LOTRO - State of the game

[Blackjack]

Thanks. I'll work on dailies ad nauseam next time I log in.  

So I'm much enjoying getting reacquainted with my Hunter. To this day, I just can't ever remember to use the trait that restores virtually all your health with one click. I've put it on top of a vertical hotbar to try to get it right in my face, but I just can't remember to click it.   It makes me wish I could sort of double the size of just one or two specific hotkey icons so that I would remember to use them in a pinch. Clearly that's a defect of ME, not the game. 

[Barrakketh]

When doing the daily Galadhrim rep quests, make sure you do the ones from the npcs on Haldir's flet as well as the ones at Echad Andestel. The ones up there actually involve killing orcs, not just vacuuming filth and retrieving/carrying arrows. I mention this because I know people who ground out rep without even knowing those extra 2 npcs existed.

To enter Mirkwood, you need to talk with Haldir, who sends you to a guy near the Lorien docks, and onward into "the Landing" instance in Mirkwood. (Sort of like Archet or the West Gate area outside Moria in that once you complete it you have access to a timeline-advanced zone).

[Blackjack]

I don't really know why, but the game just doesn't run very smoothly for me anymore. It's sluggish, and sometimes you can see the game painfully rendering in the distance, or there is this almost staccato hiccup as my character walks in the game.

I defragged Sunday, hoping it would help. I've tried different resolutions, details, texture settings, AA settings, ATI control panel settings, turning off or disabling anti-virus, anti-spyware etc., w/ no real improvement. It's like, I think the game ran better on my rotten old AMD 64 (albeit I used to play at 1024X768 then instead of 1280X1024 now), with an old ATI card than it does on my by-comparison tricked out quad core with 4GB RAM and a fairly decent, current ATI card. I just don't get it sometimes. I'm no Vista 64-bit aficionado, but I don't think I can blame it on the OS cause some other games run smooth as glass.

Some of my shooters (the L4D games, Borderlands, both of which I bought on Steam) run great, others like COD:MW1 (which I have on disc) don't. I am really stumped sometimes. Oh well, some time I'll post about it in the software/hardware section.

Yesterday some guy kept kill-stealing from me on the repeatable quests (on purpose-not accidentally afik). I kept thinking -- how the heck does someone get to L60 and still do that sort of garbage?  

[Scraper]

I don't really know why, but the game just doesn't run very smoothly for me anymore. It's sluggish, and sometimes you can see the game painfully rendering in the distance, or there is this almost staccato hiccup as my character walks in the game.

I defragged Sunday, hoping it would help. I've tried different resolutions, details, texture settings, AA settings, ATI control panel settings, turning off or disabling anti-virus, anti-spyware etc., w/ no real improvement. It's like, I think the game ran better on my rotten old AMD 64 (albeit I used to play at 1024X768 then instead of 1280X1024 now), with an old ATI card than it does on my by-comparison tricked out quad core with 4GB RAM and a fairly decent, current ATI card. I just don't get it sometimes. I'm no Vista 64-bit aficionado, but I don't think I can blame it on the OS cause some other games run smooth as glass.

Some of my shooters (the L4D games, Borderlands, both of which I bought on Steam) run great, others like COD:MW1 (which I have on disc) don't. I am really stumped sometimes. Oh well, some time I'll post about it in the software/hardware section.

Yesterday some guy kept kill-stealing from me on the repeatable quests (on purpose-not accidentally afik). I kept thinking -- how the heck does someone get to L60 and still do that sort of garbage?  

I don't have any good advice for the performance issue. I do know that I had to install the latest Nvidia drivers after the expansion in order to get good performance on one of my comps. But you have an ATi card so not sure about those drivers.

As for the kill stealing issue I usually just invite those players to a fellowship. I know it sucks teaming up with an asshat, but at least you guys both get credit for the kills he steals, plus it makes the daily Kill X quests go really quick.

Also weren't you in my kin on Elendilmir at one time? If not you should think about joining, we have an active base of players and they are all willing to help out if you ask for it. At this point in the game we have beaten all of the 6 man skirmishes and we're working our way through tier 2 and 3 difficulties with them.

