https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Fri, 21 Apr 2023 15:47:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/22/lotro-legendarium-making-sense-of-lotros-virtue-system/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/22/lotro-legendarium-making-sense-of-lotros-virtue-system/#comments Sat, 22 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=436507 If you look at how your character gains power and progression in Lord of the Rings Online, you’ll see four major categories. There are levels, which automatically bestow stats upon you. Then there’s the acquisition of gear (including legendary items and essences) to bolster those stats. We can look to talents for additional ways to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/22/lotro-legendarium-making-sense-of-lotros-virtue-system/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/15/lotro-legendarium-is-the-burglar-lotros-least-loved-class/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/15/lotro-legendarium-is-the-burglar-lotros-least-loved-class/#comments Sat, 15 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=435300 In most MMOs that I play, I confess a certain attraction — if not affinity — for seeking out the least-played and -loved class that title has to offer. It can be a lot of fun walking down the path less traveled, especially if it’s with a role that is underrated by most folks. For […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/15/lotro-legendarium-is-the-burglar-lotros-least-loved-class/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/01/lotro-legendarium-eight-features-id-love-to-see-added-to-lotro/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/01/lotro-legendarium-eight-features-id-love-to-see-added-to-lotro/#comments Sat, 01 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=433226 Opinions, as they say, are like social media accounts: Everyone’s got at least one and probably a dozen ready to ruin your life. This is especially true when applied to the field of MMOs that we play. I mean, it’s almost impossible to be engaged with a title not to form strong opinions about what […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/01/lotro-legendarium-eight-features-id-love-to-see-added-to-lotro/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/18/lotro-legendarium-16-more-fun-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/18/lotro-legendarium-16-more-fun-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/#comments Sat, 18 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=429505 Last week we began our thorough tour through Lord of the Rings Online’s largest city, Minas Tirith, combing through the first three tiers in search of unique sights and interior spaces. But this city is simply too big to contain in a single column, so today we’ll wrap things up as we explore the remaining […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/18/lotro-legendarium-16-more-fun-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/11/lotro-legendarium-17-groovy-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/11/lotro-legendarium-17-groovy-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/#comments Sat, 11 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=429394 Minas Tirith: The White City and the bane of server-side lag. The place of a thousand side quests and of a thousand-and-one times that you forgot where to go to ascend or descend the seven tiers. It gets a lot of (fair) criticism, but this place is far more than that. It may be the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/11/lotro-legendarium-17-groovy-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/04/lotro-legendarium-six-unpopular-opinions-about-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/04/lotro-legendarium-six-unpopular-opinions-about-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Sat, 04 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=429074 Just because you’re a fan of a particular franchise or game doesn’t mean that you always concur with the larger groupthink. It’s always a fun exercise when you give yourself permission to go against the popular flow and confess to holding an opinion that might not, strictly speaking, be seen as geek orthodox. Ahem. So […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/04/lotro-legendarium-six-unpopular-opinions-about-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 30 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/18/lotro-legendarium-why-flying-would-have-ruined-lotros-middle-earth/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/18/lotro-legendarium-why-flying-would-have-ruined-lotros-middle-earth/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=426407 Despite the title up there, this column isn’t really about flying. I’m just getting that out of the way right here. I actually have no problem with flying in most MMOs. My first main online RPG was City of Heroes, and when I hit level 14 and could finally fly, it felt as if the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/18/lotro-legendarium-why-flying-would-have-ruined-lotros-middle-earth/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/10/lotro-legendarium-nine-lord-of-the-rings-online-items-with-fun-and-helpful-abilities/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/10/lotro-legendarium-nine-lord-of-the-rings-online-items-with-fun-and-helpful-abilities/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425261 One of my favorite acquisitions in any RPG or MMO is an item that grants a special ability that adds a fun effect or useful boost. It seems to me that these sorts of items are more commonplace in tabletop games than online ones, as I’m sure devs are worried about players building up too […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/10/lotro-legendarium-nine-lord-of-the-rings-online-items-with-fun-and-helpful-abilities/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/21/lotro-legendarium-reacting-to-lotros-2023-roadmap/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/21/lotro-legendarium-reacting-to-lotros-2023-roadmap/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=423198 Do you remember the years of the past when we’d be waiting well into March or even later for a Lord of the Rings Online producer’s letter that would give us a