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The Lord of the Rings Online

The Lord of the Rings Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for Microsoft Windows and OS X set in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, taking place during the time period of The Lord of the Rings. Originally developed by Turbine, the game launched in North America, Australia, Japan, and Europe in April 2007 as The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Players could create characters of four races and seven classes and adventure throughout the region of Eriador. In November 2008, the Mines of Moria expansion was released, adding the region of Moria and two new playable classes. It was followed by the Siege of Mirkwood in December 2009. In 2010 the game underwent a shift from its original subscription-based payment model to being free-to-play.

The Lord of the Rings Online
Developer(s)Standing Stone Games[a]
Publisher(s)Daybreak Game Company[b]
Platform(s)
ReleaseApril 24, 2007
Genre(s)Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Mode(s)Multiplayer

The game saw continued development, alternating between paid expansions and free updates, which added new content in the regions of Isengard, Rohan and Gondor. In late 2016 it was announced that the publishing of the game would transfer from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to Daybreak Game Company, with development being taken over by Standing Stone Games, made up of former Turbine staff.[1] The game development continued and in 2017 the Mordor expansion was released, bringing the main storyline to a close. The game then shifted to portraying the aftermath the downfall of Sauron as well telling the "Tales of Yore" which chronologically precede the main story, with Minas Morgul expansion released in 2019[2] and the Fate of Gundabad expansion released in 2021.[3]

Gameplay edit

Similar to other MMORPGs, players control a character avatar within the game world, interacts with objects, NPCs and other players. Characters gain levels by earning experience points, acquiring both new skills and trait points, which can be assigned in various configurations to customize personal playstyle. Players traverse the game world either on foot, using personal mounts or via instantaneous travel options. Players improve their characters by upgrading their equipment and can customize their look with the Cosmetic System, which can display armour and weapons other than those used for combat effectiveness. Characters also earn Reputation with various factions in the world, completing progressive tiers which unlock various rewards, from cosmetic pets and outfits to superior quality weapons and armour.

The crafting system allows each character to master up to three professions, which are separated into gathering of raw materials and actual crafting of usable items. Per the characterization of Hobbits in Tolkien's writings, significant emphasis is placed on cooking and agricultural farming. Characters have a Wallet for various currencies, with gold, silver and copper coins earned from most game activities and used for various common purchases. Many world regions, group instances and seasonal festivals feature their own unique currencies, which can neither be earned nor spend outside them. The in-game store uses LOTRO points, which can be both purchased with real money and earned in-game. Players can own personal houses, which can be decorated and provide access to facilities and additional storage space. Four themed neighbourhoods that are free for all are located in the original starter zones for Men, Dwarves, Elves and Hobbits. More neighbourhoods with larger houses and more decorating options are located in Gondor[4] Rohan[5] and Erebor[6] and purchased with microtransaction.

Subsequent updates and expansions introduced other systems to the game. Mines of Moria added Legendary items, intended to stay with the player throughout the game as opposed to being constantly replaced with better options. Each characters has one class-specific legendary weapon and one supplementary item, which increase in power alongside the character's level and can be enhanced with additional modifiers that affect the character's stats or skill behaviour. Riders of Rohan introduced mounted combat, with new rohirric war-steeds that allow players to execute attacks and other skills while on horseback. War-steeds have stats like those of player characters and can be customized by selecting different types of war-steeds, investing in different trait lines and switching between different mounted stances. Players can customize the look of their war-steeds by mix-and-matching various appearance traits.[7] Gondor introduced essence gear with empty slots that can be enhanced with desired stats, allowing players to further customize armour to their playstyle.

Classes and races edit

Lord of the Rings Online launched with four playable races: Dwarves, Elves, Hobbits and Men.[8] In 2014 the new race of Beornings was added, although only for the new class of the same name.[9] In 2017 the Mordor expansion added the new High Elf race.[10] In 2019 a race of "Stout-Axe Dwarves" was added with the Minas Morgul expansion, representing a dwarven clan from the far east of Middle-Earth with an appearance distinct from that of Longbeard dwarves and allowing players to choose the gender of those dwarven characters,[11] unlike the original Dwarven race, which only allows male-presenting characters.

The original seven character classes in the game are Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-master and Minstrel. Mines of Moria added two more classes: Rune-Keeper and Warden. A Beorning class was added in a regular update in November 2014,[9] followed by the Brawler class in 2021, which was included in the Fate of Gundabad expansion.[12] All classes can further specialize in one of three trait lines that further determine their skills and combat role. In addition to Class traits, Racial and Virtue traits can also be allocated to further modify class performance.

Group Instances edit

Players can form groups of up to six characters in "fellowships", which can be further combined into "raids" of up to four fellowships. Fellowships are required to complete various group instances, which come in several distinct variations. A typical "instance" alternates between groups of strong enemies and boss encounters with special mechanics that provide a chest of rewards upon defeat. "Raids" are similar to instances but feature "raid locks", allowing progress of a difficult raid to be tracked across multiple game sessions. "Skirmishes" introduced with the Siege of Mirkwood expansion feature both enemy groups of random composition and randomized "Skirmish Lieutenant" encounters across the instance. "Epic Battles" introduced with the Helm's Deep expansion represent large-scale battles, in which friendly NPCs engage the enemy alongside the player characters, whose focus lies on supporting their allies and completing specific objectives as opposed to simply defeating all enemies. Many group instances can be played on different group sizes, levels and tiers of difficulty for progressively higher rewards.[13]

Game World edit

The game is set J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, as its license does not cover rights to any other works in Tolkien's legendarium, such as The Silmarillion.[14] The game features a day-night cycle and various atmospheric and weather effects, which differ from day to day. The world is divided into four larger sections of Eriador, Rhovanion, Gondor and Mordor. It is then divided into distinct "Regions", which are then further sub-divided into "Areas". Each region contains NPCs and quests intended for a certain character level range, with the main Epic storyline serving as a guide between the areas of a region and regions of the world in the intended order. Each Region is "fixed" at a specific time period during the War of the Ring despite the passage of time in the main story; because of this, characters such as Gandalf or Aragorn can appear at multiple places simultaneously if those places are set during different portions of the story. Some of these locations are permanently accessible in more than one state: players can freely move from Isengard flooded by the Ents to Isengard at the height of Saruman's power, and from Minas Tirith's rebuilding after the battle of the Pelennor Fields to Minas Tirith before the battle, with the enemy still beyond the wall.

Player vs Monster Player edit

Classic PvP combat found in many other games does not exist in The Lord of the Rings Online. Instead, Player vs Monster Player (also known as PvMP or Monster Play)[15] allows players to create "Monster player" characters and engage Free People in combat in special secluded areas.

Monster player classes are Orc Reaver, Orc Defiler, Spider Weaver, Uruk Blackarrow, Uruk Warleader and Warg Stalker. Monster player characters are fixed in level and advance by gaining Infamy Ranks for killing Free People characters instead. Monster players can not equip items, but can use consumable buffs and can be customized with various appearance traits. They can form a groups or "Warbands" but are unable to leave the confines of the PvMP area. Originally, the only PvMP area was the Ettenmoors, where Free Players could travel and battle Monster players for control over the five keeps and minor outposts.[16] In July 2015, a second PvMP area was added in the ruins of Osgiliath.[17]

Plot edit

The main or "Epic" storyline is told across "Volumes", which are released in "Books" consisting of a series of quests called "Chapters".