[Vindel]

I don't really know why, but the game just doesn't run very smoothly for me anymore. It's sluggish, and sometimes you can see the game painfully rendering in the distance, or there is this almost staccato hiccup as my character walks in the game.

I defragged Sunday, hoping it would help. I've tried different resolutions, details, texture settings, AA settings, ATI control panel settings, turning off or disabling anti-virus, anti-spyware etc., w/ no real improvement. It's like, I think the game ran better on my rotten old AMD 64 (albeit I used to play at 1024X768 then instead of 1280X1024 now), with an old ATI card than it does on my by-comparison tricked out quad core with 4GB RAM and a fairly decent, current ATI card. I just don't get it sometimes. I'm no Vista 64-bit aficionado, but I don't think I can blame it on the OS cause some other games run smooth as glass.

Some of my shooters (the L4D games, Borderlands, both of which I bought on Steam) run great, others like COD:MW1 (which I have on disc) don't. I am really stumped sometimes. Oh well, some time I'll post about it in the software/hardware section.

Yesterday some guy kept kill-stealing from me on the repeatable quests (on purpose-not accidentally afik). I kept thinking -- how the heck does someone get to L60 and still do that sort of garbage?  

I don't have any good advice for the performance issue. I do know that I had to install the latest Nvidia drivers after the expansion in order to get good performance on one of my comps. But you have an ATi card so not sure about those drivers.

As for the kill stealing issue I usually just invite those players to a fellowship. I know it sucks teaming up with an asshat, but at least you guys both get credit for the kills he steals, plus it makes the daily Kill X quests go really quick.

Also weren't you in my kin on Elendilmir at one time? If not you should think about joining, we have an active base of players and they are all willing to help out if you ask for it. At this point in the game we have beaten all of the 6 man skirmishes and we're working our way through tier 2 and 3 difficulties with them.

Hello, I am on the Elendilmir server and a part of the StormHaven guild but they are not very active anymore. Would it be ok to join up with your kin? What is your kin named? How would I apply? Thanks

[Scraper]

I don't really know why, but the game just doesn't run very smoothly for me anymore. It's sluggish, and sometimes you can see the game painfully rendering in the distance, or there is this almost staccato hiccup as my character walks in the game.

I defragged Sunday, hoping it would help. I've tried different resolutions, details, texture settings, AA settings, ATI control panel settings, turning off or disabling anti-virus, anti-spyware etc., w/ no real improvement. It's like, I think the game ran better on my rotten old AMD 64 (albeit I used to play at 1024X768 then instead of 1280X1024 now), with an old ATI card than it does on my by-comparison tricked out quad core with 4GB RAM and a fairly decent, current ATI card. I just don't get it sometimes. I'm no Vista 64-bit aficionado, but I don't think I can blame it on the OS cause some other games run smooth as glass.

Some of my shooters (the L4D games, Borderlands, both of which I bought on Steam) run great, others like COD:MW1 (which I have on disc) don't. I am really stumped sometimes. Oh well, some time I'll post about it in the software/hardware section.

Yesterday some guy kept kill-stealing from me on the repeatable quests (on purpose-not accidentally afik). I kept thinking -- how the heck does someone get to L60 and still do that sort of garbage?  

I don't have any good advice for the performance issue. I do know that I had to install the latest Nvidia drivers after the expansion in order to get good performance on one of my comps. But you have an ATi card so not sure about those drivers.

As for the kill stealing issue I usually just invite those players to a fellowship. I know it sucks teaming up with an asshat, but at least you guys both get credit for the kills he steals, plus it makes the daily Kill X quests go really quick.

Also weren't you in my kin on Elendilmir at one time? If not you should think about joining, we have an active base of players and they are all willing to help out if you ask for it. At this point in the game we have beaten all of the 6 man skirmishes and we're working our way through tier 2 and 3 difficulties with them.

