https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:41:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/lotro-legendarium-how-to-walk-away-from-lotro-for-a-while/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/lotro-legendarium-how-to-walk-away-from-lotro-for-a-while/#comments Sat, 10 Feb 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479021 Even when you love an MMORPG a whole lot, it’s rarely feasible to play it as steadily and at the same intensity over the long duration of its lifespan. Life happens, burnout creeps in, and sometimes you simply need a break or a change of scenery. So you make the decision to walk away from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/lotro-legendarium-how-to-walk-away-from-lotro-for-a-while/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/20/lotro-legendarium-digging-into-lotros-2024-roadmap-from-u39-to-the-baharbel-expansion/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/20/lotro-legendarium-digging-into-lotros-2024-roadmap-from-u39-to-the-baharbel-expansion/#comments Sat, 20 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=475795 Oh boy — it’s roadmap time for Lord of the Rings Online! As we’ve been seeing over the past few years, Standing Stone Games has become way better at pushing out these year-planning letters in January, now with easy-to-grok infographics. So it is with 2024, as we received the MMO’s roadmap this past week from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/20/lotro-legendarium-digging-into-lotros-2024-roadmap-from-u39-to-the-baharbel-expansion/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/13/lotro-legendarium-brainstorming-new-hobby-ideas-for-lotro/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/13/lotro-legendarium-brainstorming-new-hobby-ideas-for-lotro/#comments Sat, 13 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=474775 April 24th, 2008. That was both the first and last time that Lord of the Rings Online added a hobby to the game — in this case, fishing. This serene activity quickly became a mainstay for procrastinating Hobbits, cooks, and festivals. And ever since the idea of hobbies came into the game, players have wondered […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/13/lotro-legendarium-brainstorming-new-hobby-ideas-for-lotro/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/16/lotro-legendarium-recapping-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-crazy-busy-2023/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/16/lotro-legendarium-recapping-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-crazy-busy-2023/#respond Sat, 16 Dec 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=471868 Sixteen pages. Sixteen pages is how far back I had to flip through Lord of the Rings Online’s news feed here at Massively OP to get to the very start of 2023. That goes to show how incredibly packed and busy this year was for this long-running MMORPG. And when you consider how much of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/16/lotro-legendarium-recapping-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-crazy-busy-2023/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/25/lotro-legendarium-six-very-tiny-lotro-details-that-i-love/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/25/lotro-legendarium-six-very-tiny-lotro-details-that-i-love/#comments Sat, 25 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=468728 It’s a sign that you’re a passionate fan of a franchise when you get so familiar with the source material that small details delight you just as much as the big picture stuff. In fact, I’ve long held that games live and die based on these tiny, easily overlooked touches that elevate a title to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/25/lotro-legendarium-six-very-tiny-lotro-details-that-i-love/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/11/lotro-legendarium-corsairs-of-umbar-and-the-three-ways-we-consume-expansions/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/11/lotro-legendarium-corsairs-of-umbar-and-the-three-ways-we-consume-expansions/#comments Sat, 11 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=466625 Happy new expansion week in Lord of the Rings Online! It’s surreal to finally be at the capstone of LOTRO’s ambitious 2023 roadmap, not to mention the first full-bodied expansion in two years. My hat’s off to this dedicated team for pulling together an adventure that takes us in a bold direction and explores part […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/11/lotro-legendarium-corsairs-of-umbar-and-the-three-ways-we-consume-expansions/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/21/lotro-legendarium-eight-beneficial-activities-in-lotro-you-may-be-overlooking/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/21/lotro-legendarium-eight-beneficial-activities-in-lotro-you-may-be-overlooking/#comments Sat, 21 Oct 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=461330 In my personal, immediate experience, I find that even in a broad MMORPG with lots of options, I tend to narrow my activities and interests down to a smaller slice. It’s too much to try to do everything and keep track of everything at the same time, so it’s kinder on the psyche to weed […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/21/lotro-legendarium-eight-beneficial-activities-in-lotro-you-may-be-overlooking/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/14/lotro-legendarium-what-could-a-lotro-challenge-server-look-like/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/14/lotro-legendarium-what-could-a-lotro-challenge-server-look-like/#comments Sat, 14 Oct 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=459032 Lord of the Rings Online’s legendary server experiments aren’t done yet. Even though it’s been a while since we’ve seen a new shard come online, we do know that SSG is working on a different ruleset for a server launch in the future. The last time it spoke about it, the studio was cagey about […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/14/lotro-legendarium-what-could-a-lotro-challenge-server-look-like/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/06/lotro-legendarium-are-we-ready-for-lotros-corsairs-of-umbar/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/06/lotro-legendarium-are-we-ready-for-lotros-corsairs-of-umbar/#comments Fri, 06 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=460570 They say that as you get older, time seems to pass by much more quickly. Perhaps that explains why 2023 feels like it’s been breaking the speed limit. It’s certainly not slowing down if you’re a fan of Lord of the Rings Online, that’s for sure. In an already packed year full of updates, revamps, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/06/lotro-legendarium-are-we-ready-for-lotros-corsairs-of-umbar/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/29/lotro-legendarium-its-ok-that-lotros-remaster-isnt-going-to-happen/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/29/lotro-legendarium-its-ok-that-lotros-remaster-isnt-going-to-happen/#comments Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=459030 The pricey Lord of the Rings Online remaster is officially dead, and its console port is now on the “backburner.” It is, depending on whom you ask, the end of the world, the end of hope, or a non-event that doesn’t change much of anything at all. I suppose it really depends on one’s perspective […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/29/lotro-legendarium-its-ok-that-lotros-remaster-isnt-going-to-happen/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/23/lotro-legendarium-nine-lotro-secrets-worth-discovering/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/23/lotro-legendarium-nine-lotro-secrets-worth-discovering/#comments Sat, 23 Sep 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=458693 It’s such a special blessing to discover that the MMORPG you’ve been playing for years — if not decades — can still surprise you. These are massive games, after all, with plenty of content tucked in out-of-the-way places. And when you get into a routine that never ventures outside of familiar territory, those secrets stay […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/23/lotro-legendarium-nine-lotro-secrets-worth-discovering/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/14/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-new-mariner-class-is-the-swashbuckler-we-needed/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/14/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-new-mariner-class-is-the-swashbuckler-we-needed/#comments Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=457710 A new class added to any MMORPG is bound to raise excitement and anxiety among fans, especially when they try to feel out whether the class will fit in with its older siblings or end up overpowered or horribly broken. It feels as though the stakes are fairly high for Lord of the Rings Online’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/14/lotro-legendarium-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-new-mariner-class-is-the-swashbuckler-we-needed/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/09/lotro-legendarium-coping-with-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-mount-everest-of-content/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/09/lotro-legendarium-coping-with-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-mount-everest-of-content/#comments Sat, 09 Sep 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=456804 I vividly remember back when Lord of the Rings Online launched its first legendary server, Anor, in 2018. Like many of you, I got swept up in the hype of this progression world, yet I felt the import of what clicking that “Create Character” button would entail. I did it anyway but made the rather […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/09/lotro-legendarium-coping-with-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-mount-everest-of-content/feed/ 59 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/02/lotro-legendarium-of-river-hobbits-and-river-homes-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/02/lotro-legendarium-of-river-hobbits-and-river-homes-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Sat, 02 Sep 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=455727 After a short delay, Update 37: The Humble Homes of the Holbytlan is here for us to unwrap and enjoy. Rather than being a patch full of quests and updates, this update is bringing value to Lord of the Rings Online through a stat squish, a new racial variant, a new housing neighborhood, and some […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/02/lotro-legendarium-of-river-hobbits-and-river-homes-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/19/lotro-legendarium-six-ways-to-spice-up-your-next-lotro-alt/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/19/lotro-legendarium-six-ways-to-spice-up-your-next-lotro-alt/#comments Sat, 19 Aug 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=453005 While Lord of the Rings Online features a questing journey that can take you months if not years to go through the entirety of it, the temptation to roll up an alt strikes most of us long before then. It’s simply too alluring to take a break from the routine and try something different for […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/19/lotro-legendarium-six-ways-to-spice-up-your-next-lotro-alt/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/05/lotro-legendarium-ranking-lotros-forests-from-maddening-to-awesome/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/05/lotro-legendarium-ranking-lotros-forests-from-maddening-to-awesome/#comments Sat, 05 Aug 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=451029 J.R.R. Tolkien famously loved nature, and that passion seeps into his creation of Middle-earth. To him, the great outdoors was not something to be taken for granted but a vast realm to be admired, explored, and cherished. Is it any wonder that Lord of the Rings Online places such a great emphasis on natural, realistic-feeling […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/05/lotro-legendarium-ranking-lotros-forests-from-maddening-to-awesome/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/28/lotro-legendarium-is-lotro-heading-toward-a-crafting-renaissance/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/28/lotro-legendarium-is-lotro-heading-toward-a-crafting-renaissance/#comments Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=450645 There are a lot of big and interesting projects in the works for Lord of the Rings Online’s Updates 37 and 38 — too many to cover in a single column, really. So today I wanted to plunge into waters where I’m far out of my depth and talk about crafting. As there have been […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/28/lotro-legendarium-is-lotro-heading-toward-a-crafting-renaissance/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/08/lotro-legendarium-hobbits-and-river-hobbits-are-the-heart-of-lord-of-the-rings/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/08/lotro-legendarium-hobbits-and-river-hobbits-are-the-heart-of-lord-of-the-rings/#comments Sat, 08 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=447663 I don’t care if you want me to be objective when it comes to Lord of the Rings Online’s races, because in my book, it’s not even close. Elves are banished to the bottom of the rankings, and Dwarves and Man can dwell peaceably in the middle, but the spot at the very top is […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/08/lotro-legendarium-hobbits-and-river-hobbits-are-the-heart-of-lord-of-the-rings/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/01/lotro-legendarium-how-to-avoid-burning-out-in-lotro-and-other-mmos/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/01/lotro-legendarium-how-to-avoid-burning-out-in-lotro-and-other-mmos/#comments Sat, 01 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=446141 When Lord of the Rings Online kicked off its head start in April 2007, little did I know that I was logging in for what would prove to be the first of many, many years of play in Middle-earth. Oh, I had hopes, but there’s no way I would have predicted or assumed that the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/01/lotro-legendarium-how-to-avoid-burning-out-in-lotro-and-other-mmos/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/23/lotro-legendarium-what-i-want-to-see-with-lotros-umbar-expansion/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/23/lotro-legendarium-what-i-want-to-see-with-lotros-umbar-expansion/#comments Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=445811 This past week, I wrapped up my adventures through King’s Gondor in Lord of the Rings Online and found my appetite whetted for this fall’s expansion. Update 36 is both a transition into a new storytelling epoch for the game and a prologue of sorts for the adventures to come. By the end of its […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/23/lotro-legendarium-what-i-want-to-see-with-lotros-umbar-expansion/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/08/lotro-legendarium-a-breezy-trip-through-kings-gondor/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/08/lotro-legendarium-a-breezy-trip-through-kings-gondor/#comments Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=442626 It was only this past spring that I took my level 100 Minstrel through the lands of Gondor in Lord of the Rings Online. Starting from the west, she traveled east from the sparkling sea shores and into the ever-darkening sky of a war-ravaged land until arriving at the major setpiece of Pelennor Fields. So […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/08/lotro-legendarium-a-breezy-trip-through-kings-gondor/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/03/lotro-legendarium-is-level-boosting-in-lotro-worth-it/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/03/lotro-legendarium-is-level-boosting-in-lotro-worth-it/#comments Sat, 03 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=442766 While