heads-up on the year? I’m just pointing out that we aren’t even done with January before we have a good idea of what’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/21/lotro-legendarium-reacting-to-lotros-2023-roadmap/feed/ 21 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/lotro-legendarium-10-more-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/lotro-legendarium-10-more-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=421877 A while back, I put together a list of 10 tips to enhance your everyday Lord of the Rings Online play experience. It was a fun list to do and seemed to be well-received, so for my first column of the new year, I thought I’d assemble a follow-up with another 10 tips for our […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/lotro-legendarium-10-more-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/17/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2022/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/17/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2022/#comments Sat, 17 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=418133 Holy cow, are we already wrapping up another year of Lord of the Rings Online? I’ve been writing this column since 2010, and I still don’t feel like I’m running out of topics. But as always, I like to pause and reflect at the end of a calendar year on this column and the journey […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/17/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2022/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/13/lotro-legendarium-why-the-new-class-trait-system-changes-are-a-bigger-deal-than-youd-think/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/13/lotro-legendarium-why-the-new-class-trait-system-changes-are-a-bigger-deal-than-youd-think/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=418066 Greetings and salutations, fellow Lord of the Rings Online adventurers! I know I previously said that my next LOTRO Legendarium column would tackle the new delving system, but to be honest, I’ve been having too much fun questing through Swanfleet and Cardolan that I haven’t gotten around to it yet. So I beg your pardon […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/13/lotro-legendarium-why-the-new-class-trait-system-changes-are-a-bigger-deal-than-youd-think/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/17/lotro-legendarium-exploring-before-the-shadows-new-starter-area-and-skirmish/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/17/lotro-legendarium-exploring-before-the-shadows-new-starter-area-and-skirmish/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=414574 You know that agonizingly delicious sensation of encountering an MMO drop that has so much stuff to explore that you hardly know where to start? That’s exactly how I’m feeling with Lord of the Rings Online: Before the Shadow. This patch changes the game in more ways than one and has something for almost every […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/17/lotro-legendarium-exploring-before-the-shadows-new-starter-area-and-skirmish/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/05/lotro-legendarium-what-class-should-you-pick-in-lotro/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/05/lotro-legendarium-what-class-should-you-pick-in-lotro/#comments Sat, 05 Nov 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=402025 Hunter. Thanks for coming to the column! See you in the next one! What, you want a bit more than that? Sheesh, fine. I’ll stop amusing myself here and actually be somewhat helpful. With 11 classes on its roster, Lord of the Rings Online’s character creation page can ratchet up the stress as you sweat […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/05/lotro-legendarium-what-class-should-you-pick-in-lotro/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/lotro-legendarium-10-reasons-to-get-psyched-about-before-the-shadow-that-arent-the-new-zones/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/lotro-legendarium-10-reasons-to-get-psyched-about-before-the-shadow-that-arent-the-new-zones/#comments Sat, 22 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=410621 Standing Stone Games went and pulled a classic case of misdirection on all of us — and I’m not complaining. While the studio had us almost laser-focused on the dual zones coming with next month’s Before the Shadow mini-expansion, it was secretly preparing several amazing quality-of-life changes for Lord of the Rings Online. Now, thanks […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/lotro-legendarium-10-reasons-to-get-psyched-about-before-the-shadow-that-arent-the-new-zones/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/15/lotro-legendarium-four-options-for-character-leveling-in-lotro/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/15/lotro-legendarium-four-options-for-character-leveling-in-lotro/#comments Sat, 15 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=409733 One of the unsung benefits of maturing MMORPGs is that they generally offer far more options for leveling and adventuring than what was present at launch. This, in turn, allows for users to customize the game around their own playstyle rather than having to conform to a narrow path. I’ve been reflecting lately on how […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/15/lotro-legendarium-four-options-for-character-leveling-in-lotro/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/08/lotro-legendarium-are-lotros-missions-a-little-too-good/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/08/lotro-legendarium-are-lotros-missions-a-little-too-good/#comments Sat, 08 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=408526 When Before the Shadow arrives in Lord of the Rings Online next month, it will bring both an additional set of missions and a new “delving” difficulty option to increase the challenge and rewards. It’s clear to me by now that Standing Stone Games is doubling down hard on missions as one of the key […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/08/lotro-legendarium-are-lotros-missions-a-little-too-good/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/lotro-legendarium-23-lotro-facts-i-learned-from-scenarios-casual-stroll-video-series/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/lotro-legendarium-23-lotro-facts-i-learned-from-scenarios-casual-stroll-video-series/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2022 17:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=403930 Your mileage may vary, but as both a journalist and a gamer, I absolutely love hearing about how my favorite titles were made. It makes me appreciate them more, especially elements that I’ve taken for granted, and it often renews my interest in that game. Lord of the Rings Online players have enjoyed a couple […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/lotro-legendarium-23-lotro-facts-i-learned-from-scenarios-casual-stroll-video-series/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/16/lotro-legendarium-lotros-minstrel-revamp-is-a-master-class-in-studio-obstinance/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/16/lotro-legendarium-lotros-minstrel-revamp-is-a-master-class-in-studio-obstinance/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=405281 Does anything in this world produce a cold sweat faster than a developer abruptly announcing, “Oh hey, we’re going to retool your class?” Unless your profession is sleeping in the gutter and has nothing left to lose, such a proclamation rightly creates fear and anxiety in MMO populations. After all, we have history on our […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/16/lotro-legendarium-lotros-minstrel-revamp-is-a-master-class-in-studio-obstinance/feed/ 31 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/lotro-legendarium-will-before-the-shadow-evade-the-mini-expansion-stigma/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/lotro-legendarium-will-before-the-shadow-evade-the-mini-expansion-stigma/#comments Sat, 27 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=402182 With the announcement this week at Gamescom’s Devcom of Lord of the Rings Online’s “mini-expansion,” Before the Shadow, we now have a pretty good idea of what the rest of the year looks like in terms of new content. It may not be a full-fledged expansion (which nobody reasonably expected at this point), but this […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/lotro-legendarium-will-before-the-shadow-evade-the-mini-expansion-stigma/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/20/lotro-legendarium-what-new-classes-could-lotro-add-in-the-future/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/20/lotro-legendarium-what-new-classes-could-lotro-add-in-the-future/#comments Sat, 20 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=400883 There is certainly no end to the topics to discuss about Lord of the Rings Online, but sometimes I want to take a break to do something a little fun in this space. And while the dev team has added only four classes since the game’s launch, I’ve been thinking a lot about what other […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/20/lotro-legendarium-what-new-classes-could-lotro-add-in-the-future/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/21/lotro-legendarium-update-33-1s-further-adventures-are-more-like-a-light-snack/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/21/lotro-legendarium-update-33-1s-further-adventures-are-more-like-a-light-snack/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=397484 Seeing as how I was somewhat underwhelmed with Lord of the Rings Online’s Further Adventures with Bilbo Baggins, I approached this week’s new mission set with a sense of apprehension. This was, after all, the beginning, middle, and end of this summer’s story content, so a lot was riding on it — and I didn’t […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/21/lotro-legendarium-update-33-1s-further-adventures-are-more-like-a-light-snack/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/09/lotro-legendarium-is-lotros-pvp-game-worth-salvaging/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/09/lotro-legendarium-is-lotros-pvp-game-worth-salvaging/#comments Sat, 09 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=379654 The funny thing about Lord of the Rings Online’s PvP scene is that I truly believe most players are either unaware or uncaring that it actually exists. You would honestly surprise most LOTRO players, especially more recent additions to the game’s population, that this title even has PvP. I don’t have any hard data to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/09/lotro-legendarium-is-lotros-pvp-game-worth-salvaging/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/02/lotro-legendarium-evaluating-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-legendary-servers-four-years-later/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/02/lotro-legendarium-evaluating-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-legendary-servers-four-years-later/#comments Sat, 02 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=394590 When Lord of the Rings Online released its first — and, quickly thereafter, its second — legendary server back in 2018, it was one of the most exciting developments to come to the MMORPG in years. While other MMOs had tooled about progression servers for a while at that point, this was the first time […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/02/lotro-legendarium-evaluating-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-legendary-servers-four-years-later/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/25/lotro-legendarium-embracing-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-new-class-race-combos/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/25/lotro-legendarium-embracing-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-new-class-race-combos/#comments Sat, 25 Jun 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=393501 Lord of the Rings Online’s July through September edition of the Producer’s Letter appeared this week, hauling along with it some disappointment, some intrigue, and some controversy. My initial impressions of the letter — which bore up as I re-evaluated it the next morning — is that this batch of notes is a tad underwhelming […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/25/lotro-legendarium-embracing-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-new-class-race-combos/feed/ 22 