Hello, I am on the Elendilmir server and a part of the StormHaven guild but they are not very active anymore. Would it be ok to join up with your kin? What is your kin named? How would I apply? Thanks

You can definitely join. We have an open door policy for GT forum members. All you have to do to join is send me a tell in game, my main is named Hanton. You could also try Stucco or Annabell and just tell them that Hanton referred you. The kin name is Watchers of Middle Earth. I would say it's a medium sized kin, there are no required events or anything like that but we do schedule regular kin runs and events. It's really a play at your own pace type of kin, but we do have a good sized group of regular players. Anyway check out the website at www.watchersome.com . Also I should be in game today from 3pm eastern until about 5:30 pm and then again later in the night.

[Vindel]

I don't really know why, but the game just doesn't run very smoothly for me anymore. It's sluggish, and sometimes you can see the game painfully rendering in the distance, or there is this almost staccato hiccup as my character walks in the game.

I defragged Sunday, hoping it would help. I've tried different resolutions, details, texture settings, AA settings, ATI control panel settings, turning off or disabling anti-virus, anti-spyware etc., w/ no real improvement. It's like, I think the game ran better on my rotten old AMD 64 (albeit I used to play at 1024X768 then instead of 1280X1024 now), with an old ATI card than it does on my by-comparison tricked out quad core with 4GB RAM and a fairly decent, current ATI card. I just don't get it sometimes. I'm no Vista 64-bit aficionado, but I don't think I can blame it on the OS cause some other games run smooth as glass.

Some of my shooters (the L4D games, Borderlands, both of which I bought on Steam) run great, others like COD:MW1 (which I have on disc) don't. I am really stumped sometimes. Oh well, some time I'll post about it in the software/hardware section.

Yesterday some guy kept kill-stealing from me on the repeatable quests (on purpose-not accidentally afik). I kept thinking -- how the heck does someone get to L60 and still do that sort of garbage?  

I don't have any good advice for the performance issue. I do know that I had to install the latest Nvidia drivers after the expansion in order to get good performance on one of my comps. But you have an ATi card so not sure about those drivers.

As for the kill stealing issue I usually just invite those players to a fellowship. I know it sucks teaming up with an asshat, but at least you guys both get credit for the kills he steals, plus it makes the daily Kill X quests go really quick.

Also weren't you in my kin on Elendilmir at one time? If not you should think about joining, we have an active base of players and they are all willing to help out if you ask for it. At this point in the game we have beaten all of the 6 man skirmishes and we're working our way through tier 2 and 3 difficulties with them.

Hello, I am on the Elendilmir server and a part of the StormHaven guild but they are not very active anymore. Would it be ok to join up with your kin? What is your kin named? How would I apply? Thanks

You can definitely join. We have an open door policy for GT forum members. All you have to do to join is send me a tell in game, my main is named Hanton. You could also try Stucco or Annabell and just tell them that Hanton referred you. The kin name is Watchers of Middle Earth. I would say it's a medium sized kin, there are no required events or anything like that but we do schedule regular kin runs and events. It's really a play at your own pace type of kin, but we do have a good sized group of regular players. Anyway check out the website at www.watchersome.com . Also I should be in game today from 3pm eastern until about 5:30 pm and then again later in the night.

Great, thank you very much. My main is named Bayne and am level 54 atm. I should be on tonight as well but I am PST so maybe around 7 or 8pm.

Thanks again. Look forward to meeting everyone.

[Blackjack]

I have a couple alts in Harkonis's guild, but I've been playing an L60 hunter I have that's in a mostly Aussie guild. I love the idea of guilds/kinships, but I'm really not into raids, and that's pretty much what all guilds seem to end up focusing on (at least the ones I've joined up with). After a while, i just end up feeling guilty that I keep saying "no" when someone asks me to join one.

[Vindel]

I have a couple alts in Harkonis's guild, but I've been playing an L60 hunter I have that's in a mostly Aussie guild. I love the idea of guilds/kinships, but I'm really not into raids, and that's pretty much what all guilds seem to end up focusing on (at least the ones I've joined up with).

