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Idris chats on 'The One True Cast' Podcast

-Bloodnok- — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:32:00 GMT

See here for info: http://community.codemasters.com/forum/showthread.php?t=277704&highlight=true+cast

Talk to the Community Team #3

-Bloodnok- — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:35:00 GMT

Another feedback thread is up on the CM forums

First Moria Minigame now available

-Bloodnok- — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:42:00 GMT

http://www.unlocktheminesofmoria.com/

Random thread of the week

-Bloodnok- — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 01:45:00 GMT

A discussion about adding gambling and mini-games

MINES OF MORIA UNVEILED

-Bloodnok- — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:57:00 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, UK — March 14, 2008 - Turbine, Inc. and Codemasters Online today unveiled Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online™, the first retail expansion for the award-winning massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG). Announced in Birmingham, the childhood home of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings Online™: Mines of Moria™ will expand the online world of Middle-earth to let players explore the ancient underground cities of the dwarves, battle epic characters in the depths, face off with the Watcher, be a part of the fateful release of Durin’s Bane and more! The Lord of the Rings Online expects to open Volume II of its epic story in the fall of 2008 with an increased level cap, two new classes and the introduction of a unique item advancement system.

“The Mines of Moria is one of the most epic settings in all of fantasy fiction,” said Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. “No one delivers more quality content than Turbine and with our journey into Moria, we will raise the bar even higher. We are adding vast amounts of content, debuting massive new environments and unveiling numerous unique feature sets, like item advancement, which will create entirely new dimensions of compelling game play and social interaction which are unique to The Lord of the Rings Online experience.”

NEW FEATURES:
Speak Friend, and Enter — Moria, called Khazad-dûm by the dwarves, was their capital and the grandest of cities. This enormous underground cavern in north-western Middle-earth, comprises an immense network of tunnels, chambers, mines and huge halls that run beneath and ultimately through the Misty Mountains. For the first time, players of The Lord of the Rings Online will enter this ancient city which has served as the foundation for the modern-day dungeon-crawling adventures to battle the hordes of goblins and the Nameless of the Deep and journey through hundreds of new quests within six new kinds of stunning environments

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The Epic Continues! — The Mines of Moria represents the beginning of Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online. Players can experience six new books as part of this update and participate in the release of Durin’s Bane, battle the Watcher, aid Galadriel and more!

Increased Level Cap — Players will be able advance their characters up to level 60, gaining access to new traits, virtues, skills and class quests. The crafting system will also expand, giving players the ability to craft even more powerful items.

Discover Two New Classes — The Rune-keeper and the Warden, the first new classes to be introduced since the launch of the game, allow players to build exciting and powerful new characters in The Lord of the Rings Online in diverse new ways.

Forge Legendary Items — The Mines of Moria will introduce Turbine’s new item advancement system to The Lord of the Rings Online. Players will be able to forge weapons and class-related equipment and evolve them to build a legacy the likes of Bilbo’s Sting and Gandalf’s Glamdring. These legendary weapons will level-up along with the player, allowing customization by advancing the item’s virtues, adding runic legacies, modifying its titles and forming fables.

To celebrate this exciting news, Turbine and Codemasters also announced today that they will kick off a major promotion that invites everyone to unlock the Mines of Moria by visiting www.unlocktheminesofmoria.com. Visitors can learn more about Mines of Moria and play special mini-games that will be periodically released over the coming months. Certain players who participate can complete special deeds through game play and other means to unlock exclusive previews, assets and special in-game items that may help them when they delve into Mines of Moria this fall. The Unlock the Mines of Moria promotion is scheduled to begin at the end of this month.

Characters of Middle-earth: Halbarad

-Bloodnok- — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:34:00 GMT

At the heart of the North Downs, the last remnants of the House of Isildur gather in their hidden refuge of Esteldín. The tides of war crash against the stone walls of their encampment, but they are not yet strong enough to actively resist it and many of their number, including their chieftain Aragorn, still range far afield.

Halbarad, kinsman of Aragorn, struggles to unite the scattered peoples of the North Downs against the hordes of Orcs which have come down from Angmar through Ram Dúath. Like many of the Dúnedain of the North, Halbarad has many qualities of both a warrior and a lore-master. He uses his knowledge to coordinate efforts to hinder the advance of Angmar’s army until a stronger front can be established, all the while alert to the knowledge that he may be called to battle and fates unknown in lands far away.