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/18/lotro-legendarium-return-to-moria-hopes-to-fill-a-niche-crevasse/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/18/lotro-legendarium-return-to-moria-hopes-to-fill-a-niche-crevasse/#comments Sat, 18 Jun 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=392495 As you may have already noticed from this column’s previous coverage of the Amazon MMO, LOTRO Legendarium’s umbrella is big enough to provide shade for any and all online Lord of the Rings online titles. I’m certainly not one to gatekeep the franchise by saying that there can only be one title to rule them […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/18/lotro-legendarium-return-to-moria-hopes-to-fill-a-niche-crevasse/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/07/lotro-legendarium-which-lotro-race-is-the-best-to-play/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/07/lotro-legendarium-which-lotro-race-is-the-best-to-play/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=390615 Sometimes column topics come from idle inner dialogue, while other times they may arise from a desire to do some personal research that ends up getting out of hand. In this case, it’s a bit of both. I was thinking about the topic of ranking the different races of Lord of the Rings Online and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/07/lotro-legendarium-which-lotro-race-is-the-best-to-play/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/28/lotro-legendarium-10-helpful-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/28/lotro-legendarium-10-helpful-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/#comments Sat, 28 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=389498 Recently, my 12-year-old daughter began playing Lord of the Rings Online for the first time after having watched the movies and read The Hobbit. It’s been a voyage of discovery for her to inhabit Middle-earth and learn the ins and outs of the various systems of this game. I’ve tried to give her some leeway […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/28/lotro-legendarium-10-helpful-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/20/lotro-legendarium-exploring-the-bounds-of-yondershire/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/20/lotro-legendarium-exploring-the-bounds-of-yondershire/#comments Fri, 20 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=387264 As I write this, I’m coming down off of the buzz that was Lord of the Rings Online’s 15th anniversary. All in all, I feel it was a celebration worthy of this MMORPG’s storied history, with the anniversary festival, dev diaries, soundtrack releases, and tons of free presents mixing together to make a heady elixir […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/20/lotro-legendarium-exploring-the-bounds-of-yondershire/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/07/lotro-legendarium-remembering-15-amazing-years-of-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/07/lotro-legendarium-remembering-15-amazing-years-of-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Sat, 07 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=385095 Server performance issues aside, Lord of the Rings Online’s 15th anniversary has been a smashing success. It’s been far greater an event than I had anticipated, to be honest, especially with the new zone, the bevy of freebie handouts, a three-CD soundtrack release, and a whole lot of nostalgic chatter from the developers about the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/07/lotro-legendarium-remembering-15-amazing-years-of-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/25/lotro-legendarium-six-reasons-why-now-is-a-great-time-to-return-to-lotro/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/25/lotro-legendarium-six-reasons-why-now-is-a-great-time-to-return-to-lotro/#comments Mon, 25 Apr 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=384868 When you greatly love a game, franchise, or IP, there’s nothing so heartwarming as to see it get a renaissance. In a world where everyone is scrambling to consume the latest and trendiest content, it’s something of a rarity to see people return to something great that’s been under their nose all along. I speak […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/25/lotro-legendarium-six-reasons-why-now-is-a-great-time-to-return-to-lotro/feed/ 44 https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/16/lotro-legendarium-why-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-world-feels-different-than-all-other-mmos/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/16/lotro-legendarium-why-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-world-feels-different-than-all-other-mmos/#comments Sat, 16 Apr 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=383433 I truly wish I remember the name of the gaming magazine that I picked up in early 2007, but such details escape me. What I do recall is that I was that this particular issue was my very first introduction to the MMORPG known as Lord of the Rings Online. At the time, I was […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/16/lotro-legendarium-why-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-world-feels-different-than-all-other-mmos/feed/ 30 https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/09/lotro-legendarium-six-reasons-why-lotros-beorning-is-amazing/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/09/lotro-legendarium-six-reasons-why-lotros-beorning-is-amazing/#comments Sat, 09 Apr 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=382338 When Update 33 arrives later this month, Lord of the Rings Online players will have access to a slew of classes and races that were previously locked behind a paywall. One of these is the Beorning, a unique role that was first introduced into the game in 2014 as LOTRO’s 10th playable class. And it’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/09/lotro-legendarium-six-reasons-why-lotros-beorning-is-amazing/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/28/lotro-legendarium-should-lotros-raids-be-made-accessible-to-all/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/28/lotro-legendarium-should-lotros-raids-be-made-accessible-to-all/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=377884 Despite playing Lord of the Rings Online since beta and covering it professionally since 2010, there