I am with you Blackjack. I am not into raiding but I like to group up and quest. I do solo because of my RL obligations. I sometimes do not have the time to play for extended periods.

[Scraper]

I have a couple alts in Harkonis's guild, but I've been playing an L60 hunter I have that's in a mostly Aussie guild. I love the idea of guilds/kinships, but I'm really not into raids, and that's pretty much what all guilds seem to end up focusing on (at least the ones I've joined up with). After a while, i just end up feeling guilty that I keep saying "no" when someone asks me to join one.

We have a couple of upper level guys who don't like the raids either. It's still nice to have an active kin for them whenever they do need the help. Especially when it comes to getting good crafted gear. Everyone in the kin will make stuff for you for free, so long as you supply the materials that are rare and costly. The only downside with that is that sometimes there is a waiting list for the timed recipe items.

[Scraper]

Also, I forgot to mention that we have a full time ventrillo server that I actually find enjoyable. Even if you're not in a fellowship with the kin it's still fun to listen in and talk while playing. It adds to the community feeling. It's also an easy way to ask a question and have it answered relatively quickly.

[Blackjack]

I have a couple alts in Harkonis's guild, but I've been playing an L60 hunter I have that's in a mostly Aussie guild. I love the idea of guilds/kinships, but I'm really not into raids, and that's pretty much what all guilds seem to end up focusing on (at least the ones I've joined up with).

I am with you Blackjack. I am not into raiding but I like to group up and quest. I do solo because of my RL obligations. I sometimes do not have the time to play for extended periods.

Hmmm, maybe we need to start a small "casual kinship"   I guess the problem with smaller kinships like the Aussie one I mentioned is all but me and 2 others have pretty much evaporated from the game. Larger ones give you a cushion in case the MMO du jour steals members' play time away.

I had a really terrific supergroup in City of Heroes that quickly withered away after WoW's release in 2005 to just a handful of us. Still was fun, but it was harder to get actual SG teams formed up.

I was very different in my CoX heyday. I would do Task Forces that took 7-8-9 hours regularly, and play til such crazy hours. Ah to be under age 40 again!  

Anywho, Scraper, I will at least see about adding you to my friends list some time. And if my Aussie group doesn't return, then I'd love to join up. 

[Vindel]

Also, I forgot to mention that we have a full time ventrillo server that I actually find enjoyable. Even if you're not in a fellowship with the kin it's still fun to listen in and talk while playing. It adds to the community feeling. It's also an easy way to ask a question and have it answered relatively quickly.

Vent is great. My old Kin used one and it is just nice to be able to chat during the game with friends and your Kin mates.

[Vindel]

I have a couple alts in Harkonis's guild, but I've been playing an L60 hunter I have that's in a mostly Aussie guild. I love the idea of guilds/kinships, but I'm really not into raids, and that's pretty much what all guilds seem to end up focusing on (at least the ones I've joined up with).

I am with you Blackjack. I am not into raiding but I like to group up and quest. I do solo because of my RL obligations. I sometimes do not have the time to play for extended periods.

Hmmm, maybe we need to start a small "casual kinship"   I guess the problem with smaller kinships like the Aussie one I mentioned is all but me and 2 others have pretty much evaporated from the game. Larger ones give you a cushion in case the MMO du jour steals members' play time away.

I had a really terrific supergroup in City of Heroes that quickly withered away after WoW's release in 2005 to just a handful of us. Still was fun, but it was harder to get actual SG teams formed up.

I was very different in my CoX heyday. I would do Task Forces that took 7-8-9 hours regularly, and play til such crazy hours. Ah to be under age 40 again!  

Anywho, Scraper, I will at least see about adding you to my friends list some time. And if my Aussie group doesn't return, then I'd love to join up. 

Sounds great Blackjack. Look forward to seeing you in game and possibly questing and joining up.

[Blackjack]

Hmm, maybe while I was blathering about sluggish performance, Turbine heard me...