Halbarad appears in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings as the leader of the Grey Company which joins Aragorn in Rohan and follows him through the Paths of the Dead. He later becomes Aragorn’s standard-bearer.

Map of Forochel and Sneak Peak of Book 13

Berryl — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:13:00 GMT

Take a look at the map of Forochel, the new zone coming in Book 13, as well as one piece of concept art here:
http://www.lotro.com/article/509

Exploring Middle-earth: Haudh Iarchith

-Bloodnok- — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:05:00 GMT

Haudh Iarchith The Barrow-downs west of Bree were once a haven for the Rangers of Cardolan, until the plague swept across Middle-earth and destroyed the last remnant of those Dúnedain. After the Rangers of Cardolan perished, the Witch-king sent fell spirits out of Angmar and Rhudaur to inhabit the remains of the dead buried beneath the mounds, giving rise to the Barrow-wights. Since then, the Barrow-downs have had an evil name as a place of terror. A few places within the Barrow-downs, such as Othrongroth and Ost Gorthad, are known as places of the greatest dread. Another of these terrible places is Haudh Iarchith. Once the clan-barrow of a great and wealthy family, it has now become a den of Angmar’s Dead. The hunters of Bree seek to drive the evil from this place, but few among even them have the courage to face the wights of Haudh Iarchith. Haudh Iarchith serves as the public dungeon in Bree-land for the reputation system introduced to The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ after the game’s release. Players seeking to improve their standing with the hunters of Bree must spend much time among the wights of Haudh Iarchith . . . .

Characters of Middle-earth: Glóin

-Bloodnok- — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:19:00 GMT

Glóin was one of the thirteen companions of Thorin Oakenshield on the Quest of Erebor. A skilled fire-maker, he thought little of Bilbo Baggins at first, but gained a new respect for the hobbit by the quest’s end. He has dwelt at the Lonely Mountain ever since. Glóin’s brother Oín, who also accompanied Thorin on his great quest, journeyed into Moria with their kinsman Balin but was never heard from again. After the rise of the Shadow in the East, Glóin and his son Gimli brought news to Rivendell of the Enemy’s movements and sought the wisdom of Elrond Half-elven. Both attended the great Council of Elrond, where Gimli was chosen to become one of the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring, whose task it is to bear the One Ring of Sauron to Mount Doom and cast it into the Chamber of Fire. Glóin, with his entourage, set about clearing the outcast Dourhands from the passes of the Misty Mountains, making safe the way from west to east. Glóin is a character who appears in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, he can be found encamped in the Misty Mountains, overseeing a defense against the Dourhands.

Spring Festival Starting March 07

Berryl — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:30:00 GMT

Spring is in the Air!

The Free Peoples of Middle-earth have been eagerly awaiting Spring’s balmy kiss, and at last it has arrived! This can mean only one thing: time for LOTRO’s first Spring Festival! Players should visit the festival grounds beginning 7th March for some spring-themed celebration.

Love is in bloom! Head to Bree to help with affairs of the heart.
Get into the spirits! The Tavern League is back for another round with new shenanigans.
Send a note of affection to that special someone… or maybe even catch the attention of a secret admirer!

So enjoy a respite from battling the encroaching Shadow, and take time to pick some flowers. Heroes picking flowers? Well yes, someone has to do it!

Source

Exploring Middle-earth: Goblin-town

-Bloodnok- — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:36:00 GMT

Goblin-town In the Misty Mountains, far above the hidden Elf-refuge of Rivendell, lies the entrance to one of the strongest goblin-kingdoms remaining in Middle-earth. Called Goblin-town by its vile inhabitants, this subterranean realm was once ruled by an evil creature who called himself the Great Goblin, until he met his doom at the hands of Gandalf the Grey. Wielding the goblin-bane blade known as Glamdring, the Wizard slew the Great Goblin while rescuing the company of Thorin Oakenshield. This fateful event began a new chapter in the history of Middle-earth, for it was within Goblin-town that the hobbit Bilbo Baggins fell into the deep cavern where the creature Gollum lived . . . and his hand fell upon a small golden ring upon which balanced the fate of the world. The goblins of Goblin-town avoid the sun, preferring instead to remain hidden in their dark caves, but they are not cowardly. They are a vicious breed, full of greed and hatred for beautiful things. Allied with Wargs from the eastern borders of the Misty Mountains, they usually raid small villages, but once they marched upon the Lonely Mountain Erebor to fight in the Battle of Five Armies. Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings will at once recognize Goblin-town as one of the most famous points of interest in the books. Players will find that the goblins have not been idle in the years since the Battle of Five Armies, as they go down, down to Goblin-town . . .