is a big part of the game that I’ve never really seen — and I suspect many other people haven’t either. I speak, of course, about the 22-or-so raids that constitute the toughest and most elaborate showpieces of the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/28/lotro-legendarium-should-lotros-raids-be-made-accessible-to-all/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/19/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-online-takes-much-needed-steps-forward/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/19/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-online-takes-much-needed-steps-forward/#comments Sat, 19 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=379627 I don’t know about you, Lord of the Rings Online fans, but I am really, really digging these quarterly producer’s letters. It feels like just the right amount of information while still giving the team enough time to actually work on the game and build up enough new material to share. And so we come […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/19/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-online-takes-much-needed-steps-forward/feed/ 23 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/07/lotro-legendarium-why-people-bounce-off-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/07/lotro-legendarium-why-people-bounce-off-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Mon, 07 Mar 2022 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=376929 Any time that you are deeply invested in an MMORPG, it’s perhaps one of the most disheartening and frustrating experiences to watch your friends or loved ones give it a try as well — only to find that it’s really not to their taste. At that point, you can either try to double-down as a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/07/lotro-legendarium-why-people-bounce-off-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 39 https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/25/lotro-legendarium-exploring-lotro-update-32s-angle-of-mitheithel/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/25/lotro-legendarium-exploring-lotro-update-32s-angle-of-mitheithel/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=375577 Even after a decade-and-a-half of constant expansion, Lord of the Rings Online’s Middle-earth has more left to show us than is currently on the map. Personally, I always feel a jolt of excitement whenever a new zone or region is added to the game, because it’s just that much more Middle-earth to explore and love. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/25/lotro-legendarium-exploring-lotro-update-32s-angle-of-mitheithel/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/07/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-online-must-extract-itself-from-its-currency-quagmire/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/07/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-online-must-extract-itself-from-its-currency-quagmire/#comments Mon, 07 Feb 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=373580 Lord of the Rings Online began 2022 on a most curious note: an abrupt and not-very-well-explained announcement of significant changes to the game’s biggest currencies. In the day or so that this announcement rippled across the community, there was dismay and anger over what was seen as a push to buy more lockboxes and restrict […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/07/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-online-must-extract-itself-from-its-currency-quagmire/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/22/lotro-legendarium-its-time-to-revisit-skirmishes-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/22/lotro-legendarium-its-time-to-revisit-skirmishes-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Sat, 22 Jan 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=371482 Ever since 2009, I’ve loved skirmishes in Lord of the Rings Online. These were a new type of instance that rose to prominence in the Mines of Moria and Siege of Mirkwood era, offering players something a little more low-key and flexible than straight-up dungeon runs. Yet skirmishes have become one of those orphaned systems […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/22/lotro-legendarium-its-time-to-revisit-skirmishes-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/08/lotro-legendarium-does-lotro-need-a-new-dungeon-finder-tool/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/08/lotro-legendarium-does-lotro-need-a-new-dungeon-finder-tool/#comments Sat, 08 Jan 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=369182 Welcome to a new year of the LOTRO Legendarium! With Fate of Gundabad at our backs and an unknown future ahead, it’s quite the interesting time to be involved in Lord of the Rings Online. Today I want to cram two column topics into the same space. First, we’re going to pour over the recent […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/08/lotro-legendarium-does-lotro-need-a-new-dungeon-finder-tool/feed/ 29 https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/18/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2021/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/18/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2021/#comments Sat, 18 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=367551 It’s that time of year again! As we get ready to make the psychological transition to a new year, we pause to look back at the journey that was the previous one. And for Lord of the Rings Online players, it was quite the journey indeed. In today’s column, I’m going to recap all of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/18/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2021/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/04/lotro-legendarium-ok-lets-talk-about-lord-of-the-rings-online-on-console/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/04/lotro-legendarium-ok-lets-talk-about-lord-of-the-rings-online-on-console/#comments Sat, 04 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=364547 I’ll admit it: When EG7 acquired Daybreak back in 2020, I was very dismissive of the report that mentioned a console edition for Lord of the Rings Online. I figured that it was just big talk from a company trying to justify dropping a cool $300 million on an impulse buy near the store checkout. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/04/lotro-legendarium-ok-lets-talk-about-lord-of-the-rings-online-on-console/feed/ 29 https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/13/lotro-legendarium-the-double-edged-sword-of-being-past-the-books/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/13/lotro-legendarium-the-double-edged-sword-of-being-past-the-books/#comments Sat, 13 Nov 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=362211 This past week, Lord of the Rings Online crossed another major milestone in its development as it released its eighth expansion, Fate of Gundabad. Long in coming, Gundabad wraps up the current “Dwarves vs. Orcs” storyline, introduced the Brawler class, and delivered several other meaty features. Even though I’m on a progression server at the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/13/lotro-legendarium-the-double-edged-sword-of-being-past-the-books/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/03/lotro-legendarium-returning-to-lotro-after-seven-years-away/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/03/lotro-legendarium-returning-to-lotro-after-seven-years-away/#comments Wed, 03 Nov 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=360567 It’s a strange feeling, returning to a place that holds a special meaning to you after many years have passed. When my high school class celebrated our 20-year reunion, a tour of the school was arranged as part of the festivities. It was a surreal experience. Some parts of the building were exactly as we’d […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/03/lotro-legendarium-returning-to-lotro-after-seven-years-away/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/30/lotro-legendarium-six-ways-to-renew-your-love-of-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/30/lotro-legendarium-six-ways-to-renew-your-love-of-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Sat, 30 Oct 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=359377 For a little bit of context, I have been playing Lord of the Rings Online since its beta and pre-launch period back in 2007. In subsequent years, there have been stretches where I’ve been positively enthralled with this game, periods where I was only playing out of a sense of duty or routine, and times […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/30/lotro-legendarium-six-ways-to-renew-your-love-of-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/23/lotro-legendarium-maximizing-your-characters-first-20-levels-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/23/lotro-legendarium-maximizing-your-characters-first-20-levels-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Sat, 23 Oct 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=359062 Probably more times than I can count, I have started up new characters in Lord of the Rings Online and gone through those oh-so-familiar paths of the first 20 levels. As such, I have a very set and (I think) efficient method of maximizing my progress and character development to get the best start possible. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/23/lotro-legendarium-maximizing-your-characters-first-20-levels-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/16/lotro-legendarium-embracing-the-journey-that-is-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/16/lotro-legendarium-embracing-the-journey-that-is-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Sat, 16 Oct 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=358008 I know that there are a whole lot of things I should be talking about Lord of the Rings Online in this week’s space, considering that we just got the expansion pre-patch and all. But that’s not where my head is at right now because I’m more than a little burned out on the high-level […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/16/lotro-legendarium-embracing-the-journey-that-is-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/02/lotro-legendarium-fate-of-gundabad-is-shaping-up-to-be-the-full-expansion-that-lotro-needs/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/02/lotro-legendarium-fate-of-gundabad-is-shaping-up-to-be-the-full-expansion-that-lotro-needs/#comments Sat, 02 Oct 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=355958 Right before all of the news this week got sucked into the gravity well of the launch of a certain MMO, Lord of the Rings Online made headlines by finally announcing the full launch package for Fate of Gundabad. In one fell swoop, we were given a whole lot of the information we’ve been craving […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/02/lotro-legendarium-fate-of-gundabad-is-shaping-up-to-be-the-full-expansion-that-lotro-needs/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/18/lotro-legendarium-why-do-we-know-so-little-about-fate-of-gundabad/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/18/lotro-legendarium-why-do-we-know-so-little-about-fate-of-gundabad/#comments Sat, 18 Sep 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=354057 Over the past few months, my general sense of rising hope for Lord of the Rings Online has been tempered by a nagging disquiet about one area in particular. Considering that we’ve known for two years now that Standing Stone Games was working on a Gundabad expansion for the game, I’d say it’s gone from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/18/lotro-legendarium-why-do-we-know-so-little-about-fate-of-gundabad/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/11/lotro-legendarium-analyzing-the-first-look-at-brawler-and-legendary-items-3-0/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/11/lotro-legendarium-analyzing-the-first-look-at-brawler-and-legendary-items-3-0/#comments Sat, 11 Sep 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=353123 Friends, I am genuinely so excited to be a Lord of the Rings Online player these days. It feels like this year in the game’s been on a steady rise in quality and communication, and we’re about to tip into the fall expansion, Fate of Gundabad. And while normally all we’d be talking about is […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/11/lotro-legendarium-analyzing-the-first-look-at-brawler-and-legendary-items-3-0/feed/ 20