LOTRO Hardware Upgrade (Turbine's) and Preview Event
http://www.lotro.com/news/563-lotro-hardware-upgrade-event

LOTRO will soon receive a significant hardware upgrade that will improve the performance and capacity of our game worlds. In preparation, we’ve moved Bullroarer over to the new hardware and we’re throwing the doors open to everyone with an active subscription! Plus, all content added with Mines of Moria™ and Siege of Mirkwood™ is available to all players on the Bullroarer server, even if you’ve never upgraded! All you need is an active subscription to any version of LOTRO!
 
To make it easy to visit the new server you can copy up to 5 of your existing characters to the Bullroarer server* with the Character Copy Tool! For Information on using the Character Copy Tool, please refer to the Bullroarer Forums.

As a special thank you for helping test out the new hardware, everyone who logs in and plays on the Bullroarer server for at least one hour between 6:00PM Eastern (-5 GMT) today (December and 11:59PM Eastern Friday December 11, will be entered into a drawing for one of the following:

    * $250 Best Buy Gift Card – 1 Winner
    * $150 Best Buy Gift Card – 1 Winner
    * $100 Best Buy Gift Card – 5 Winners

Yeah I have quite a few 3-man fellowship quests to do back west of Lothlorien. I think they're initiated by someone in the first Lothlorien camp, but you have to backtrack pretty far west past 21st hall for the actual quest givers. Those are around L60 and I could definitely use a hand with those, selfishly speaking.

[Hotfreak]

I've been toying with the idea of re-subbing for the holidays (as that's when I'll be able to sink in a little gaming time), but am concerned that Moria and its group content areas will become a ghost town.  I believe I got my LM to level 37 or so before dropping out last time and would still love to experience what that previous expansion was all about, especially as it seems as if it was the content heavier of the last 2.  Can any vets weigh in on what I'll miss now that the majority of the community will have moved on to Mirkwood?  Is my fear misplaced?

I would also love to hear more about skirmishes and what kind of rewards they give for the leveler, how the AI companion works etc.  It seems like a really great idea, especially for someone like me who now has little chance to maintain momentum in MMO's.

[Alefroth]

Not misplaced at all. I wanted to pick up a few more Moria medallions still for a chest piece, and the place is pretty empty. I think your best bet is to be in a kin who will help you out.

The skirmish rewards are pretty good for my alts that have been mostly soloing. The xp is really good too. I took a burglar from 33 to 36 in just a few skirmishes.

Ale

[Scraper]

Not misplaced at all. I wanted to pick up a few more Moria medallions still for a chest piece, and the place is pretty empty. I think your best bet is to be in a kin who will help you out.

The skirmish rewards are pretty good for my alts that have been mostly soloing. The xp is really good too. I took a burglar from 33 to 36 in just a few skirmishes.

Ale

I think it depends on your server. I have run the Grand Stairs at least 6 times since the expansion came out and we never had a problem filling the group, there were even other groups waiting outside to run it too.

I agree that the skirmish rewards are good. Not only do you get regular XP but you get a bunch of skirmish marks upon completion which can be used to buy all sorts of things from upgrading your soldier, to buying housing items, to weapons and armour and even relics. So the skirmish system is definately worth while.

[Blackjack]

Can any vets weigh in on what I'll miss now that the majority of the community will have moved on to Mirkwood?  Is my fear misplaced?

I would also love to hear more about skirmishes and what kind of rewards they give for the leveler, how the AI companion works etc.  It seems like a really great idea, especially for someone like me who now has little chance to maintain momentum in MMO's.

I did a pretty fun Skirmish (Stand at Amun Sul) the other night that was for something like L35-65. You work with this Ranger in fending off several waves of incoming enemies. You're supposed to run around these stacks of kindling setting them on fire, but they keep going out. I'm still not sure how important the fires are, but I kept grabbing a torch and doing that shuffle.

