Hidden Nuggets we see all the time...

[Mimglow]

I'd like to thank everyone who's contributed to this thread. This game does everything I could imagine it to, and I have a hunch that those things which we would realistically like to see in the game will eventually make their way in. Props to the devs. Much Love!

I've noticed something in the south Lone Lands. You go into what can best be described as a canyon or chasm, where there are ruins. You cannot climb to the top and make your way out - you can only go back the way you came in.

Anyone know if this is Lore-related?

[Berephon]

I've noticed something in the south Lone Lands. You go into what can best be described as a canyon or chasm, where there are ruins. You cannot climb to the top and make your way out - you can only go back the way you came in.

I found this early on too. It's not lore-related, and you can actually get to the top. The ruins above are Mithrenost, the Lornspan, etc. you have to climb from a good distance to the east, around Thandobel.

[gildhur]

I found this early on too. It's not lore-related, and you can actually get to the top. The ruins above are Mithrenost, the Lornspan, etc. you have to climb from a good distance to the east, around Thandobel.

You can also scale the cliffs above Minas Eriol if you leave the Greatest Find ruins at a particular crack in the wall. It's a much safer route than fighting through all the nasty goblins.

[mulleram]

Speaking of "The Princess Bride:"



That's me and my friends at Dragon*Con this year. I'm Fezzik. Also, stilts are hard to walk in

[ETSubmariner]

Speaking of "The Princess Bride:"



That's me and my friends at Dragon*Con this year. I'm Fezzik. Also, stilts are hard to walk in

Good lord! You are the brute squad!

[LordRingz]

I don't know if this has come up yet, but has anyone noticed that the giant statue of Elendil at the bridge in Evendim has a broken sword?

[Tairii]

How about this earring? Or is it just a nice name?

[thinkingbear]

How about this earring? Or is it just a nice name?

I don't know. Aragorn was THE Elfstone, The Elessar, the Renewer. But that sounds more general, as in "made of" Elfstone. Elfstone = Beryl, but way back in the day Beryl were called Elfstones in-game.

[Berephon]

I don't know. Aragorn was THE Elfstone, The Elessar, the Renewer. But that sounds more general, as in "made of" Elfstone. Elfstone = Beryl, but way back in the day Beryl were called Elfstones in-game.

Indeed. Elf-stones and beryls are the same (beryl would be the common name --or emerald, but Tolkien used beryl -- which is why we changed the crafting stone's name.)

[Zero_Out]

What about baby Spock, the Michel Delving Vault-Keeper? Am I the only one who looks at him and thinks that he's a baby Spock?

[Mirrordudette]

Maybe I missed it earlier in the thread, but I'm pretty sure that another nice touch is when you enter the Last Homely House: the eye of Sauron flashes on the screen (full screen, nont mini-map immediately after you enter the door. I had suspected it for a while but the other day I froze up at that exact instant and it was unmistakable.

[Hellgato]

One nice little touch is how they put Frodo in Rivendell. He appears in the books several times, but that is exactly where he is supposed to be at this point in the story.

[Ierthlinga]

Firstly, I adore all the little things that Turbine did to keep true to the books.

Secondly, I didn't have time to read through all 45 pages of this thread, but did anyone else note that the ghost in Bree mentions his barrow wight had been driven off by "by...a Power."? My husband and I were on that quest together and when I read that I fairly screamed at him: "Tom Bombadil! The Power was Tom Bombadil! That's the barrow wight that Bombadil drove out!"

Ah, that was great. My main hasn't gotten farther than the Forsaken Inn, but there were references all over the Shire that I just loved! Oh, like the hobbit storyteller relating the Tale of Beren and Luthien in one of the inns (my favorite tale!).

Did anyone else catch the townsperson in the Forsaken Inn going on about "a ghost that drinks blood"--Gollum reference.

Again, it's the little things that make this game so much fun for fans like me...

[gildhur]

Did anyone else catch the townsperson in the Forsaken Inn going on about "a ghost that drinks blood"--Gollum reference.

That one's actually a recent addition with the Book 11 update. The NPC dialog is started when a player turns in a quest at that NPC. I won't spoil anything, but you definitely get much more involved in the story further on in that quest line.

[Doronlas]

Maybe I missed it earlier in the thread, but I'm pretty sure that another nice touch is when you enter the Last Homely House: the eye of Sauron flashes on the screen (full screen, nont mini-map immediately after you enter the door. I had suspected it for a while but the other day I froze up at that exact instant and it was unmistakable.

That is the dread from Frodo's ring (he is standing on the porch of the Last Homely House)

[sokoleq]

There is a quest to find Hobbit Arrow Heads in Fornost that is directly from the beggining of LOTR about Hobbits claiming they sent Archers to aid the high King in Ancient days.