Volume I: Shadows of Angmar edit

The first Epic Volume starts shortly after Frodo and his friends had left the Shire. The players arrive to Bree, where they become acquainted with Aragorn and Gandalf and get involved in the larger affairs of Middle-Earth. After initially following in the footsteps of Aragorn and the Hobbits to Weathertop and the Trollshaws, the players soon get involved into a campaign against the resurgent Kingdom Angmar. Mordirith, Steward of The Witch-king of Angmar is driven away from Carn Dûm, prompting Sauron's other servants - Amarthiel and Mordrambor - to vie for his position. Amarthiel, a former elf-smith of Eregion, used to wield a minor Ring of Power of her own, which she finds and reclaims it despite the player's efforts. Mordrambor betrays Amarthiel to Mordirith and kills her father Laerdan to mock her, however the grief allows Narmeleth, Amarthiel's original personality to resurface. To avenge her father, Narmeleth leads the player into the fortress of the enemy by secret ways, killing Mordrambor and destroying the Ring that controlled her along the way. She drives Mordirith away once again at the cost of her life, her redemption earning her peace in the Undying Lands.

Volume II: Mines of Moria edit

Under orders of King Dain Ironfoot, the Iron Garrison of dwarves from Erebor is sent to investigate and potentially reclaim Moria. By sheer luck, they arrive mere days after Gandalf had defeated Durin's Bane and threw the denizens of Moria into disarray. Using the power vacuum in the wake of the Balrog's demise, the dwarves quickly claim major ground and establish several footholds within Khazad-dûm, but their fortunes start to turn as the evil in Moria begins to unite under new leadership. Making an alliance with the Elves of Lothlorien the dwarves attempt to hold their ground when a emissary of Sauron arrives from Dol Guldur to put an end to their expedition. This story concludes in the Siege of Mirkwood expansion where the Galadhrim launch a major assault against Dol Guldur in an effort to draw the Eye of the enemy away from the Fellowship as it departs from Lorien.

Volume III: Allies of the King edit

The player joins the Grey Company led by Halbarad and the Sons of Elrond that rides south to the aid Aragorn in Rohan. The Rangers of the North encounter several perils, first losing several in Enedwaith and then suffering from a major betrayal in Dunland. Saruman's forces block the company's passage across the Fords of Isen and as the Rangers recuperate, Lady Galadriel summons the player to Lorien and urges them to follow the Fellowship down the river Anduin. Accompanied by a girl from Dunland, an elf from Lorien and a man from Rohan, the player tracks the Fellowship to the Falls of Rauros, after which they follow the Three Hunters into the land of Rohan where they become involved in the affairs of the local rulers. The player fights in the battle of Helm's Deep, after which they accompany King Théoden to confront Saruman at Orthanc where the Rangers of the North finally meet with Aragorn.

Volume IV: The Strength of Sauron edit

After the Grey Company follows into the Paths of the Dead, the player follows them and arrived into Gondor, now besieged by the Corsairs of Umbar. After making a stop at Dol Amroth, the player catches up with Aragorn's forces and takes part in the Battle of Pelargir, after which Aragorn bids them to find either Faramir or Gandalf in Minas Tirith while his men will sail up Anduin aboard the Corsair ships. Unable to pass through the enemy blockade at Harlond, the player takes a detour through Ithilien and eventually reaches the besieged Osgiliath, narrowly escaping with the remaining Ithilien Rangers and reaching the White City just as Faramir is shot by a Morgul dart and rendered unconscious. The player assists Gandalf in preparing the city for a siege and just before the city gates are shut is sent by the wizard to find King Théoden's forces. The player reunites with Riders of Rohan in the Drúedain forest and fights in the battle of the Pelennor Fields. They then join the assembled Host of the West that marches through North Ithilien into Dagorlad and fights at the Battle of the Black Gates from where they see the One Ring destroyed and the forces of Sauron finally defeated.

The Black Book of Mordor: Where the Shadows Lie edit

The Free Peoples of Middle-Earth begin to explore the lands of Mordor which were closed to them for over a thousand years. Assisting Gandalf, the player learns of the Gúrzyul – powerful servants of the Enemy which unlike the Nazgûl did not perish with him and continue to pose a danger to the people of Middle-Earth. One of the Gúrzyul known as Karazgar the Weeping Warrior has been suspiciously absent from the power struggle in Mordor, having escaped into the northern lands. The player character and Gandalf give chase after him, through the ruins of Dol Guldur into the halls of King Thranduil, eventually leading to the Kingdom Under the Mountain, now rules by Dain's son Thorin III. On an errand for Thorin III in the Iron Hills, the player finds an artifact from Mordor – a Black Book which they deliver to Gandalf for safekeeping. Karazgar's forces assault Erebor but are repelled, and a company of dwarves departs to reclaim their ancient strongholds in Ered Mithrin, believing them to be safe after the demise of Sauron. They battle against Karazgar until Gandalf reveals his weakness and learns that Karazgar desires the very book that he carries and Gandalf departs to the lands of Beornings to get the Black Book away from Karazgar. An encounter in the Gladden Fields sends Gandalf and the player back to Mordor, just as the forces of Gondor advance on Minas Morgul. The player joins Faramir's White Company and with the help of Gandalf and the Rangers manages to defeat Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul and second-in-command to the Witch-king of Angmar.

The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves edit

Emboldened by the success in the Grey Mountains, son of King Thorin III Prince Durin wishes to reclaim the ancestral dwarven stronghold of Gundabad. His Longbeards are joined by a host of dwarves from another clan of the East who also lay claim upon the Mountain-Home. Bolstered by reinforcements from Erebor and the Iron Garrison recently driven from Moria, the dwarves clash with the Orcs of Gundabad in front of ancestral peaks. They achieve a minor victory only to learn that Orcs are not their biggest problem: Gundabad has been claimed by a Frost-Dragon, her brood of drakes and their Hobgoblin servants. The host of dwarves make their way inside the mountain where they find the remaining survivors of Angmar involved in the conflict as well. Deep beneath Gundabad During has an experience which causes him to remember his past lives and recognize himself and Durin the Seventh, the forefather of the dwarves returned. His ancient knowledge of Gundabad and its enemies allows the dwarves to gain an upper hand by pitting their opponents against one another. The Angmarim ally with Hobgoblins against the Orcs only to be betrayed by their master, while the death of the Son of Bolg throws the orcs and goblins into disarray. Eventually the dragon herself is defeated, allowing the dwarves to reclaim their ancient home and settle their differences for the common cause.