I make my way through the new King’s Gondor zone in Lord of the Rings Online — impressions coming next week, hopefully — I thought it’d be fun to take a question posed by YouTuber Bludborn and discuss it in this space. Bludborn went straight to the point and asked, “Should you level boost […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/03/lotro-legendarium-is-level-boosting-in-lotro-worth-it/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/20/lotro-legendarium-amazon-plays-at-making-a-lord-of-the-rings-mmo-again/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/20/lotro-legendarium-amazon-plays-at-making-a-lord-of-the-rings-mmo-again/#comments Sat, 20 May 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=440547 Weren’t we just here? I mean, that’s what everyone’s thinking, am I right? It was just three years ago that I penned a column about the then-fresh announcement that Amazon, Leyou Games, and Athlon Games were working on some sort of Middle-earth MMORPG, possibly to coincide with the new TV series (the latter of which […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/20/lotro-legendarium-amazon-plays-at-making-a-lord-of-the-rings-mmo-again/feed/ 37 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/13/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-fate-of-gundabad/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/13/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-fate-of-gundabad/#comments Sat, 13 May 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=439428 When Lord of the Rings Online released Mines of Moria in November 2008, the expansion became one of the most amusedly divisive in the game’s history. Some players, to this day, adore the vast underground Dwarven kingdom and its rich theming, while others find it claustrophobic and can’t get through it fast enough. There’s no […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/13/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-fate-of-gundabad/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/06/lotro-legendarium-10-more-fun-lotro-tips-and-tricks/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/06/lotro-legendarium-10-more-fun-lotro-tips-and-tricks/#comments Sat, 06 May 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=437848 At this point, I have to ask: Am I weird for loving lists of tips and tricks for MMOs? It’s almost always one of the first things I look for when I’m trying out a game, returning to one, or even randomly thinking about one. And now that I’ve compiled two such lists for this […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/06/lotro-legendarium-10-more-fun-lotro-tips-and-tricks/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/29/lotro-legendarium-on-the-occasion-of-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-sixteenth-birthday/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/29/lotro-legendarium-on-the-occasion-of-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-sixteenth-birthday/#comments Sat, 29 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=437089 Sometimes the passage of time triggers disheartening moments when we feel things slipping away from us. The internet seems to nastily delight in prompting these dismaying realizations when posters go out of their way to highlight how much time has slipped by. Yet as I’ve pushed deeper into my own middle ages, I’ve found that […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/29/lotro-legendarium-on-the-occasion-of-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-sixteenth-birthday/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/22/lotro-legendarium-making-sense-of-lotros-virtue-system/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/22/lotro-legendarium-making-sense-of-lotros-virtue-system/#comments Sat, 22 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=436507 If you look at how your character gains power and progression in Lord of the Rings Online, you’ll see four major categories. There are levels, which automatically bestow stats upon you. Then there’s the acquisition of gear (including legendary items and essences) to bolster those stats. We can look to talents for additional ways to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/22/lotro-legendarium-making-sense-of-lotros-virtue-system/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/15/lotro-legendarium-is-the-burglar-lotros-least-loved-class/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/15/lotro-legendarium-is-the-burglar-lotros-least-loved-class/#comments Sat, 15 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=435300 In most MMOs that I play, I confess a certain attraction — if not affinity — for seeking out the least-played and -loved class that title has to offer. It can be a lot of fun walking down the path less traveled, especially if it’s with a role that is underrated by most folks. For […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/15/lotro-legendarium-is-the-burglar-lotros-least-loved-class/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/01/lotro-legendarium-eight-features-id-love-to-see-added-to-lotro/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/01/lotro-legendarium-eight-features-id-love-to-see-added-to-lotro/#comments Sat, 01 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=433226 Opinions, as they say, are like social media accounts: Everyone’s got at least