~Morgion

[ETSubmariner]

That is the dread from Frodo's ring (he is standing on the porch of the Last Homely House)

The Eye appears in several other places, The Great Barrow I think was the most obvious when you stand in front of the . . . oh wait, spoiler warning! Oh the heck with it, you won't miss it.

I saw the Eye several times myself.

[Hawk9]

Talking about which... the first time I made a run to Rivendell (when it first opened to players) I didn't encounter any Trolls. Next time it was night... erm. I had quite forgotten they're only active at night Loved that.

Yet on the other hand I can't quite figure out why the Trolls in Dol Dinen and the southern parts of Taur Gonwaith (sp?) are there night and day... can someone enlighten me please?

I haven't checked and should the next time I manage to get on, but I think the sky is covered by a cloud in DD like what Sauron and the Witch King sent over Gondor when they made war with them in the trilogy. It certainly is darker there than elsewhere. Though I have a bad feeling that I am wrong, so please correct me on this. Also I didnt check to see if this was already commented on, as this thread is getting huge, and I love all the little "nuggets" that are being found. Kodos to Turbine.
*ill edit this post if i find I am wrong and that stars are visible. Though if there isnt a 'cloud' over DD, it would be cool if Turbine put one there in the next update... it would really justify trolls being there.*

[sdaorss0rc]

There is a quest to find Hobbit Arrow Heads in Fornost that is directly from the beggining of LOTR about Hobbits claiming they sent Archers to aid the high King in Ancient days.

~Morgion

That's a good one! Great job Turbine!

[Hawk9]

Yes... I just checked and there is a "cloud" over Dol Dinen. Justifying the presence of trolls... good job turbine.

[thinkingbear]

Maybe I missed it earlier in the thread, but I'm pretty sure that another nice touch is when you enter the Last Homely House: the eye of Sauron flashes on the screen (full screen, nont mini-map immediately after you enter the door. I had suspected it for a while but the other day I froze up at that exact instant and it was unmistakable.

I thought that was dread maybe at the weight of entering a place filled with such history but others have said what we are seeing is the dread caused by proximity to Frodo....and the One Ring.

Edit: D'oh! Thought I was being timely with a reply, sorry.

[Berephon]

I haven't checked and should the next time I manage to get on, but I think the sky is covered by a cloud in DD like what Sauron and the Witch King sent over Gondor when they made war with them in the trilogy. It certainly is darker there than elsewhere. Though I have a bad feeling that I am wrong, so please correct me on this. Also I didnt check to see if this was already commented on, as this thread is getting huge, and I love all the little "nuggets" that are being found. Kodos to Turbine.
*ill edit this post if i find I am wrong and that stars are visible. Though if there isnt a 'cloud' over DD, it would be cool if Turbine put one there in the next update... it would really justify trolls being there.*

Scenario actually touched this in another thread. We do try to make sure that trolls are relegated to "cover," whether it be night, deep shade, or cloud cover, but sometimes it's not possible. In those cases, read them as being akin to Olog-hai (who were immune to sunlight.) (In fact, the Gertheryg--which are our creation--are specifically mentioned in a quest or two as being one of the breeds impervious to sunlight.)

[gildhur]

I haven't checked and should the next time I manage to get on, but I think the sky is covered by a cloud in DD like what Sauron and the Witch King sent over Gondor when they made war with them in the trilogy.

There is certainly an ominous cloud hovering over Dol Dinen and other evil locations: Goblin-hole Ruins, Mithrenost, Ost Crithlanc, etc.

[Lyrah]

Except they don't have the rights to the Silmarillion, so they can't quote it, reference it, or even include content in the game that was mentioned there (and not in LOTR/Hobbit as well). Certainly they could add books that included some histories of the world, but they would have to do it either based on the Hobbit, LOTR appendices, or completely make it up. I would rather them leave such things out than have them create readable histories that have to dance around the actual histories that we know of.

If they wanted I am sure that they could work out some arrangement for the use (with payment per "copy" or account granted access to the each book). When you have the "rights" to something most of the time you are not paying for your use of that information, but when you are serving as what amounts to a vendor of someone else's material with the author or his/her heirs profiting from your sales...that is an entirely different matter.

Most author's and their heirs are QUITE happy when someone is willing to sell their goods in a manner that honor's and respects the author and all of his/her works. Which as I see it, having a way to access Tolkien's entire works in this game...which CLEARLY honors the author and all of his works...would more than likely be a worthwhile endevour and I would not immagine the Tolkien family refusing a licensing agreement of some sort (since they WOULD profit from it and have control of which edition and have control and rights of various kinds).

[thinkingbear]

Except they don't have the rights to the Silmarillion, so they can't quote it, reference it, or even include content in the game that was mentioned there

Is that why we have Beleriand-make Damage?