor, but not all as big as an Arkenstone.

I do wonder if the closing of Anor on the 31st of August and these changes to the relaxation of class/race restrictions are being made with one eye on the Rings of Power release. They could announce a new legendary server to coincide with the September 2nd release of the TV show and showcase all of these new racial class combos.

I do think it would be stupid of them to close one and then open a new server. Nobody who played on Ithil or Anor would ever trust them again. But you know.... stranger things have happened.

I think they've run out of people who would be fooled by another Legendary Server, unless it had a much more unique gimmick than TB/SF. Or a true Classic server.

I could see another round of Bombadil--that was kind of fun, even if it could use a few tweaks. But at the same time, there's less money to be made on a temporary server where there's little reason to use the store, so it may not be worth the work.

[Fantomex]

What a disappointment.

• Missions with two boring characters you've already quested with to places you've already been
• That one event from a year ago you'd long since forgotten about
• More underwhelming festival rewards
• The Reward Track, which will now and forever serve as a great Producer's Letter filler
• Bye bye Anor, this is a feature not a loss of service we swear
• Some secret other stuff that will be great, trust us
• Remember when we changed F2P last quarter? Wasn't that great? Wasn't it??
• Fine, you can play almost any race/class combination now. Happy?

Seriously disheartening ahead of the Amazon show launch. Hope at least one of them doesn't land flat on its face.

[paintpixie]

Hmm. That's interesting.

[Selfassured]

What a disappointment.

• Missions with two boring characters you've already quested with to places you've already been
• That one event from a year ago you'd long since forgotten about
• More underwhelming festival rewards
• The Reward Track, which will now and forever serve as a great Producer's Letter filler
• Bye bye Anor, this is a feature not a loss of service we swear
• Some secret other stuff that will be great, trust us
• Remember when we changed F2P last quarter? Wasn't that great? Wasn't it??
• Fine, you can play almost any race/class combination now. Happy?

Seriously disheartening ahead of the Amazon show launch. Hope at least one of them doesn't land flat on its face.

Exactly .Spot on. I Could add 20 more things, but why to bother.

[Frisco]

No mention of the Treebeard server level increase to 65 in 7 days? feelsbad to be forgotten already.

Hate to tell you this, but Treebeard was forgotten even before it opened.

Cut/Paste Anor
Add in Sauron artillery/Deadly
Turn on cruise control
Pay an intern to press the level cap increase button every 6 months