one and probably a dozen ready to ruin your life. This is especially true when applied to the field of MMOs that we play. I mean, it’s almost impossible to be engaged with a title not to form strong opinions about what […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/01/lotro-legendarium-eight-features-id-love-to-see-added-to-lotro/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/18/lotro-legendarium-16-more-fun-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/18/lotro-legendarium-16-more-fun-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/#comments Sat, 18 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=429505 Last week we began our thorough tour through Lord of the Rings Online’s largest city, Minas Tirith, combing through the first three tiers in search of unique sights and interior spaces. But this city is simply too big to contain in a single column, so today we’ll wrap things up as we explore the remaining […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/18/lotro-legendarium-16-more-fun-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/11/lotro-legendarium-17-groovy-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/11/lotro-legendarium-17-groovy-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/#comments Sat, 11 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=429394 Minas Tirith: The White City and the bane of server-side lag. The place of a thousand side quests and of a thousand-and-one times that you forgot where to go to ascend or descend the seven tiers. It gets a lot of (fair) criticism, but this place is far more than that. It may be the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/11/lotro-legendarium-17-groovy-places-to-visit-in-lotros-minas-tirith/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/04/lotro-legendarium-six-unpopular-opinions-about-lord-of-the-rings-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/04/lotro-legendarium-six-unpopular-opinions-about-lord-of-the-rings-online/#comments Sat, 04 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=429074 Just because you’re a fan of a particular franchise or game doesn’t mean that you always concur with the larger groupthink. It’s always a fun exercise when you give yourself permission to go against the popular flow and confess to holding an opinion that might not, strictly speaking, be seen as geek orthodox. Ahem. So […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/04/lotro-legendarium-six-unpopular-opinions-about-lord-of-the-rings-online/feed/ 30 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/18/lotro-legendarium-why-flying-would-have-ruined-lotros-middle-earth/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/18/lotro-legendarium-why-flying-would-have-ruined-lotros-middle-earth/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=426407 Despite the title up there, this column isn’t really about flying. I’m just getting that out of the way right here. I actually have no problem with flying in most MMOs. My first main online RPG was City of Heroes, and when I hit level 14 and could finally fly, it felt as if the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/18/lotro-legendarium-why-flying-would-have-ruined-lotros-middle-earth/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/10/lotro-legendarium-nine-lord-of-the-rings-online-items-with-fun-and-helpful-abilities/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/10/lotro-legendarium-nine-lord-of-the-rings-online-items-with-fun-and-helpful-abilities/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425261 One of my favorite acquisitions in any RPG or MMO is an item that grants a special ability that adds a fun effect or useful boost. It seems to me that these sorts of items are more commonplace in tabletop games than online ones, as I’m sure devs are worried about players building up too […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/10/lotro-legendarium-nine-lord-of-the-rings-online-items-with-fun-and-helpful-abilities/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/21/lotro-legendarium-reacting-to-lotros-2023-roadmap/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/21/lotro-legendarium-reacting-to-lotros-2023-roadmap/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=423198 Do you remember the years of the past when we’d be waiting well into March or even later for a Lord of the Rings Online producer’s letter that would give us a heads-up on the year? I’m just pointing out that we aren’t even done with January before we have a good idea of what’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/21/lotro-legendarium-reacting-to-lotros-2023-roadmap/feed/ 21 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/lotro-legendarium-10-more-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/lotro-legendarium-10-more-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/#comments Sat, 14 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=421877 A while back, I put together a list of 10 tips to enhance your everyday Lord of the Rings Online play experience. It was a fun list to do and seemed to be well-received, so for my first column of the new year, I thought I’d assemble a follow-up with another 10 tips for our […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/lotro-legendarium-10-more-tips-to-improve-your-lotro-experience/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/17/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2022/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/17/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2022/#comments