Development and release edit

Sierra On-Line announced the development of a licensed Middle-earth MMORPG in 1998.[18] Sierra had financial troubles in 1999 and replaced the staff working on the game. Sierra continued to confirm development of the MMORPG but did not release any development details. Vivendi Universal Games, the parent company of Sierra, secured eight-year rights to produce computer and video games based on The Lord of the Rings books in 2001. Vivendi announced an agreement with Turbine in 2003 to produce Middle-earth Online, at that time expected to be released in 2004. In March 2005, Turbine announced that it had bought the rights to make a MMORPG based on Tolkien's literature and that Turbine would publish The Lord of the Rings Online instead of Vivendi.[19] In February 2006, it was announced that Midway Games would co-publish the game with Turbine.[20] A closed beta was announced on September 8, 2006. An open beta began on March 30, 2007, and was open to all who pre-ordered the game's Founders Club edition. On April 6, 2007, the beta opened to the public.

In April 2007, Salon.com reported[21] that the game had dropped a planned feature for in-game player marriage because of the controversy around the possibility of same-sex[22] and inter-species[23] weddings. One developer stated that the design rule was for weddings to be allowed if examples could be found in the book, as between elves and humans. An online magazine for gay gamers, GayGamer.net, commented that while Tolkien was a devout Christian, his stance on gay rights remains unknown as the topic was not a public issue at the time.[24] Video game critic Ian Bogost compared it to the case of The Sims 2, which did allow same-sex marriage three years prior.[25][26]

In January 2014 it was announced that the license for The Lord of the Rings Online had been renewed between Turbine and Middle-earth Enterprises to 2017.[27] Executive producer Aaron Campbell transferred to other duties in 2015, and Dungeons and Dragons Online franchise director Athena Peters replaced him. Peters announced a new roadmap for the future of Lord of the Rings Online, including improvements to the legendary item system, new fellowship quests, and various "quality of life" fixes.[28] Also on the agenda for the summer of 2015 were server merges and new datacenters.[29] On December 19, 2016, it was announced that Turbine would no longer develop the game; rather, a new independent game studio was formed under the name Standing Stone Games, to be staffed by the people that had been working on The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online under Turbine before. The publishing of the game would transfer from Warner Brothers to Daybreak Game Company. While a reason was not given for the transition, it was assured that the game would continue with new development.[1][30]

Releases and subscription model edit

In North America, players who pre-ordered the game were offered a special founder's offer, a lifetime subscription for $199 or reduced cost of $9.99 per month. The standard monthly fee is $14.99 with three-, six-, and twelve-month renewal discounts. Lifetime discounts are similarly available. European players had a similar program from Codemasters. A holiday subscription was available in December 2007 and January 2008 for $9.99/month for a three-month commitment. A special edition, which cost $10 more than the regular edition, included a full-color manual, an item called "Glass of Aglaral", a cloak of regeneration, which is visually different from the one in the regular edition, a "Making of" DVD, a soundtrack, and a ten-day buddy key. The one-year anniversary edition included a $9.99/month subscription or a $199.99 Lifetime subscription, which was again offered during the lead-up to the release of Mines of Moria. However, the lifetime subscription option is no longer available and is unlikely to return.[31]

On June 4, 2010, it was announced the game was to add a free-to-play option in the autumn, with an in-game store. Free-to-play was launched in North America on September 10, 2010. After a delay in Europe, free-to-play went live on November 2, 2010.[32] During the following six months the company reported tripled revenues from the title.[33] On April 26, 2011, it was announced that Codemasters would relinquish control of the European service back to Turbine, and on June 1, the servers were transferred. After a transition period of a few days, they reopened under a unified The Lord of the Rings Online global service. Finally, on June 6, 2012, The Lord of the Rings Online was made available for download on Steam. On November 1, 2012, a beta of the OS X version was released[34] and a 64-bit client was added in June 2019.[35] On April 20, 2022, the end of life for the 32-bit client was announced to be scheduled for January 1, 2023. At the same time as that announcement, to celebrate the game's 15th anniversary, all expansions and quest packs up to and including the game's Helm's Deep expansion were made permanently free to all players. In addition, all paying subscribers were given access to Standard Editions of the game's Mordor, Minas Morgul, and War of Three Peaks expansions for the duration of their subscription.[36]

Soundtrack edit

The game features a variety of original music, with most regions and instances containing a selection of specific themes, most of which were composed by either acclaimed video game composer Chance Thomas or in-house composers including Stephen Digregorio, Geoff Scott, Brad Spears, Egan Budd, Matt Harwood and Bill Champagne. According to Thomas, all references that were made to the music of the peoples of Middle-earth in the books were used to extrapolate as much information as possible about the instruments and styles that each race would have used to create their music. This information was then used as the basis for creating the score.[37] In the first two years of the game Thomas and DiGregorio each contributed roughly half of all music, which was released as a soundtrack CD available with the Special Edition of 2007's "Shadows of Angmar" or pre-order of 2008's Mines of Moria expansion, in addition to 61 songs that were made available for free in mp3 format using a download manager released by Turbine.[38] Their collaboration continued on the Mines of Moria soundtrack, released as a CD with the Collector's Edition of the expansion.

Neither Siege of Mirkwood nor Rise of Isengard expansions received a dedicated soundtrack release, with no music added to the game between 2009 and 2012 made officially available until the Riders of Rohan expansion, for which Chance Thomas returned to work on LOTRO after years of absence, releasing a soundtrack available both on CD and as a digital download. Music for the next year's Helm's Deep expansion was entirely composed by Stephen DiGregorio and was released as an album on SoundCloud[39] while music added between 2013 and 2017 was likewise not covered by any official releases. In 2017 Chance Thomas returned once more to contribute music to the game, releasing a soundtrack album for the Mordor expansion in addition to a commemorative 10th Anniversary Soundtrack, which covered a collection of his work for the game from all previous soundtracks. After Mordor all music so far has been composed by Bill Champagne, with full soundtracks for free updates and expansions alike released on the game's YouTube channel. The soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings Online has received much praise for its quality and variety.[40][41]

In keeping with Tolkien's heavy use of song and music in his books,[42] The Lord of the Rings Online has a player music sub-system akin to MIDI that has been the subject of a Harvard anthropological study.[43] Characters on reaching level 5 can learn to play musical instruments, including Bagpipes, Clarinet, Cowbell, Drum, Harp, Horn, Lute, Pibgorn, and Theorbo. Using keyboard macros, instruments can be played in real time on three octaves and abc notation, with the music broadcast to nearby player characters. Players can also play pre-programmed pieces from user-created .ABC script files using the game's music notation, similar to MIDI files. Players often hold impromptu public performances, in solo or as bands at places such as The Prancing Pony Inn in Bree. Communities also regularly organize music events and mini-concerts such as "Weatherstock": Woodstock above the Weathertop.[44]

Reception edit

The Lord of the Rings Online received wide acclaim.[45]

GameDaily awarded the game 9/10, praising its rich, fantasy-themed universe, well-integrated trait and title system, and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien. Yahoo! Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions, awarding the game a score of 4/5,[50] while Computer and Video Games called the game an essential purchase for Lord of the Rings fans, scoring the game a 9.2/10.[51] Eurogamer scored the game a 9.0/10, calling it tough to resist.[52] GameSpy gave it 4.5/5 stars, claiming the game "opened up Middle-Earth to the masses" but commented negatively on its weak PvP content,[53] while GameTrailers awarded it 8.5/10,[54] citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre. IGN ranked it a similar 8.6/10, praising it for its solid experience, though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre.[55] The New York Times called the game "a major achievement of interactive storytelling, the first game truly worthy of the ‘Lord of the Rings' franchise and a must-play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment."[56] In a GameSpot review, the product was awarded an 8.3/10, praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature.[57] GamePro's review gave it an overall 4.25/5, pointing out how engaging the epic quests are, as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay.[58]

GameSpy declared The Lord of the Rings Online 'Game of the Month' for May 2007.[59] Midway announced that the game sold over 172,000 copies in North America during its second quarter.[60]

In August 2007, Codemasters announced that The Lord of the Rings Online had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game,[61] and in October 2007 that it had won the "PC Game of the Year" at these awards.[62] It won the same award again in October 2008.