Ended with this boss battle:

I like to drag the health meters down towards the chat window or else I just never notice them in combat. I have waaay too many darn hotkeys to remember, but Hunters are like that.  

fwiw, I really never gave my companion any orders at all. Maybe just once or twice I directed him at a target if he didn't seem to be doing anything, but largely he just took care of himself. I don't think I got any particularly crazy rewards from it, just a variety of Marks and some various sundry loot.

Moria has a fair number of instances that really do require at least one or two teammates. A lot of the instances there are 3-person fellowships so you can probably find some partners for that. At this point I'm feast or famine on my characters - everyone's either 53-60, or down in the single digits.

[Hotfreak]

Thanks for the weigh-ins.  I'll probably check this one out and join up with you folks in Elendilmir -- where my loremaster is -- to give me the highest possibility of finding people for Moria.  There is so much to remember about what I was working towards, what my crafting strategy was, etc....  Feel a little overwhelmed.

Good to hear that the AI seems okay on the soldiers.

[Wargus]

Blackjack, that UI would drive me nuts.  I have my hotkeys set up to map how I like them used on the G15 programmable keys and arguably I need less hotkeys than a hunter. Not shown, but group & raid windows start to the immediate left of my health bar (keeps them close so I can track party health, would be the one oddity of my screen as teh party drops down into the view space).

[Alefroth]

I did a pretty fun Skirmish (Stand at Amun Sul) the other night that was for something like L35-65. You work with this Ranger in fending off several waves of incoming enemies. You're supposed to run around these stacks of kindling setting them on fire, but they keep going out. I'm still not sure how important the fires are, but I kept grabbing a torch and doing that shuffle.

Look at the buffs you get for each one that is lit. Looks like you have 3 lit in the screenshot.

Ale

[Wargus]

If you don't have the fires lit you have a serious debuf.  At solo, normal difficulty I think having 4 of the fires lit offset the debuff allowing the rest of the fires to buff you. 

[Blackjack]

I doubt anyone else is up at this hour, but I could use a hand or two on the L60 small fellowship stuff in Lothlorien, on Elendilmir server.

Final Offence and Scourge of the Dale. My Guardian could maybe solo it but my hunter's just getting whacked around like a pinata.  

Er, that's my Georic hunter.

And the game's running very smoothly for me now. Perhaps in the end my issues are just plain old lag? 

[Gryndyl]

I doubt anyone else is up at this hour, but I could use a hand or two on the L60 small fellowship stuff in Lothlorien, on Elendilmir server.

Final Offence and Scourge of the Dale. My Guardian could maybe solo it but my hunter's just getting whacked around like a pinata.  

Er, that's my Georic hunter.

And the game's running very smoothly for me now. Perhaps in the end my issues are just plain old lag? 

Sorry, not on that server but, yes, there has been a high increase in lag since Mirkwood was released

[Blackjack]

Hanton assisted me with the one small fellowship quest in Lothlorien I was struggling a bit with:


Although it turns out I have earned enough rep to move on further in the zone and into Mirkwood itself, we are hoping to get a group of his kin folks together for Vol II's Books 5-6 tonight (I'm still up for that).

Mirkwood itself is War, and I like it, esp. the ones working with various roving friendly NPC soldier squads. I just wish they didn't fall like a ton of bricks so much.   There's a gate I'm trying to protect. I can take it, but my AI buddies just collapse a little too fast to help me protect it.

[Blackjack]

Welcome Back to LOTRO!
http://www.lotro.com/news/377-welcomeback

During The Lord of the Rings Online™ Welcome Back Weekend, from December 17th through December 21st, you can play your old characters for free* and get get +10% Bonus XP on Mob kills! Plus, if you come back now you can renew your subscription to LOTRO for only $9.99 per month with any 3-, 6-, or 12-month plan**!
 
    * Get +10% XP Bonus  on Mob Kills***
    * Play Your Old Characters
    * Experience Siege of Mirkwood™!
    * Play for just $9.99 per month!*

Special Note: You do not need to reactivate your account to participate in the Welcome Back Weekend. Your account will automatically be enabled for the event. If your account does not seem to have been reactivated, please try again in a hour or two. It may take time for our servers to update your status.
_{*Offer available only to former players of LOTRO with a paid online subscription in good standing at the time the subscription expired.
**Terms & Conditions Apply. Visit myaccount.turbine.com for more information.
***The bonus XP stacks with rest XP as well!}

Man, talk about a lot of asterisks.  