Sat, 17 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=418133 Holy cow, are we already wrapping up another year of Lord of the Rings Online? I’ve been writing this column since 2010, and I still don’t feel like I’m running out of topics. But as always, I like to pause and reflect at the end of a calendar year on this column and the journey […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/17/lotro-legendarium-a-look-back-at-lord-of-the-rings-online-in-2022/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/13/lotro-legendarium-why-the-new-class-trait-system-changes-are-a-bigger-deal-than-youd-think/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/13/lotro-legendarium-why-the-new-class-trait-system-changes-are-a-bigger-deal-than-youd-think/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=418066 Greetings and salutations, fellow Lord of the Rings Online adventurers! I know I previously said that my next LOTRO Legendarium column would tackle the new delving system, but to be honest, I’ve been having too much fun questing through Swanfleet and Cardolan that I haven’t gotten around to it yet. So I beg your pardon […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/13/lotro-legendarium-why-the-new-class-trait-system-changes-are-a-bigger-deal-than-youd-think/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/17/lotro-legendarium-exploring-before-the-shadows-new-starter-area-and-skirmish/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/17/lotro-legendarium-exploring-before-the-shadows-new-starter-area-and-skirmish/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=414574 You know that agonizingly delicious sensation of encountering an MMO drop that has so much stuff to explore that you hardly know where to start? That’s exactly how I’m feeling with Lord of the Rings Online: Before the Shadow. This patch changes the game in more ways than one and has something for almost every […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/17/lotro-legendarium-exploring-before-the-shadows-new-starter-area-and-skirmish/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/05/lotro-legendarium-what-class-should-you-pick-in-lotro/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/05/lotro-legendarium-what-class-should-you-pick-in-lotro/#comments Sat, 05 Nov 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=402025 Hunter. Thanks for coming to the column! See you in the next one! What, you want a bit more than that? Sheesh, fine. I’ll stop amusing myself here and actually be somewhat helpful. With 11 classes on its roster, Lord of the Rings Online’s character creation page can ratchet up the stress as you sweat […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/05/lotro-legendarium-what-class-should-you-pick-in-lotro/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/lotro-legendarium-10-reasons-to-get-psyched-about-before-the-shadow-that-arent-the-new-zones/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/lotro-legendarium-10-reasons-to-get-psyched-about-before-the-shadow-that-arent-the-new-zones/#comments Sat, 22 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=410621 Standing Stone Games went and pulled a classic case of misdirection on all of us — and I’m not complaining. While the studio had us almost laser-focused on the dual zones coming with next month’s Before the Shadow mini-expansion, it was secretly preparing several amazing quality-of-life changes for Lord of the Rings Online. Now, thanks […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/lotro-legendarium-10-reasons-to-get-psyched-about-before-the-shadow-that-arent-the-new-zones/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/15/lotro-legendarium-four-options-for-character-leveling-in-lotro/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/15/lotro-legendarium-four-options-for-character-leveling-in-lotro/#comments Sat, 15 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=409733 One of the unsung benefits of maturing MMORPGs is that they generally offer far more options for leveling and adventuring than what was present at launch. This, in turn, allows for users to customize the game around their own playstyle rather than having to conform to a narrow path. I’ve been reflecting lately on how […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/15/lotro-legendarium-four-options-for-character-leveling-in-lotro/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/08/lotro-legendarium-are-lotros-missions-a-little-too-good/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/08/lotro-legendarium-are-lotros-missions-a-little-too-good/#comments Sat, 08 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=408526 When Before the Shadow arrives in Lord of the Rings Online next month, it will bring both an additional set of missions and a new “delving” difficulty option to increase the challenge and rewards. It’s clear to me by now that Standing Stone Games is doubling down hard on missions as one of the key […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/08/lotro-legendarium-are-lotros-missions-a-little-too-good/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/lotro-legendarium-23-lotro-facts-i-learned-from-scenarios-casual-stroll-video-series/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/lotro-legendarium-23-lotro-facts-i-learned-from-scenarios-casual-stroll-video-series/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2022 17:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=403930 Your mileage may vary, but as both a journalist and a gamer, I absolutely love hearing about how my favorite titles were made. It makes me appreciate them more, especially elements that I’ve taken for granted, and it often renews my interest in that game. Lord of the Rings Online players have enjoyed a couple […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/28/lotro-legendarium-23-lotro-facts-i-learned-from-scenarios-casual-stroll-video-series/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/16/lotro-legendarium-lotros-minstrel-revamp-is-a-master-class-in-studio-obstinance/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/16/lotro-legendarium-lotros-minstrel-revamp-is-a-master-class-in-studio-obstinance/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=405281 Does anything in this world produce a cold sweat faster than a developer abruptly announcing, “Oh hey, we’re going to retool your class?” Unless your profession is sleeping in the gutter and has nothing left to lose, such a proclamation rightly creates fear and anxiety in MMO populations. After all, we have history on our […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/16/lotro-legendarium-lotros-minstrel-revamp-is-a-master-class-in-studio-obstinance/feed/ 31 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/lotro-legendarium-will-before-the-shadow-evade-the-mini-expansion-stigma/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/lotro-legendarium-will-before-the-shadow-evade-the-mini-expansion-stigma/#comments Sat, 27 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=402182 With the announcement this week at Gamescom’s Devcom of Lord of the Rings Online’s “mini-expansion,” Before the Shadow, we now have a pretty good idea of what the rest of the year looks like in terms of new content. It may not be a full-fledged expansion (which nobody reasonably expected at this point), but this […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/lotro-legendarium-will-before-the-shadow-evade-the-mini-expansion-stigma/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/20/lotro-legendarium-what-new-classes-could-lotro-add-in-the-future/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/20/lotro-legendarium-what-new-classes-could-lotro-add-in-the-future/#comments Sat, 20 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=400883 There is certainly no end to the topics to discuss about Lord of the Rings Online, but sometimes I want to take a break to do something a little fun in this space. And while the dev team has added only four classes since the game’s launch, I’ve been thinking a lot about what other […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/20/lotro-legendarium-what-new-classes-could-lotro-add-in-the-future/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/21/lotro-legendarium-update-33-1s-further-adventures-are-more-like-a-light-snack/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/21/lotro-legendarium-update-33-1s-further-adventures-are-more-like-a-light-snack/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=397484 Seeing as how I was somewhat underwhelmed with Lord of the Rings Online’s Further Adventures with Bilbo Baggins, I approached this week’s new mission set with a sense of apprehension. This was, after all, the beginning, middle, and end of this summer’s story content, so a lot was riding on it — and I didn’t […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/21/lotro-legendarium-update-33-1s-further-adventures-are-more-like-a-light-snack/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/09/lotro-legendarium-is-lotros-pvp-game-worth-salvaging/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/09/lotro-legendarium-is-lotros-pvp-game-worth-salvaging/#comments Sat, 09 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=379654 The funny thing about Lord of the Rings Online’s PvP scene is that I truly believe most players are either unaware or uncaring that it actually exists. You would honestly surprise most LOTRO players, especially more recent additions to the game’s population, that this title even has PvP. I don’t have any hard data to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/09/lotro-legendarium-is-lotros-pvp-game-worth-salvaging/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/02/lotro-legendarium-evaluating-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-legendary-servers-four-years-later/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/02/lotro-legendarium-evaluating-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-legendary-servers-four-years-later/#comments Sat, 02 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=394590 When Lord of the Rings Online released its first — and, quickly thereafter, its second — legendary server back in 2018, it was one of the most exciting developments to come to the MMORPG in years. While other MMOs had tooled about progression servers for a while at that point, this was the first time […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/02/lotro-legendarium-evaluating-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-legendary-servers-four-years-later/feed/ 9