Episode 35 - Fall Update

Hi all-

In this episode we cover....

News

Ian McKellan's Re-enacts Balrog Scene
http://blastr.com/2010/11/ian-mckellans-hilarious-r.php

Tolkien Killed a Beatles LOTR
http://blastr.com/2010/11/little-known-sci-fi-facts.php

The Hobbit Casting Update (Gandalf isn't signed!)
http://blastr.com/2010/11/two-more-dwarves-cast-in.php

New Zeland passes a law to keep the Hobbit Movie local
http://blastr.com/2010/10/new-zealand-passes-new-la.php

In Game

Ale Association Repeatable Quest Guide
http://thelotrocast.blogspot.com/2010/10/ale-association-quests-my-run-down.html

Heart of the Show

Bullroarer Patch Notes
http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?364747-Release-Notes-November-Update-%28BULLROARER-ONLY%29

Spotlight on Rune Keepers
http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/889-developer-diary-november-update-rune-keeper-changes

Spotlight on Lore Masters
http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/877-developer-diary-november-update-lore-master-changes

Listener Feedback

Docholiday's Lua Page
http://docholidaymmo.com/tag/lua/
Merric & Goldenstar's Plugin Guides
Video Guide: http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2010/09/lotro-plugin-reviews-01-how-to-install-plugins/
Written Guide: http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2010/09/how-to-manually-install-plugins/

I hope you enjoy the show!

Alberos

Ale Association Quests - My Run Down

I am trying to get to Kindred with the Ale Association (the nefarious rivals to the Inn League).  In some ways the AA Rep Quests mirror (darkly) the Inn League quests.  I'll cover all of the quests in more detail in an upcoming podcast but wanted to give you a pattern of AA quests that is working for me.

Start by getting all of the AA quests from Jonar in the bar in Thorin's Gate.  The Quests he gives you (at least the ones I can do right now at Friend level are as follows:  An Inn League Disaster (ILD), An Irritating Initiation (II), Jonar's Special Brew (JSB), Jonar's Special Delivery (JSD), Tainted Mug (TM), and The Draught Drought (DD).  The steps to complete these quests are as follows (Note the JSD quest has a 30 min timer):

1)  Intimidate Oli in the Thorin's Hall Bar three times (II)
2)  Go to Ferin's Court and Ruin the Tasting (ILD - complete)
3)  Ride a horse to Noglond and intimidate Kopur three times (II)
4)  Ride a horse to Gondomon and intimidate Grimar three times (II)
5)  Ride a horse to Duillond
6)  Ride a horse to Needlehome and intimidate Herluf three times (II - complete)
7)  While in Needlehome collect 5 Swamp Gas from Rushock Bog (JSB)
8)  Ride a horse to Hobbiton and go to the party tree.  While you are there deliver the Special Brew (JSD complete) and break on of the kegs (DD)
9)  Ride a horse from Hobbiton to Brockborings and steal the recipe (TM)
10)  Ride a horse to Stock but dismount in Budgeford....break the keg (DD)
11)  Go to Stock and steal the recipe (TM) and break the Keg (DD)
12) Go SW to Woodhall and break the Keg (DD)
13) Go NW to Frogmortton and break the Keg (DD)
14)  Go west to Bywater and break the Keg (DD)
15)  Go SW to Tuckburoug and steal the recipe (TM)
16)  Go NW to Waymet and steal the recipe (TM - Complete)
17) Go West to Sanderson's Farm and get the rotten egg (JSB)
18)  Go south to Michel Delving and break the Keg (DD - Complete)
19)  Swift Travel to Celondim and kill seven slugs, getting their slime (JSB - Complete)
20)  Swift Travel to Thorin's Gate and Turn In Quests

I hope that helps!
Alberos

Episode 34 - Not Orome goes to Harvestmath

Hey all

In this episode we revisit Enedwaith, talk about Orome and get ready for Harvetmath.

News:
The Hobbit to begin production in 2011
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/18/the-hobbit-to-begin-production-in-early-2011/?hpt=Sbin

Casting Rumors including two Timelords!
http://blastr.com/2010/10/david-tennant-and-michael.php

What's I've Been Doing in Game
Enedwaith Daylies

Not Orome
A Post from Robert
http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?359604-big-D-small-d&p=4996860&highlight=#post4996860
A Segment from Shipwreck from Elendilmir

The Heart of the Show:  Harvestmath
http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/861-developer-diary-the-2010-fall-festival
The Inn League Revisited
http://thelotrocast.blogspot.com/2010/08/episode-30-better-late-than-never.html

I hope you enjoy the show

Alberos

Episode 33 - The Enedwaith Hodgepodge

This episode seemed to be a mix of this and that.