In 2007, GameSpy awarded The Lord of the Rings Online 6th place in the top ten PC games of the year.[63] Turbine also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award.[64]

In 2010, RPGFan's Adam Tingle named The Lord of the Rings Online the best MMORPG of all time in a top-10 countdown[65] while RPGLand gave its "Best Free-to-Play MMORPG" annual award.[66] That year, the NPD Group reported that the game was "the third most played massively multiplayer role-playing game" with Turbine citing their free-to-play model as the reason for the growing subscriber base.[67]

In January 2011, PC Gamer chose The Lord of the Rings Online as the MMO of the year.[68] Praise was given for treating fans to two new Epic Books' worth of quests, two added regions, expansion of in-game events, improved UI elements, and the revamp of the character creation and starter regions. Also noted was the success of the move to free-to-play, stating that The Lord of the Rings Online is "quickly redefining the way a successful subscriptionless MMO is run."

In both 2018 and 2019, gaming blog Massively (formerly known as Joystiq) rated The Lord of the Rings Online as Most Underrated MMORPG of the year for its expansions and updates, vast, diverse world, some excellent storytelling, and a friendly and dedicated community.[69]

Notes edit

  1. ^ The game was formerly developed by Turbine.
  2. ^ The game was formerly published by Turbine, Midway Games, Codemasters in Europe, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

