Lord of The Rings Online.

[nash]

can you play as the evil characters like orcs and stuff? or is it only the "good guys" ?

 

[WetaWork]

can you play as the evil characters like orcs and stuff?

Yes, it's called "Monster Play". The game will be launching with four main monster races that you can play once you reach lvl 10. The spider, the warg, the orc, and the Uruk-hai. This will allow PvE play while maintaining Middle Earth lore. Hobbits killing hobbits, while fun to some, just doesn't go over well with Tolkien purists. I'm sure we will see this get expanded to other creatures as well, but don't expect to play as one of the Nine Wraiths.

Here's how the developers describe it in a recent dev chat:

https://lotro.warcry.com/news/view/68258-Developer-Chat-Log

WarCry: PsionicFox: Could you tell us a little more about how the monster PvP will work?
RingLeader: Whew! Well a lot to tell, so I'll start with an overview...
RingLeader: We were faced with an interesting challenge for LOTRO and PvP. We know that conflict in MMOs is very important to players, and the War of the Ring is all about Good vs. Evil. At the same time, though, we really don't want hobbits and elves mercilissly PK-ing each other on the steps of Bag-end.
RingLeader: This is the discussion that eventually led us to Monster Play as it is now in LOTRO. Basically, you are able to go into a vast, PvP-specific region (The Ettenmoors) as one of several iconic Tolkien monsters, and get into it with other high-level player characters. There's a lot to do in the region and you'll always have something to take on, whether NPC or player.
RingLeader: While playing in Monster Play, you'll be collecting Destiny Points, that you'll be able to use to upgrade your monster, or even spend as buffs on any of your Player Mains.
RingLeader: As you face off with other players, you'll be rewarded for kills with Infamy (Monsters) or Renown (players) and these will drive your overall PvMP Rating. You'll be ranked against your opponents and everyone else in the world.
RingLeader: Finally, there are controllable areas in the Ettenmoors that can be raided and controlled by either side.
RingLeader: There is a lot to talk about, but this should help give you a basic idea....

WarCry: H4x0ticu5266: Monster play seems to be more difficult than regular play. Will solo quest be added to MP or will this be the eventual difficulty of the game for players as well.
Annuvin: Monster play tends to be more difficult than regular play, since there tend to be pesky hobbitses hunting you while you're trying to do simple things, like despoil hobbit villages, or slaughter the free people of Middle-Earth.
Annuvin: With that said, we plan on having solo viable monster play quests, for those people that just want to be monstrous alone, without pestering anyone.

WarCry: Bokmal: Are raids instanced only? Or are there some contested encounters ( Open for everybody ) to fight over
Annuvin: Well, I'll interpret that as two questions:
Annuvin: 1 - We have Raid bosses on Landscape. They tend to hang out in Angmar, on the Witch King's (old?) lawn. Use caution! (as Mithril_Miser stated, they will eat you)
Annuvin: 2 - We have Monster Play. There will be plenty of Raid targets for everyone to fight over.

WarCry: FastDwarf: Will being Monstrous automatically ally you with the Witch King or the Dark Lord? Or is EVERONE your enemy?
Annuvin: Being a Monster more or less allies you with Angmar and the Witch-King (and a good thing too, since they need all the allies they can get!)
Annuvin: (I mean, have you seen the rate at which the 'heroes' kill off their minions? It's pretty large. Just today, you've killed 2,374 Orcs!)
Annuvin: Anyhow, while there is some infighting among the forces of Darkness, the Witch King doesn't really incentivize it, and the Orcs don't want to lose their HMO (for reasons covered above).

WarCry: Erunaman411: Will monsters be able to brawl or even kill other monsters? (Think of the end of Two Towers and outset of Return of the King with the orcs in Mordor)
Annuvin: Monsters can in fact slaughter other monsters. They don't fight other Orcs/monsters loyal to the Witch King.
Annuvin: But that Bear over there... eyeing you hungrily? Yeah... he's asking for it.
Mithril_Miser: I don't know if bears are monsters per se.
Mithril_Miser: But they are the #1 threat facing Eriador.

 

[PosterBoyKelly]

Sounds like it has a lot of potential, this will be my first game like this I'm reeeeaallly interested now~ Thanks for the Wraith pic and interviews!

 

[darthviper107]

I really want to play, but I'd have to see if it works on this internet connection, I get really slow times because of everyone on the internet all at once.

 

[PosterBoyKelly]

Yeah I have mine linked up wirelessly and usually it's good, but on days with lots of rain and interferance, it gets sluggish, really annoying. But I'm still gonna go for it.

 

[carbo-fation]

After reading through this thread, I am getting really excited about this game.

 

[WetaWork]

After reading through this thread, I am getting really excited about this game.

As is the guy in your sig. BTW, I think he is due for a bed pan change.

 

[tomandshell]

MORE PICS TOM! I'm seriously getting excited for this! TOM...........Isengaurd?

Isengard is too far South and will not be included in the initial game world, which only covers Eriador (the northwestern area of Middle Earth.)

 

[darthviper107]

Aww, too bad. Now we can't go on a quest to Mordor where we would most certainly meet our doom.

 

[carbo-fation]

Isengard is too far South and will not be included in the initial game world, which only covers Eriador (the northwestern area of Middle Earth.)

I forget but is Mirkwood included in Eriador? How about the Lonely mountains?

 

[Darth Caedus]

I forget but is Mirkwood included in Eriador? How about the Lonely mountains?

This will tell you the answer to that. https://www.glyphweb.com/arda/e/eriador.html

Now Khazad-Dum is on the border of Eriador, I wonder if that will be included....

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

Im having issues downloading the software.. I preordered, registered.. now cant download.. me dum dum.. any ideas?..

 

[FrodoEyes]

I LOVED fotr. Don't read the reviews, they can have a different opinion to you. I enjoyed wandering around and meeting people on it - The Shire, Tom Bombadil, Moria.....it's a great game.

The company was Vivendi Universal, a Black Labels game I think. But I thought EA had snapped up the book rights too, and that's why they were able to include non movie stuff in their games?

SO, I hear you can bump into the fellowship, have you done that yet Tom? And have you met Tom Bombadil and Goldberry in the woods? Ran away from a black rider?

Tum de tum, I'll ask again....

 

[Darth Caedus]

Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow;
Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow."

 

[tomandshell]

Tum de tum, I'll ask again....

The Old Forest:

The House of Bombadil:

Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow;
Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow."

Blue jacket: Check. Yellow boots: Check.


You meet Strider inside the Prancing Pony, and he accompanies you on a quest instance at one point.

The members of the Fellowship are waiting to meet you in Rivendell. (But they won't talk to you at first, other than giving you a prescripted response.)

 

[PosterBoyKelly]

I always thought of him fat, but still really cool that he's there!~

 

[FrodoEyes]

Nice one Tom! Although I am quite disappointed with Bombadil and his house....his jacket looks green and he's supposed to have a big blue hat! And I never knew he had a shoulder bag!

 

[Darth Caedus]

Nice one Tom! Although I am quite disappointed with Bombadil and his house....his jacket looks green and he's supposed to have a big blue hat! And I never knew he had a shoulder bag!

What is funny, is that in his shoulder bag is his laptop and pda. The game makers are taking some liberties and adjusting it to the here and now.....

 

[PosterBoyKelly]

Also the cut Jabba scene from the movie will be in here first as well as Greddo shooting Frodo first.

 

[Darth Caedus]

Also the cut Jabba scene from the movie will be in here first as well as Greddo shooting Frodo first.

A groping wookie included??