Facts And News

Highlights: Legendary Server, Future Expansion, and More

 

Legendary Server isn't something I have looked into until now. There is a lot that Standing Stones Games did with these servers and I think it is fair to take a look at them since a lot of their development and changes revolve around their progress.

• Main Website goes into the basics of what a legendary server is. Unlike World of Warcraft's "Classic" server (where they leave in all the original bugs at launch), the legendary servers Ithil or Anor contains all class and stat changes over the years. You must have VIP status. You "cannot transfer shared account items" or engage in PvMP. You can play as any new class or race. The good news is "any previously purchased Expansions and Quest Packs will be honored and allow you access on Legendary once the server reaches that point in the Story."
• The launch date for the server was November 8, 2018. Things were pretty rocky as they tried to get people in. Long queues forced their hand to offer free transfers to the lesser of the two servers. In my eyes, things are already moving pretty fast as Moria was released March 12, 2019 in Update 23.4 (alongside their "Reclaim Moria Bundle") and Siege of Mirkwood June 11, 2019 in Update 24.1. Someone theorizes that the server will release Rohan March 2020 and be caught up with live in 4 years.
• FibroJedi goes into a little more detail of what is different on the legendary server from any other server. Legendary Servers Anor and Ithil have a -40% XP debuff. XP has always been a bane on the leveling experience and this makes sure you are more in-line with the quest level (especially since you are not allowed any experience bonus equipment). There is more competition since resources and rewards are now scarce. There is also very little to show for your deeds as many things haven't been included yet.
• For the rest of us on your typical server, the wiki touches on a few more things that come into effect. So does the forum. New tokens and the title "Hidden Gem" has bled into live servers. Rare Portrait Frames received only from the legendary servers can be used on all characters on your account (even on live). "Bree-seeker," "Rambling Rover," and "Legend of Angmar" are a few titles that also can be received on legendary servers. Check out the wiki guide for picture of the portrait frames and cloaks as well.
  
  

"Remember when you had to do every quest to level up? Trestlebridge Farms Remembers."

 

64-Bit Client was something that has been speculated for years. I'm not sure when the developers first started "investigating" whether they could change a 32-bit code into 64-bit, but they finally done and released it.

• Mysteriously tucked inside the Update 24 patch, 64-bit was released June 4, 2019. I'm going to quote it here: "The LOTRO game client can now be optionally run in 64-bit, which can improve game performance. By default, players will continue to run the 32-bit client unless they change the option in the launcher. This selection can be changed again if desired. A separate set of client preferences (userpreferences.ini) for the 64 bit client will be created to allow players to have different graphics settings for the different clients if desired."
• Lotro Players goes into more detail about the specifics in activating it. It also explains how screenshots are saved now on your computer and virtue changes.
• Ironically there really isn't any more information about the change beyond that. I found the forum thread when it was presented on the bullroarer test realm. There was also a rumor that they hotfixed a lot of the problems within the first few weeks of release. Otherwise there apparently is no other news to report on it.

"Is this the way to the Ettenmoors? Feels like this is the way to the Ettenmoors."

Expansion is coming. We all knew there would be one eventually. Rumors and stories are flying all over the place. What do we really know?

• February 2019 offered a Producer's Letter with their look ahead. Many of their goals have already come to fruition. Vale of Anduin and Minas Morgul were two locations listed. "The landscape and normal instances will not have the same increased difficulty that Mordor had... introduce optional challenge into the game in some instanced content by extending Difficulty tiers..." Minstrel changes Update 23.3 (February 4) and Captain changes Update 24.2 (August 6). They also mentioned rune-keeper changes as well. Virtues and Crafting were on the list. Though one thing I like to note is this: "We are looking into more ways for Kinships to advance, and new rewards for Kins to earn as a group. We like the idea of small and large Kins advancing, earning cosmetic rewards for their housing, and allowing Kin leaders to occasionally activate buffs that benefit the entire Kinship.
• A follow-up post went into a little more detail February 25, 2019. "Minus Morgul and Shelob" are in. LI revamp will probably be implemented in 2020. T3 will have extra mechanics.
• At Gen Con 2019, a video was released on Lotro Players showing off the Stoutaxe Dwarf as a new race for Lord of the Rings Online.
• MMO Central interviewed the developers April 5, 2019. Not much is mentioned except for: "looking at new housing… probably right after the expansion, in which case we’re looking at Rohan housing around the time… before Rohan comes to the legendary servers. So, the timing is fortunate because it’s kind of where it works out. And that won’t be the last housing. I know the players are looking for housing all over the place.
• The Dwarrow Scholar interviewed the developers about the expansion August 7, 2019. The entire thing revealed a lot more. You can choose to be a male or female dwarf (but they will look the same). The long overdue inclusion of Rohan housing. "Nebulous longer-term future to do some work on kinships."