References edit

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External links edit

  • Official website

lord, rings, online, this, article, about, massively, multiplayer, online, role, playing, game, online, card, game, trading, card, game, massively, multiplayer, online, role, playing, game, mmorpg, microsoft, windows, tolkien, middle, earth, taking, place, dur. This article is about the massively multiplayer online role playing game For the online card game see The Lord of the Rings Online Trading Card Game The Lord of the Rings Online is a massively multiplayer online role playing game MMORPG for Microsoft Windows and OS X set in J R R Tolkien s Middle earth taking place during the time period of The Lord of the Rings Originally developed by Turbine the game launched in North America Australia Japan and Europe in April 2007 as The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar Players could create characters of four races and seven classes and adventure throughout the region of Eriador In November 2008 the Mines of Moria expansion was released adding the region of Moria and two new playable classes It was followed by the Siege of Mirkwood in December 2009 In 2010 the game underwent a shift from its original subscription based payment model to being free to play The Lord of the Rings OnlineDeveloper s Standing Stone Games a Publisher s Daybreak Game Company b Platform s Microsoft WindowsOS XReleaseApril 24 2007Genre s Massively multiplayer online role playing gameMode s MultiplayerThe game saw continued development alternating between paid expansions and free updates which added new content in the regions of Isengard Rohan and Gondor In late 2016 it was announced that the publishing of the game would transfer from Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment to Daybreak Game Company with development being taken over by Standing Stone Games made up of former Turbine staff 1 The game development continued and in 2017 the Mordor expansion was released bringing the main storyline to a close The game then shifted to portraying the aftermath the downfall of Sauron as well telling the Tales of Yore which chronologically precede the main story with Minas Morgul expansion released in 2019 2 and the Fate of Gundabad expansion released in 2021 3 Contents 1 Gameplay 1 1 Classes and races 1 2 Group Instances 1 3 Game World 1 4 Player vs Monster Player 2 Plot 2 1 Volume I Shadows of Angmar 2 2 Volume II Mines of Moria 2 3 Volume III Allies of the King 2 4 Volume IV The Strength of Sauron 2 5 The Black Book of Mordor Where the Shadows Lie 2 6 The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves 3 Development and release 3 1 Releases and subscription model 3 2 Soundtrack 4 Reception 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksGameplay editSimilar to other MMORPGs players control a character avatar within the game world interacts with objects NPCs and other players Characters gain levels by earning experience points acquiring both new skills and trait points which can be assigned in various configurations to customize personal playstyle Players traverse the game world either on foot using personal mounts or via instantaneous travel options Players improve their characters by upgrading their equipment and can customize their look with the Cosmetic System which can display armour and weapons other than those used for combat effectiveness Characters also earn Reputation with various factions in the world completing progressive tiers which unlock various rewards from cosmetic pets and outfits to superior quality weapons and armour The crafting system allows each character to master up to three professions which are separated into gathering of raw materials and actual crafting of usable items Per the characterization of Hobbits in Tolkien s writings significant emphasis is placed on cooking and agricultural farming Characters have a Wallet for various currencies with gold silver and copper coins earned from most game activities and used for various common purchases Many world regions group instances and seasonal festivals feature their own unique currencies which can neither be earned nor spend outside them The in game store uses LOTRO points which can be both purchased with real money and earned in game Players can own personal houses which can be decorated and provide access to facilities and additional storage space Four themed neighbourhoods that are free for all are located in the original starter zones for Men Dwarves Elves and Hobbits More neighbourhoods with larger houses and more decorating options are located in Gondor 4 Rohan 5 and Erebor 6 and purchased with microtransaction Subsequent updates and expansions introduced other systems to the game Mines of Moria added Legendary items intended to stay with the player throughout the game as opposed to being constantly replaced with better options Each characters has one class specific legendary weapon and one supplementary item which increase in power alongside the character s level and can be enhanced with additional modifiers that affect the character s stats or skill behaviour Riders of Rohan introduced mounted combat with new rohirric war steeds that allow players to execute attacks and other skills while on horseback War steeds have stats like those of player characters and can be customized by selecting different types of war steeds investing in different trait lines and switching between different mounted stances Players can customize the look of their war steeds by mix and matching various appearance traits 7 Gondor introduced essence gear with empty slots that can be enhanced with desired stats allowing players to further customize armour to their playstyle Classes and races edit Lord of the Rings Online launched with four playable races Dwarves Elves Hobbits and Men 8 In 2014 the new race of Beornings was added although only for the new class of the same name 9 In 2017 the Mordor expansion added the new High Elf race 10 In 2019 a race of Stout Axe Dwarves was added with the Minas Morgul expansion representing a dwarven clan from the far east of Middle Earth with an appearance distinct from that of Longbeard dwarves and allowing players to choose the gender of those dwarven characters 11 unlike the original Dwarven race which only allows male presenting characters The original seven character classes in the game are Burglar Captain Champion Guardian Hunter Lore master and Minstrel Mines of Moria added two more classes Rune Keeper and Warden A Beorning class was added in a regular update in November 2014 9 followed by the Brawler class in 2021 which was included in the Fate of Gundabad expansion 12 All classes can further specialize in one of three trait lines that further determine their skills and combat role In addition to Class traits Racial and Virtue traits can also be allocated to further modify class performance Group Instances edit Players can form groups of up to six characters in fellowships which can be further combined into raids of up to four fellowships Fellowships are required to complete various group instances which come in several distinct variations A typical instance alternates between groups of strong enemies and boss encounters with special mechanics that provide a chest of rewards upon defeat Raids are similar to instances but feature raid locks allowing progress of a difficult raid to be tracked across multiple game sessions Skirmishes introduced with the Siege of Mirkwood expansion feature both enemy groups of random composition and randomized Skirmish Lieutenant encounters across the instance Epic Battles introduced with the Helm s Deep expansion represent large scale battles in which friendly NPCs engage the enemy alongside the player characters whose focus lies on supporting their allies and completing specific objectives as opposed to simply defeating all enemies Many group instances can be played on different group sizes levels and tiers of difficulty for progressively higher rewards 13 Game World edit The game is set J R R Tolkien s Middle earth based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit as its license does not cover rights to any other works in Tolkien s legendarium such as The Silmarillion 14 The game features a day night cycle and various atmospheric and weather effects which differ from day to day The world is divided into four larger sections of Eriador Rhovanion Gondor and Mordor It is then divided into distinct Regions which are then further sub divided into Areas Each region contains NPCs and quests intended for a certain character level range with the main Epic storyline serving as a guide between the areas of a region and regions of the world in the intended order Each Region is fixed at a specific time period during the War of the Ring despite the passage of time in the main story because of this characters such as Gandalf or Aragorn can appear at multiple places simultaneously if those places are set during different portions of the story Some of these locations are permanently accessible in more than one state players can freely move from Isengard flooded by the Ents to Isengard at the height of Saruman s power and from Minas Tirith s rebuilding after the battle of the Pelennor Fields to Minas Tirith before the battle with the enemy still beyond the wall Player vs Monster Player edit Classic PvP combat found in many other games does not exist in The Lord of the Rings Online Instead Player vs Monster Player also known as PvMP or Monster Play 15 allows players to create Monster player characters and engage Free People in combat in special secluded areas Monster player classes are Orc Reaver Orc Defiler Spider Weaver Uruk Blackarrow Uruk Warleader and Warg Stalker Monster player characters are fixed in level and advance by gaining