Characters of Middle-earth: Bob and Nob

-Bloodnok- — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:11:00 GMT

The Prancing Pony Inn in Bree is run by the perpetually absent-minded and harried Barliman Butterbur, a good and honest sort but prone to forgetting which way is up. As a result, Butterbur relies heavily upon his two hobbit assistants, Bob and Nob. Nob spends most of his time at the Pony in the kitchen, serving guests, or running errands for old Butterbur, while Bob, as well as working in the kitchen, tends the Pony’s stables. Bob is also a family-hobbit and has to keep a constant eye out for his precocious daughter, Lalia. Barliman chides them both constantly, calling them woolly-pated slowcoaches, but it is a friendly sort of scolding. All three know that the Pony would cease to function without their constant minding to the details that slip by Barliman. Bob and Nob, whose surnames remain unrecorded, first appeared in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. In LOTRO, Nob can be found wandering on an errand outside The Prancing Pony, while Bob is working in the kitchen inside.

Exploring Middle-earth: Vale of Thráin

-Bloodnok- — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:03:00 GMT

The Vale of Thráin Leading down from the lofty heights of the Blue Mountains, where lies the gate to Thorin’s Hall, is a long and wide valley bounded by forested slopes and ancient ruins: the Vale of Thráin. All manner of wild beasts inhabit the mountains, from elegant lynx to massive bears and filthy hendrevail. Along the road through the Vale are two outposts maintained by the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains: the way-station Nogrod, and Gondamon, the fortress at the foot of the Vale. The road running through the Vale was once heavily travelled by merchants and traders, but recent difficulties with goblins and dwarves from the outcast Dourhand clan have rendered the highway unsafe. Along with that strife, tensions have slowly been rising between the dwarves and the Elves of Duillond, the refuge south of the Vale. Much of the Elf and dwarf content in The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™ takes place amidst the woods, crags, and ruins of the Vale of Thráin. This is only one of many locations in LOTRO created by the design team, utilizing concepts and themes from Tolkien’s books as a guide.

Exclusive In-game LOTRO titles available only at Connect!

-Bloodnok- — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:13:00 GMT

Codemasters Online and Turbine, Inc. are excited to announce that exclusive in-game titles for The Lord of the Rings Online(tm); Shadows of Angmar(tm) will be available only at Connect.

Anyone who attends Codemasters Online's premier gaming event, Connect 2008 will be given the opportunity to select one of three exclusive and unique titles to use on their player characters. The choices of titles are:

Pillar of the Community
Greeter of Kin
Worldly Traveler

Codemasters Connect 2008 tickets can be bought at http://www.codemastersconnect.com __________________

Getting desperate for features: Bag End Gardens

-Bloodnok- — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:39:00 GMT

The comfortable hobbit-hole of Bag End in the Shire, until recently the home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, has been made all the more pleasing to the senses by the vibrant reds and golds of snap-dragons and sunflowers in the garden which surrounds the residence. Tended with care for a full forty years by Ham Gamgee — better known to all as the Gaffer — and also under the care of his son Samwise, the grounds of Bag End are a relaxing place of tranquil beauty in the pleasant rolling hills of Hobbiton. Traversed by a sloping path and surrounded by a nicely-trimmed hedge, the garden of Bag End has been among the best-kept and well-tended gardens for miles around. However, as the carefree days of the Shire seem to be giving way to a growing darkness, and since Frodo Baggins made the surprising announcement that the hobbit-hole at Bag End would be sold to the ever-unpleasant Lobelia Sackville-Baggins and her son Lotho, many have wondered if the fragrant garden will continue to be tended, or if indeed its manicured beauty will even survive another season.

As with many areas of the Shire and Hobbiton, most, if not all, residences feature gardens of flowers and grasses, which is each owners’ pride and labor of love. The garden at Bag End is typical of most, if perhaps a bit more grand since old Bilbo returned from the Quest of Erebor some years ago.