“You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.” - Bilbo Baggins

Farmer's Faire has officially started. There is plenty to do for this festival.

• The current schedule dates Farmer's Faire for 8/21 - 9/10.
• There is a horse that takes you directly there from Michel Delving.
• Anfalas Star-Lit Crystal costs 120 tokens. If you are very good, you can get that in two Maggot's Mushroom Hunts. Essence Reclamation Scrolls cost 180 tokens.
• Sandson's Egg Scramble relies way too heavily on the number of contestants. You might not even be able to get your 5 white eggs with 1-3 people. Rarer eggs, like the striped ones, can start appearing around 10 people. The length of the event also changes. Alongside the Mushroom Hunt, these can be done every hour.
• Bounder Rounds can get a bit tricky since you are competing with everyone else. The good news is there is no zone or time restriction. Bad news is the script can potentially bug-out when players talk to Party-Goers at random. Just wait it out. Or if you are quick, you can still get in even if the ring is down from someone else scolding them. Only after completing it once will "Revenge of the Drunkards" becomes active.
• Lotro Wiki has a full list of quest details, rewards, and pictures of cosmetics if you are having trouble. Sun Hat and Ascot Scarf are the two new cosmetics. Black Peacock is the next seasonal peacock in-line. There doesn't appear to be any new horse though.
• Festival Horse Races only give you 3 Farmer Faire Tokens.
• The Curator fails to make an appearance. There aren't any wrapper quests and no quests rewarding virtual virtue xp (Remind me why this is so important to people?)
• The Inn League is active and 2 Badge of Tastes convert into 12 Farmer Faire Tokens. If you are also curious, 25 Farmer Faire Tokens convert into 10 Fall Festival Tokens.

In Other News...

• Kin Party is still scheduled 9/14. Prepare for my "Title and Food" and "Drunken Wizard Magic".
• Quite a few new members have joined the kinship. Some of them are long returnees of the game.
• Resolina, Elaelin, and Rainbowdoddle ran a T5 Glimmerdeep. Most of the scions increased health while one did more damage, one added a mushroom effect, and another healed other members nearby. There was some trouble with a group - 2 archers, 2 trolls, 1 cleaver - which could probably have been skipped if one person distracted the group while another pulled the lever to the mine cart. Elaelin did manage to get a gold jewelry item while the rest of the team "just got T-shirts". It didn't even fulfill T1 or T2 Completion requirements (only T3 deed). Whole thing took about 100 minutes.
• Fanrel (hunter), Oz (Loremaster), and Elaelin (Minstrel) were able to complete a T2 Glimmerdeep without wiping. This astounds me.
• Things are really hopping over in the Ettenmoors Tuesday and Thursdays. I also see advertisements on Fridays as well.
• The Depths of Kidzul Kalah instance is a lot more challenging than anticipated. Draining Dark-weavers can increase their potential if not taken care of right away with stacking corruption buffs. It is also very important to take-down 1 Spitting Tentacle every level of the second boss. If not he will summon all 4 at the very end, decimating the entire group. It is also a good idea to have the tank remove corruptions on the biting tentacle. The green eye bugs all the time and can only be removed by logging your character out (you don't have to exit the game).
• Material Middle-Earth is a website with a decent number of weapon cosmetics. There isn't a complete list but it does list different crafting tiers.
• Massively OP made a timeline of Lord of the Rings Online, if you were ever curious on where all the years went.
• Fanrel is throwing everything she has to get some more lotro points for the expansion. I feel like I'm just plowing through all the quests like some sort of maniac on the loose.
• The kin finally attempted their first Anvil of Winterstith. Things didn't go well as we shuffled ideas around. Details here.
• Fanrel stumbled across a Drop of Fine Clover Honey. It was roughly 20meters in the air. It subtly reminded me of Spongebob's "Pranks-A-Lot" episode where they imagined using invisible spray on "the park bench and then sit on it, and when people walk by, we'll be floating in midair."

"I figured we would just send the hunter in first... you know as a sacrifice and all." - Grimgold

 

2019-08-23