Infamy Ranks for killing Free People characters instead Monster players can not equip items but can use consumable buffs and can be customized with various appearance traits They can form a groups or Warbands but are unable to leave the confines of the PvMP area Originally the only PvMP area was the Ettenmoors where Free Players could travel and battle Monster players for control over the five keeps and minor outposts 16 In July 2015 a second PvMP area was added in the ruins of Osgiliath 17 Plot editThe main or Epic storyline is told across Volumes which are released in Books consisting of a series of quests called Chapters Volume I Shadows of Angmar edit The first Epic Volume starts shortly after Frodo and his friends had left the Shire The players arrive to Bree where they become acquainted with Aragorn and Gandalf and get involved in the larger affairs of Middle Earth After initially following in the footsteps of Aragorn and the Hobbits to Weathertop and the Trollshaws the players soon get involved into a campaign against the resurgent Kingdom Angmar Mordirith Steward of The Witch king of Angmar is driven away from Carn Dum prompting Sauron s other servants Amarthiel and Mordrambor to vie for his position Amarthiel a former elf smith of Eregion used to wield a minor Ring of Power of her own which she finds and reclaims it despite the player s efforts Mordrambor betrays Amarthiel to Mordirith and kills her father Laerdan to mock her however the grief allows Narmeleth Amarthiel s original personality to resurface To avenge her father Narmeleth leads the player into the fortress of the enemy by secret ways killing Mordrambor and destroying the Ring that controlled her along the way She drives Mordirith away once again at the cost of her life her redemption earning her peace in the Undying Lands Volume II Mines of Moria edit Main article The Lord of the Rings Online Mines of Moria Storyline Under orders of King Dain Ironfoot the Iron Garrison of dwarves from Erebor is sent to investigate and potentially reclaim Moria By sheer luck they arrive mere days after Gandalf had defeated Durin s Bane and threw the denizens of Moria into disarray Using the power vacuum in the wake of the Balrog s demise the dwarves quickly claim major ground and establish several footholds within Khazad dum but their fortunes start to turn as the evil in Moria begins to unite under new leadership Making an alliance with the Elves of Lothlorien the dwarves attempt to hold their ground when a emissary of Sauron arrives from Dol Guldur to put an end to their expedition This story concludes in the Siege of Mirkwood expansion where the Galadhrim launch a major assault against Dol Guldur in an effort to draw the Eye of the enemy away from the Fellowship as it departs from Lorien Volume III Allies of the King edit Main articles The Lord of the Rings Online Siege of Mirkwood Storyline The Lord of the Rings Online Rise of Isengard Storyline The Lord of the Rings Online Riders of Rohan Storyline and The Lord of the Rings Online Helm s Deep Storyline The player joins the Grey Company led by Halbarad and the Sons of Elrond that rides south to the aid Aragorn in Rohan The Rangers of the North encounter several perils first losing several in Enedwaith and then suffering from a major betrayal in Dunland Saruman s forces block the company s passage across the Fords of Isen and as the Rangers recuperate Lady Galadriel summons the player to Lorien and urges them to follow the Fellowship down the river Anduin Accompanied by a girl from Dunland an elf from Lorien and a man from Rohan the player tracks the Fellowship to the Falls of Rauros after which they follow the Three Hunters into the land of Rohan where they become involved in the affairs of the local rulers The player fights in the battle of Helm s Deep after which they accompany King Theoden to confront Saruman at Orthanc where the Rangers of the North finally meet with Aragorn Volume IV The Strength of Sauron edit After the Grey Company follows into the Paths of the Dead the player follows them and arrived into Gondor now besieged by the Corsairs of Umbar After making a stop at Dol Amroth the player catches up with Aragorn s forces and takes part in the Battle of Pelargir after which Aragorn bids them to find either Faramir or Gandalf in Minas Tirith while his men will sail up Anduin aboard the Corsair ships Unable to pass through the enemy blockade at Harlond the player takes a detour through Ithilien and eventually reaches the besieged Osgiliath narrowly escaping with the remaining Ithilien Rangers and reaching the White City just as Faramir is shot by a Morgul dart and rendered unconscious The player assists Gandalf in preparing the city for a siege and just before the city gates are shut is sent by the wizard to find King Theoden s forces The player reunites with Riders of Rohan in the Druedain forest and fights in the battle of the Pelennor Fields They then join the assembled Host of the West that marches through North Ithilien into Dagorlad and fights at the Battle of the Black Gates from where they see the One Ring destroyed and the forces of Sauron finally defeated The Black Book of Mordor Where the Shadows Lie edit Main articles The Lord of the Rings Online Mordor Storyline and The Lord of the Rings Online Minas Morgul Storyline The Free Peoples of Middle Earth begin to explore the lands of Mordor which were closed to them for over a thousand years Assisting Gandalf the player learns of the Gurzyul powerful servants of the Enemy which unlike the Nazgul did not perish with him and continue to pose a danger to the people of Middle Earth One of the Gurzyul known as Karazgar the Weeping Warrior has been suspiciously absent from the power struggle in Mordor having escaped into the northern lands The player character and Gandalf give chase after him through the ruins of Dol Guldur into the halls of King Thranduil eventually leading to the Kingdom Under the Mountain now rules by Dain s son Thorin III On an errand for Thorin III in the Iron Hills the player finds an artifact from Mordor a Black Book which they deliver to Gandalf for safekeeping Karazgar s forces assault Erebor but are repelled and a company of dwarves departs to reclaim their ancient strongholds in Ered Mithrin believing them to be safe after the demise of Sauron They battle against Karazgar until Gandalf reveals his weakness and learns that Karazgar desires the very book that he carries and Gandalf departs to the lands of Beornings to get the Black Book away from Karazgar An encounter in the Gladden Fields sends Gandalf and the player back to Mordor just as the forces of Gondor advance on Minas Morgul The player joins Faramir s White Company and with the help of Gandalf and the Rangers manages to defeat Gothmog Lieutenant of Morgul and second in command to the Witch king of Angmar The Legacy of Durin and the Trials of the Dwarves edit Main articles The Lord of the Rings Online War of Three Peaks Storyline and The Lord of the Rings Online Fate of Gundabad Storyline Emboldened by the success in the Grey Mountains son of King Thorin III Prince Durin wishes to reclaim the ancestral dwarven stronghold of Gundabad His Longbeards are joined by a host of dwarves from another clan of the East who also lay claim upon the Mountain Home Bolstered by reinforcements from Erebor and the Iron Garrison recently driven from Moria the dwarves clash with the Orcs of Gundabad in front of ancestral peaks They achieve a minor victory only to learn that Orcs are not their biggest problem Gundabad has been claimed by a Frost Dragon her brood of drakes and their Hobgoblin servants The host of dwarves make their way inside the mountain where they find the remaining survivors of Angmar involved in the conflict as well Deep beneath Gundabad During has an experience which causes him to remember his past lives and recognize himself and Durin the Seventh the forefather of the dwarves returned His ancient knowledge of Gundabad and its enemies allows the dwarves to gain an upper hand by pitting their opponents against one another The Angmarim ally with Hobgoblins against the Orcs only to be betrayed by their master while the death of the Son of Bolg throws the orcs and goblins into disarray Eventually the dragon herself is defeated allowing the dwarves to reclaim their ancient home and settle their differences for the common cause Development and release editSierra On Line announced the development of a licensed Middle earth MMORPG in 1998 18 Sierra had financial troubles in 1999 and replaced the staff working on the game Sierra continued to confirm development of the MMORPG but did not release any development details Vivendi Universal Games the parent company of Sierra secured eight year rights to produce computer and video games based on The Lord of the Rings books in 2001 Vivendi announced an agreement with Turbine in 2003 to produce Middle earth Online at that time expected to be released in 2004 In March 2005 Turbine announced that it had bought the rights to make a MMORPG based on Tolkien s literature and that Turbine would publish The Lord of the Rings Online instead of Vivendi 19 In February 2006 it was announced that Midway Games would co publish the game with Turbine 20 A closed beta was announced on September 8 2006 An open beta began on March 30 2007 and was open to all who pre ordered the game s Founders Club edition On April 6 2007 the beta opened to the public In April 2007 Salon com reported 21 that the game had dropped a planned feature for in game player marriage because of the controversy around the possibility of same sex 22 and inter species 23 weddings One developer stated that the design rule was for weddings to be allowed if examples could be found in the book as between elves and humans An online magazine for