[vizionblind]

such a fun game

[Blackjack]

A welcome subtle improvement in the "Dressing Room" UI is the addition of zoom and centering (on head, torso or feet, so you can see how various costume/equipment items look) buttons. Very helpful esp. in judging cosmetic stuff.

Lots of the Yuletide stuff are kinda fun looking. And it's easy enough to rack up the necessary tokens through various gather quests at the party sites.

Glimpses...

I went with this somewhat Indiana Jones-looking hat (snow dusted traveling hat)


I really dig this YuleTide cloak, though I don't generally wear them.


Snow dusted traveling robe

[Blackjack]

Well, I ALMOST had a great time doing the Ford Tal Bruinen Skirmish, but they throw two monstrous signature baddies at you in the end, and I couldn't keep both NPC elves upright. It didn't help that the dang troll kicks everyone about 50 feet. If they die, it's over, and you can't do squat about it. Sux. I was so angry, I about wanted to set my original LOTRO disc on fire, but I resisted. 

But I tried to have some fun with screenshots from it, these are roughly chronological...
Rain? WHAT rain?


That's a Bruinen? It looks more like a gulley. Maybe it could use a dam. 


Sometimes I wish they'd put the tough part of instances up front, so you wouldn't spend so long reaching a grisly end


Elves are probably lean meat, but why tell the bad guys that?

[Blackadar]

I recently resubscribed (about a week before the above offer, damn it) and there definitely have been some improvements in the game.  The Erid Luin starting area seems to flow much better and I seem to be leveling much faster.  I got to level 16 with my rune keeper without too much trouble and didn't have to do any of the dwarf/man/hobbit quests, which was a major change (though there's still not enough nodes in the zone, meaning you have to go farm the hobbit area for your trade skill).  Being able to solo the opening book helped quite a bit, since I could do it at my leisure.  Now Bree has a tour around the city and overall the new player experience has improved quite a bit.

I haven't tried any skirmishes or anything. 

I also took my 54 mini into Moria for the first time (after doing the piss-all annoying quests to get my legendary weapon) and it's pretty massive.  But the mechanics of the mini still suck, hence my leveling a rune keeper.

[Blackjack]

Blackjack, that UI would drive me nuts.  I have my hotkeys set up to map how I like them used on the G15 programmable keys and arguably I need less hotkeys than a hunter. Not shown, but group & raid windows start to the immediate left of my health bar (keeps them close so I can track party health, would be the one oddity of my screen as teh party drops down into the view space).

[belatedly] That's impressive. I just have lousy eyesight and if I don't have my icons large enough to see what's going on, I kind of have a hard time deducing what buffs have recharged, what attacks are ready to fire again, etc. My eyes tend to focus on the hotkeys and the character itself, so anything off to the side or up top (health meters' default position) I tend to just forget I even have available.

[Blackjack]

I'm embracing Skirmishing a bit more, now that my thick skull is finally wrapping around the idea of a Soldier's traits and stuff. I'm working up an Archer to help my Captain out. There's a certain "Tamagochi"  effect to outfitting your Soldier as you see fit, both cosmetically and in terms of attack  powers and defensive stuff, etc.

I've traited mine to be an elf, and he's blanching a bit. We're kind of bickering...

[Lockdown]

He looks like Ceekay. 

[Blackjack]

Is that a compliment or an insult?  

I've found if I knock the skirmish level # 2-3 levels below my character's (you still get solid XP), it makes things a little less frustrating. I also prefer the Skirmishes where you don't have to handhold/shepherd some lame-brained NPC(s) from getting killed.