News

Hobbit Headlines from TheOneRing.net (http://www.theonering.net/)

• The Hobbit in 3D
• The Hobbit boycotted by NZ Actors
• Peter Jackson to Direct

Turbine is looking for Testers for the Palantir Private Preview Program (P4?)
http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?360699-The-Palantir-Private-Preview-Program

MMORPG.com articles on New vs Old MMOs
Part 1
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/4547/page/1
Part 2
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/4554/page/1
Part 3
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/4569/page/1
Part 4
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/4587/page/1
 
What I've Done in Game
Tail of the Shipwrecked Mariners

Orome, Huntsman of the Valar

Virtues and Traits

The Heart of the Show:  Thoughts on the LOTRO Store and Enedwaith

I hope you enjoy.

Alberos

Special Episode #1- The Podmoot!

Hey all-

This episode is a special episode and is recording of the F2P Podmoot that was recorded just prior to F2P going live.  In this episode, I was able to join Bill and Chris from the LOTROReporter, Merric from a Casual Stroll to Mordor, and Xyderias and Fyurae from the Mordor or Bust Podcast to discuss our experiences in the F2P beta and our expectations for LOTRO going F2P.  Please check out the links to their shows on the right side.

Before getting into the Podmoot proper I do touch base on a couple of LOTRO and LOTR headlines including:

The 73 Year Tortured Journey of the Hobbit
http://blastr.com/2010/08/infographic-the-tortured.php

A Map to Minas Elendur

http://rpg-exploiters.com/guides-strategies/the-maze/#more-4477

I also included a brief bit of my technical difficulties before getting into the Podmoot itself.  It shows what a noob I am with Skype.

I hope you enjoy this Special Episode.

Alberos

Episode 32 - First Things First

LOTRO is Free to Play!  Servers were up on Sept 7th and as soon as the news broke the servers were flooded with current and returning players.

So this short episode focuses on what are the first things you should do when logging into the new version of the game:

1)  Watch all of your deeds and titles popup on your screen.  It reminds you of how much you've done in game.
2)  Re-spend your legendary item points.  Turbine has yet again refunded your Legendary Item Points as they have tweaked the legacys.
3)  Re-spend your points on your Skirmish Soldier.  Similar to the Legendary Items, Skirmish Points were apparently refunded as well.
4)  Check in with your class trainer.  While my loremaster didn't have any skills to learn I have heard that some classes did have changes to their skills.  Plus it never hurts to check in to make sure you are up to date.
5)  Check out the new Vault and Wardrobe system.  Its not pretty, but it works.
6)  Visit the LOTRO store and purchase the 'must have' items which include:  Permanent increases to Virtues (but only the ones you use), Permanent increase to Stats (but them all), The Riding Skill (now available at lvl 5), and your first mount.
7)  Join a kinship.  The game has changed and a group of built in friends will help with the learning process.

If you are on Arkenstone and looking for a kin...check out Amistad Del Otro (http://www.delotro.com/).  Its one of the larger kins on Arkenstone and is a very friendly kin. 

Hope this helps when you log in.

See you all in Middle-Earth.
Alberos

Episode 31 - F2P Update and Getting to 65

Hey all

In this episode we cover:

News:
LOTRO goes F2P on September 10 (or 8th if your lucky)
(http://www.lotro.com/news/pressreleases/782-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-will-be-free-to-play-starting-september-10-2010)
Sapience Announces F2P Head Start
(http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=350862)
Dev Diary:  Instances 2.0 Part 4 - Helegrod
(http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/772-developer-diary-instances-20-part-4-)  
Dev Diary:  Instances 2.0 Part 5 - The Great Barrow
(http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/785-developer-diary-instances-20-part-5-)
Dev Diary:  Volume 3 Book2 Quest Notes
(http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/devdiaries/786-developer-diary-volume-iii-book-2-quest-notes)
The Hobbit News
(http://the-hobbit-movie.com/)

What Have I Been Doing in Game

The Heart of the Show will address a listeners question on how best to solo to 65
Pre-leveling

• No why you want to get to end game before you try to get there (healer? tank? other?)
• Enable your Quest Tracker and Quest Guide

Levels 1-20

• Learn your class
• Pickup the explorer vocation
• Focus on the Epic Story line
• Get every solo quest you can in an area (focus on the green and blue quests)
• Don't forget your lvl 15 class quest

Levels 21-40

• Continue to follow the Epic Story line
• Continue to grab every solo quest you can
• Do the lvl 30 class quest
• Make sure you do the Skirmish quests and tutorial

Levels 41-50

• Get past the experience hump by focus on Skirmishes to get XP and skirmish marks (to buy class quest items that normally drop from elite mobs)
• Buy you legendary class trait quest books from your trainer and complete these deeds/quests
• Complete the lvl 45 Class Quests which will unlook another legendary trait

Level 50+

• Back to the epic story line, but this time the Mines of Moria Volume not Shadows of Angmar
• Be prepared to group....some Epic quests and some areas just require it

Hope you like the episode

Alberos