gay gamers GayGamer net commented that while Tolkien was a devout Christian his stance on gay rights remains unknown as the topic was not a public issue at the time 24 Video game critic Ian Bogost compared it to the case of The Sims 2 which did allow same sex marriage three years prior 25 26 In January 2014 it was announced that the license for The Lord of the Rings Online had been renewed between Turbine and Middle earth Enterprises to 2017 27 Executive producer Aaron Campbell transferred to other duties in 2015 and Dungeons and Dragons Online franchise director Athena Peters replaced him Peters announced a new roadmap for the future of Lord of the Rings Online including improvements to the legendary item system new fellowship quests and various quality of life fixes 28 Also on the agenda for the summer of 2015 were server merges and new datacenters 29 On December 19 2016 it was announced that Turbine would no longer develop the game rather a new independent game studio was formed under the name Standing Stone Games to be staffed by the people that had been working on The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons amp Dragons Online under Turbine before The publishing of the game would transfer from Warner Brothers to Daybreak Game Company While a reason was not given for the transition it was assured that the game would continue with new development 1 30 Releases and subscription model edit In North America players who pre ordered the game were offered a special founder s offer a lifetime subscription for 199 or reduced cost of 9 99 per month The standard monthly fee is 14 99 with three six and twelve month renewal discounts Lifetime discounts are similarly available European players had a similar program from Codemasters A holiday subscription was available in December 2007 and January 2008 for 9 99 month for a three month commitment A special edition which cost 10 more than the regular edition included a full color manual an item called Glass of Aglaral a cloak of regeneration which is visually different from the one in the regular edition a Making of DVD a soundtrack and a ten day buddy key The one year anniversary edition included a 9 99 month subscription or a 199 99 Lifetime subscription which was again offered during the lead up to the release of Mines of Moria However the lifetime subscription option is no longer available and is unlikely to return 31 On June 4 2010 it was announced the game was to add a free to play option in the autumn with an in game store Free to play was launched in North America on September 10 2010 After a delay in Europe free to play went live on November 2 2010 32 During the following six months the company reported tripled revenues from the title 33 On April 26 2011 it was announced that Codemasters would relinquish control of the European service back to Turbine and on June 1 the servers were transferred After a transition period of a few days they reopened under a unified The Lord of the Rings Online global service Finally on June 6 2012 The Lord of the Rings Online was made available for download on Steam On November 1 2012 a beta of the OS X version was released 34 and a 64 bit client was added in June 2019 35 On April 20 2022 the end of life for the 32 bit client was announced to be scheduled for January 1 2023 At the same time as that announcement to celebrate the game s 15th anniversary all expansions and quest packs up to and including the game s Helm s Deep expansion were made permanently free to all players In addition all paying subscribers were given access to Standard Editions of the game s Mordor Minas Morgul and War of Three Peaks expansions for the duration of their subscription 36 Soundtrack edit The game features a variety of original music with most regions and instances containing a selection of specific themes most of which were composed by either acclaimed video game composer Chance Thomas or in house composers including Stephen Digregorio Geoff Scott Brad Spears Egan Budd Matt Harwood and Bill Champagne According to Thomas all references that were made to the music of the peoples of Middle earth in the books were used to extrapolate as much information as possible about the instruments and styles that each race would have used to create their music This information was then used as the basis for creating the score 37 In the first two years of the game Thomas and DiGregorio each contributed roughly half of all music which was released as a soundtrack CD available with the Special Edition of 2007 s Shadows of Angmar or pre order of 2008 s Mines of Moria expansion in addition to 61 songs that were made available for free in mp3 format using a download manager released by Turbine 38 Their collaboration continued on the Mines of Moria soundtrack released as a CD with the Collector s Edition of the expansion Neither Siege of Mirkwood nor Rise of Isengard expansions received a dedicated soundtrack release with no music added to the game between 2009 and 2012 made officially available until the Riders of Rohan expansion for which Chance Thomas returned to work on LOTRO after years of absence releasing a soundtrack available both on CD and as a digital download Music for the next year s Helm s Deep expansion was entirely composed by Stephen DiGregorio and was released as an album on SoundCloud 39 while music added between 2013 and 2017 was likewise not covered by any official releases In 2017 Chance Thomas returned once more to contribute music to the game releasing a soundtrack album for the Mordor expansion in addition to a commemorative 10th Anniversary Soundtrack which covered a collection of his work for the game from all previous soundtracks After Mordor all music so far has been composed by Bill Champagne with full soundtracks for free updates and expansions alike released on the game s YouTube channel The soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings Online has received much praise for its quality and variety 40 41 In keeping with Tolkien s heavy use of song and music in his books 42 The Lord of the Rings Online has a player music sub system akin to MIDI that has been the subject of a Harvard anthropological study 43 Characters on reaching level 5 can learn to play musical instruments including Bagpipes Clarinet Cowbell Drum Harp Horn Lute Pibgorn and Theorbo Using keyboard macros instruments can be played in real time on three octaves and abc notation with the music broadcast to nearby player characters Players can also play pre programmed pieces from user created ABC script files using the game s music notation similar to MIDI files Players often hold impromptu public performances in solo or as bands at places such as The Prancing Pony Inn in Bree Communities also regularly organize music events and mini concerts such as Weatherstock Woodstock above the Weathertop 44 Reception editReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacritic86 100 45 Review scoresPublicationScore1Up comA 46 Eurogamer9 10 47 Game Informer8 5 10 48 GameSpot8 3 10 40 GameSpy4 5 5 49 IGN8 6 10 41 The Lord of the Rings Online received wide acclaim 45 GameDaily awarded the game 9 10 praising its rich fantasy themed universe well integrated trait and title system and a story that remains true to the works of Tolkien Yahoo Video Games wrote a review with few negative mentions awarding the game a score of 4 5 50 while Computer and Video Games called the game an essential purchase for Lord of the Rings fans scoring the game a 9 2 10 51 Eurogamer scored the game a 9 0 10 calling it tough to resist 52 GameSpy gave it 4 5 5 stars claiming the game opened up Middle Earth to the masses but commented negatively on its weak PvP content 53 while GameTrailers awarded it 8 5 10 54 citing its interesting tweaks to the MMO genre IGN ranked it a similar 8 6 10 praising it for its solid experience though criticizing it for its lack of major improvements to the genre 55 The New York Times called the game a major achievement of interactive storytelling the first game truly worthy of the Lord of the Rings franchise and a must play for just about anyone with an interest in Tolkien or the future of online entertainment 56 In a GameSpot review the product was awarded an 8 3 10 praising its appealing polish and intriguing Monster Play feature 57 GamePro s review gave it an overall 4 25 5 pointing out how engaging the epic quests are as well as how faithful to the novels the game managed to stay 58 GameSpy declared The Lord of the Rings Online Game of the Month for May 2007 59 Midway announced that the game sold over 172 000 copies in North America during its second quarter 60 In August 2007 Codemasters announced that The Lord of the Rings Online had received five Golden Joystick Awards nominations for the five applicable categories for the game 61 and in October 2007 that it had won the PC Game of the Year at these awards 62 It won the same award again in October 2008 In 2007 GameSpy awarded The Lord of the Rings Online 6th place in the top ten PC games of the year 63 Turbine also won the GameSpy MMO of the Year award 64 In 2010 RPGFan s Adam Tingle named The Lord of the Rings Online the best MMORPG of all time in a top 10 countdown 65 while RPGLand gave its Best Free to Play MMORPG annual award 66 That year the NPD Group reported that the game was the third most played massively multiplayer role playing game with Turbine citing their free to play model as the reason for the growing subscriber base 67 In January 2011 PC Gamer chose The Lord of the Rings Online as the MMO of the year 68 Praise was given for treating fans to two new Epic Books worth of quests two added regions expansion of in game events improved UI elements and the revamp of the character creation and starter regions Also noted was the success of the move to free to play