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Filed under: Sci-fi, Screenshots, Video, MMO industry, New titles, Wallpapers, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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BioWare has released preliminary details on another planetary play field from their upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG. Belsavis plays host to an ominous Republic prison facility, apparently used to process all manner of Sith, Mandalorians, and troublesome aliens of various species. Check out Belsavis' HoloNet entry, don't forget to watch the video, oh and there's also the media section featuring screens, wallpapers, and lore.

BioWare has also partnered up with Lucasarts and Dark Horse Comics to bring you Blood of the Empire, a new web comic by senior writer Alexander Freed. The title, set prior to the Treaty of Coruscant, promises to shed some light on the machinations of the Emperor's inner circle as well as inform portions of The Old Republic's extensive back story.

Check out a preview panel from the forthcoming comic.http://www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gifBioWare details new TOR planet, web comic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.<br style="clear:both;">

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Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, The Road to Mordor

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/skirmish1.jpgEvery Friday, The Road to Mordor brings you the latest in Lord of the Rings Online news, guides and analysis.

In the last couple years, MMO developers have been addressing the problem of stagnant mid- and end-game play by giving gamers various forms of repeatable content. Warhammer Online proposed PvP scenarios, World of Warcraft launched their Dungeon Finder, City of Heroes added in Mission Architect, and with the advent of the Siege of Mirkwood expansion, LotRO invented skirmishes.

While not identical in form or function, each of these systems is similar in a few ways: they are instantly accessible, they promote easy grouping, they encourage ad nauseum replay, and they offer an alternative way to gain XP and levels. Not to mention that while each of these features has seen criticism, they are greatly embraced by the playerbase and enjoyed by millions daily.

One could argue -- and I guess I am that one -- that skirmishes were LotRO's hole card for Mirkwood, the big "hook" that grabbed players' attention and imaginations. While not a complete game-changer, skirmishes have undeniably altered the face of the game and impacted many players' experiences, for better or worse. So let's face this change head-on and see how skirmishes have fared since last December's debut.

Pick up a lute and play me a merry song, for we'll need all the courage to hit the jump and come out on top!
Continue reading The Road to Mordor: How skirmishes have changed LotRO

http://www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gifThe Road to Mordor: How skirmishes have changed LotRO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.<br style="clear:both;">

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Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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Bioware's Star Wars: The Old Republic may or may not live up to its advance billing as a potential World of Warcraft competitor. If it doesn't, it won't be for lack of a budget, according to a statement given by Electronic Arts' chief financial officer Eric Brown yesterday.

While meeting with Wedbush Morgan Securities in New York, Brown characterized the forthcoming Star Wars MMORPG as the "largest ever development project, period, in the history of the company." Brown declined to give specific financial details, but it's clear that EA and Bioware aren't leaving much to chance when it comes to spending money on development.

According to Eurogamer, Brown went on to discuss the estimated costs of bringing Blizzard's World of Warcraft to market back in 2004, and noted that the lifetime development costs likely topped $100 million "to actually ship it and obviously then there's maintenance subsequent to ship and expansion packs."http://www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gifEA: SWTOR is our largest project originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.<br style="clear:both;">

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Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Bugs, Game mechanics, Patches

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/lotro-qanda-epl-306.jpgWorking on a QA team is simultaneously one of the more important and least glamorous parts of any game's development. On the one hand, QA has the important job of trying to make sure that everything plays smoothly and correctly; on the other hand, a QA team has best done its job when there's very little that the player notices as missing. Lord of the Rings Online has recently posted a QA team diary, with Amanda "Brynhildr" Cosmos discussing the process involved in testing the recent Volume III update for the game.

Contrary to some popular beliefs, testing generally doesn't consist largely of playing the game -- it's more about finding areas of the game that might be a bit weak and straining them to the breaking point. As the diary points out, it's also about investigating the smaller areas of gameplay that might not be immediately apparent from looking at the big picture. Travel routes, pricing on small-scale consumables, and minor text quibbles aren't easy to spot unless you're looking specifically for places that can be shored up. The full diary is worth reading not just for Lord of the Rings Online players, but anyone interested in seeing what the QA teams are actually responsible for in an MMO's production.http://www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gifPeek inside Lord of the Rings Online's QA team originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.<br style="clear:both;">

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Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/alsoswtor-rb-35.jpgThe development team for Star Wars: The Old Republic is hard at work these days, and most of us love to hear what they're up to while we wait for the game. One of the many resources that Bioware has given us are the developer blogs. The newest edition comes to us courtesy of writer Joanna Berry, who takes a closer look at the Jedi Consular.

The Jedi Consular has a balance to maintain, walking that line between the light and dark sides of the Force, and Berry's thoughts on that sense of balance contributed quite a bit to how she chose to write the Jedi Consular class: "For me, the challenge - and the fun - of writing the Jedi Consular is keeping a sense of balance between intelligence and arrogance, between what's right and what could win the war against the Empire."

Take a look at the full entry here -- it's well worth a read for anyone interested in SW:TOR.http://www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gifLatest dev blog for Star Wars: The Old Republic looks at Jedi Consular originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.<br style="clear:both;">

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Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, The Road to Mordor

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Every Friday, The Road to Mordor brings you the latest in Lord of the Rings Online news, guides and analysis.

Hey dol merry dol, Lord of the Rings Online fans! My name is Justin Olivetti, and I have the pleasure of joining you on this winding, epic road to Mordor. I play a Captain on the Gladden server, and some of my favorite activities in LotRO include wandering accidentally into signature mob camps, exterminating the local fauna in the name of Deeds, and trying to cobble together the perfect pirate costume for show.

So I know that LotRO is one of the best MMORPGs out there, and you know that as well, but with all the newer MMOs bursting out of the gate on what seems like a weekly basis, how can you convince your friends, loved ones and everyone in your social network that a three-year-old title is worth giving a try if they missed it the first time around?

Never fear -- I am on your side, and ready to equip you with ten terrific reasons why the lovechild of Turbine and Tolkien deserve an even greater number of folks exploring the lands of Middle-earth. So hit the jump and let's spread the word!Continue reading The Road to Mordor: 10 reasons why LotRO is worth picking up over shiny new MMOs

http://www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gifThe Road to Mordor: 10 reasons why LotRO is worth picking up over shiny new MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.<br style="clear:both;">

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Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Lord of the Rings Online, Crafting, Professions, News items

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/lotrob3crafting-1267717448.jpgTurbine continues to whet our Hobbit-sized appetites for the newest Lord of the Rings Online update. The company has released a handful of screenshots centered around the crafting tweaks included in Volume III: Allies of the King, Book 1: Oath of the Rangers.

While that title alone is quite a mouthful, it pales in comparison to the meaty morsels coming your way if you're in touch with your inner artisan. Updates include new and more powerful recipes for Cooks, new class items for Weaponsmiths and Woodworkers, Jewelry stat rebalancing, and new crops for Artisan, Master, and Superior Farmers.

Hit the gallery below to view the new screenshots, grab a second breakfast, and get ready to churn out those level sixty-five recipes.

Gallery: LotRO Volume 3, Book 1 gallery

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/crafting10304_thumbnail.jpghttp://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/crafting20304_thumbnail.jpghttp://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/crafting30304_thumbnail.jpghttp://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/crafting40304_thumbnail.jpghttp://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2010/03/crafting50304_thumbnail.jpghttp://www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gifTurbine Drops New LOTRO Crafting Screens originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.<br style="clear:both;">

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