Now that I'm embracing them more, the Skirmish instances really are kinda fun, even if they sort of boil down to some "defend against attack waves" and "capture the flag and defend it" stuff. The "marks" do add up quickly, and it's nice you can use them for all sorts of things completely unrelated to skirmishes (equipment, legendary item modifiers, reputation items, etc. etc.), or you can funnel them back into skirmish Soldier upgrades. I just couldn't quite wrap my pea-sized brain around all that until I had more skirmishes under my belt.

[Blackjack]

Massively.com  (aka Joystiq) is having a nice, simple drawing to win some Lifetime LOTRO Subscriptions and other goodies at their sight:

Win a lifetime of LotRO from Massively
http://www.massively.com/2009/12/23/win-a-lifetime-of-lotro-from-massively/#continued

This giveaway is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), and everyone who enters must be 18 or older. To enter, leave a comment on this post before Saturday, December 26th at 8am EST, and please be sure to use a real email that you check often to enter, so we can contact you should you be one of the winners. You may enter only once.

Winners will be chosen and notified on December 26th for each of the following prizes (23 prize packages in total):

    * 1 Lifetime subscription & Full Game & Adventurer's Pack valued at $248.98 USD ($199 & $29.99 & $19.99).
    * 2 Lifetime Subscriptions (Upgrades for existing accounts*) valued at $199 USD each.
    * 20 Siege of Mirkwood Complete Edition Keys valued at $29.99 USD each.

* This is an upgrade to an existing account, but trial accounts DO carry over towards this. If you're not a current subscriber, you can get a free trial at https://trial.turbine.com/lotro.php in anticipation of this giveaway. If you already have a lifetime account and are only trying for the Siege of Mirkwood key, you can let us know by including "SoM Only" in your comment.

I think the underlined part means you need to register with Massively.com, and be sure your registration has a valid e-mail address - not that you have to include your e-mail in your post, per se.

[Blackjack]

Somehow, cause I'd abandoned my Captain character in the low 50s, I never knew they added a "Call to Arms: Archer" (that you can use in lieu of the three banner heralds, if you need more DPS from your buddy). I think probably it was added by the Mines of Moria expansion, and I just hadn't gotten far enough and hadn't noticed it at the trainer.




There are still plenty of situations where having a herald is more useful, but I think esp. in groups that have a lot of healing but are a little short on damage-dealing, it should be very handy.  

[Wargus]

Somehow, cause I'd abandoned my Captain character in the low 50s, I never knew they added a "Call to Arms: Archer" (that you can use in lieu of the three banner heralds, if you need more DPS from your buddy). I think probably it was added by the Mines of Moria expansion, and I just hadn't gotten far enough and hadn't noticed it at the trainer.

...images...

There are still plenty of situations where having a herald is more useful, but I think esp. in groups that have a lot of healing but are a little short on damage-dealing, it should be very handy.  

A friend plays a captain and has done the faction quests so his armsmen are wraiths (like from North Downs by Fornost), and the archer is really nice. 

[Blackjack]

I finally managed to understand how to place trophies in a house (personal or kin house) - the tiny, "I never guessed what it was" decorator button on the lower left of the circular mini map. It's tough to find an open floor spot if your house already has a lot of stuff (our kin house has tons of space for wall coverings, but very little left for furniture items).

I got on a nice Grand Stairs group last night, and managed to squeeze a couple of trophies from it (and my Yule Tree from the Yule festival stuff) that my kin's house didn't yet have...


If they could find an affordable way to turn this into a "real" action figure I could buy, I'd be there. 


This would be more impressive if it would really "draw" when you clicked it. 


Belatedly, I finally found the Yule Tree a home. I had to remove some clover patch, which I saved.

[Blackjack]

It's just junk chest-loot off a Grand Stairs run, but I quite like (for a change) this helm - a little bit of Silencer (Crusader: No Remorse) and Boba Fett going on, though you can see the eyes. Though I guess you could say it looks like a grasshopper from certain angles.  



It's not very common afik, so you also get to feel a bit unique.   imho, the simpler the helm the more attractive they are. When they start sticking stems, and fluffy things, and giant telescoping stalks, they tend to look silly.