stating that The Lord of the Rings Online is quickly redefining the way a successful subscriptionless MMO is run In both 2018 and 2019 gaming blog Massively formerly known as Joystiq rated The Lord of the Rings Online as Most Underrated MMORPG of the year for its expansions and updates vast diverse world some excellent storytelling and a friendly and dedicated community 69 Notes edit The game was formerly developed by Turbine The game was formerly published by Turbine Midway Games Codemasters in Europe and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment References edit a b Bree Royce December 19 2016 Turbine Spins Lord of the Rings Online and DDO Teams Out to New Studio Using Daybreak As Publisher Massively Overpowered Archived from the original on December 10 2017 Retrieved December 20 2016 Michael February 26 2019 Lord of the Rings Online Expansion to Include Minas Morgul and Shelob MMOCourt Archived from the original on August 27 2019 Retrieved August 27 2019 Cordovan November 10 2021 The Fate of Gundabad has arrived Standing Stone Games Archived from the original on November 13 2021 Retrieved November 13 2021 Dev Diary Premium Housing Turbine October 18 2016 Archived from the original on November 22 2016 Retrieved November 21 2016 Introducing Rohan Housing Archived from the original on November 13 2021 Retrieved November 13 2021 Jason Winter February 17 2022 LotRO s Rangers And Ruins Update Adds New Zone Erebor Housing And Legendary Item Track Archived from the original on February 6 2023 Retrieved January 13 2023 Anthony DiMento Riders of Rohan Developer Diary War Steeds Lotro com Archived from the original on October 21 2021 Retrieved February 22 2021 Characters The Lord of the Rings Online Archived from the original on November 29 2014 Retrieved November 26 2014 a b Justin Olivetti April 26 2014 The Road to Mordor Birthdays and Beornings in LotRO Engadget Archived from the original on January 13 2023 Retrieved January 13 2022 NOW AVAILABLE Mordor expansion and High elf Find the Mordor expansion and the new High elf race in the LOTRO Store in game LOTRO Twitter November 22 2017 Retrieved January 13 2023 Justin Olivetti August 3 2019 LOTRO announces Stout Axe Dwarves DDO reveals Alchemist class and permadeath server Massively Overpowered Archived from the original on August 27 2019 Retrieved August 27 2019 Thomas McNulty November 10 2021 Lord of the Rings Online Adds New Brawler Class Gundabad Region ScreenRant Archived from the original on November 22 2022 Retrieved January 13 2023 Epic Battles of Helm s Deep TenTonHammer November 3 2013 Archived from the original on March 17 2016 Retrieved January 13 2023 Is The Lord of the Rings Online LOTRO based on the movies or the books and What about The Silmarillion at the official FAQ Turbine n d Archived from the original on November 27 2007 Retrieved November 15 2007 Game Systems Monster Play Overview Turbine n d Archived from the original on February 25 2008 Retrieved March 8 2008 this reference is historical only Toh Weimin November 21 2014 An Analysis of Open World PvP in LOTRO s PvMP as a Case Study for PvP Games Press Start 1 1 37 58 Archived from the original on January 13 2023 Retrieved January 13 2023 Update 16 2 Release Notes Lotro com Archived from the original on April 20 2019 Retrieved May 2 2019 Middle earth Online Memories Part 1 Rpgvault ign com 2007 Archived from the original on June 9 2007 Retrieved April 22 2009 Turbine spin into action to secure Tolkien license Videogamer com March 24 2005 Archived from the original on May 2 2019 Retrieved May 2 2019 Midway Granted Rights to Lord of the Rings Online Game the One Ring February 26 2006 Archived from the original on February 25 2021 Retrieved May 23 2022 Katherine Glover April 28 2007 Why can t gay dwarves get married in Middle earth Salon Archived from the original on February 22 2011 Retrieved July 16 2011 Gay Marriage Flap Around New Lord of the Rings MMO GamePolitics com Archived from the original on November 24 2010 Retrieved July 16 2011 Flynn De Marco LOTR Online Just Says No To Same Sex Marriage Kotaku com Archived from the original on December 16 2007 We Wants The Gay Hobbitses And We Wants It Now FAD Media Inc Archived from the original on October 10 2011 Ian Bogost No marriage gay or otherwise in Middle Earth Archived from the original on March 23 2012 Retrieved July 16 2011 Clive Thompson The Game of Wife Slate Archived from the original on August 5 2011 Retrieved February 26 2014 Robert Purchese January 14 2014 Lord of the Rings Online licence renewed to 2017 Eurogamer Gamer Network Archived from the original on January 16 2014 Retrieved January 14 2014 LOTRO maps out 2015 vows to address server populations Update Engadget Archived from the original on April 20 2019 Retrieved May 2 2019 Summer Plans Include Server Merges amp New Datacenters Mmorpg com May 22 2015 Archived from the original on May 2 2019 Retrieved May 2 2019 Standing Stone Games Transition FAQ The Lord of the Rings Online Archived from the original on May 2 2019 Retrieved May 2 2019 Lord of the Rings Online Lifetime Subscriptions FAQs Turbine Support Turbine February 1 2012 First published 2010 Archived from the original on April 24 2012 Retrieved April 18 2012 Official Announcement Lotro com n d Archived from the original on June 23 2011 Retrieved June 17 2011 News Turbine Lord of the Rings Online Revenues Tripled As Free To Play Game Gamasutra com n d Archived from the original on December 9 2021 Retrieved June 17 2011 Reahard Jef November 1 2012 Lord of the Rings Online Mac beta released Joystiq AOL Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved December 21 2019 Update 24 Release Notes The Lord of the Rings Online Archived from the original on June 28 2019 Retrieved April 27 2020 Update 33 Release Notes The Lord of the Rings Online April 19 2022 Archived from the original on April 21 2022 Retrieved April 22 2022 Chance Thomas Invades Middle Earth IGN Archived from the original on May 28 2007 Retrieved June 12 2008 Lord of the Rings Online Download Manager Release Lord of the Rings Online Archived from the original on September 19 2008 Retrieved June 12 2008 Stephen DiGregorio November 8 2013 The Lord of the Rings Online Helm s Deep OST SoundCloud Archived from the original on April 16 2019 Retrieved March 6 2020 a b Kevin VanOrd May 10 2007 Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar Review GameSpot Archived from the original on May 13 2007 Retrieved April 24 2007 a b Onyett Charles May 11 2007 The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar Review Turbine s latest MMORPG delivers IGN Archived from the original on May 16 2007 Retrieved April 24 2007 Justin Olivetti The Road to Mordor Making music together Joystiq com Archived from the original on June 26 2012 Retrieved July 14 2012 William Cheng Role Playing toward a Virtual Musical Democracy in The Lord of the Rings Online University of Illinois Press Archived from the original on September 15 2012 Retrieved November 2 2017 Justin Olivetti LotRO musicians prepare for Weatherstock 2011 Joystiq com Archived from the original on August 10 2012 Retrieved July 14 2012 a b The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar for PC Reviews Metacritic Archived from the original on February 27 2019 Retrieved May 16 2019 Sharkey Scott May 15 2007 Reviews Lord of the Rings Online 1UP com Archived from the original on July 15 2007 Retrieved May 24 2008 Fahey Rob April 24 2007 Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar Review Eurogamer Archived from the original on January 30 2012 Retrieved May 1 2007 Biessener Adam Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar Game Informer Archived from the original on February 13 2008 Retrieved March 7 2008 Rausch Allen May 4 2007 Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar Review GameSpy Archived from the original on April 9 2008 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Review GameSpotUK Archived from the original on September 30 2007 Retrieved August 24 2007 Review The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar for PC GamePro Archived from the original on May 13 2007 Retrieved August 24 2007 Game of the Month May 2007 GameSpy Archived from the original on July 14 2007 Retrieved August 24 2007 Midway halves Q2 losses delays BlackSite Wheelman GameSpotAU Archived from the original on September 29 2007 Retrieved August 25 2007 Music and vice top games awards BBC News August 2007 Retrieved August 25 2007 Gears Wins Big at Golden Joysticks Edge Magazine Next gen biz October 26 2007 Archived from the original on September 4 2012 Retrieved June 17 2011 GameSpy s Game of the Year 2007 GameSpy Archived from the original on November 9 2012 Retrieved December 19 2007 Lord of the Rings Online Wins Top Honors from Gamespy Lord of the Rings Online Archived from the original on December 20 2007 Retrieved December 19 2007 RPGFan Top 10 MMORPG of All Time Rpgfan com Retrieved February 15 2011 permanent dead link RPGLand RPG of 2010 Rpgland com Retrieved February 15 2011 permanent dead link VanOrd Kevin June 13 2011 E3 2011 The Lord of the Rings Online Rise of Isengard Preview GameSpot Archived from the original on March 28 2016 Retrieved March 9 2016 PC Gamer US games of the year awards Pcgamer com January 11 2011 Archived from the original on January 16 2011 Retrieved January 23 2011 Massively OP s 2018 Awards Most Underrated MMO of 2018 Massively Overpowered December 9 2019 Archived from the original on January 3 2020 Retrieved April 27 2020 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Lord of the Rings Online Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Lord of the Rings Online amp oldid 1170497798, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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