Comments on: LotRO Again Rumored for Console Release

By: Blue Kae » Blog Archive » Lotro 360

Blue Kae » Blog Archive » Lotro 360 — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:11:25 +0000

[…] Brad does say on the following day that it’s not an April Fool’s joke. Tony at MMeOw picked it up as did Massively both of which source the Destructoid post. Massively also references Joystiq who […]

By: Dickie

Dickie — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:38:26 +0000

I would be weary of a different version of LotRO on the console. Anyone remember Everquest Online Adventures for the PS2?

I think it’s feasible, but Turbine would really want to focus on the controller and macros (FFXI does it and it works… At least as well as it does on the pc, whatever that’s worth). Trying to get console gamers to use a keyboard is just not very likely.

By: foogooDan

foogooDan — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:32:49 +0000

Can I get another shout out for LotR for a Mac client please?

I’m inclined to agree as well that LotR as it stands right now is rather complex with mouse and keyboard. Bringing it over to a controller has been a stumbling block for MMO’s in the past. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Turbine completely rework the control interface.

.…and how do I program macros on a controller?

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:09:07 +0000

MS doesn’t like free DLC, that’s for sure. They essentially force studios to charge for DLC when on the PC they’d give it away free. With a MMOG though, again those are not utilizing XBL whatsoever so I’m not sure why MS would be blocking that, or if that part of the story has any merit to it, even.

I still think MMOGs on the 360 are going to be a hard sell, especially to XBL Gold members who already pay $50/year to MS just to use the services. A MMOG would be a separate subscription, obviously so unless studios start coming up with alternate pricing that console users find more appealing, a subscription MMOG is going to have its fair share of challenges finding a player base.

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:48:29 +0000

Some of the management stuff in DDO wouldn’t carry over, you’re right. I guess I was thinking purely from a more gameplay (i.e., action) standpoint.

As for MS, there must be more going on there than we realize if they’re at all involved in blocking Turbine not charging for their MMORPG.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:31:52 +0000

I agree. I’m by no means a Mac guy by any stretch of the imagination, but look at EVE and WoW — two very successful MMOGs, both with Mac clients.

Microsoft has always had a MMOG policy for their consoles: Silver members can play MMOGs because MMOGs are played on those servers and do not utilize any of the Xbox Live services that Gold members pay for.

I’m skeptical at seeing LOTRO on a console, though. It’s a classic DikuMMO and uses all the generic UI trappings that just don’t work in a console environment. DDO would be a fit in the sense that it’s a faster action RPG, which appeals to the generic console gamer stereotype, and it’s fully instanced which fits into the technical parameters of consoles having less RAM than the typical gamer PC. However, anyone who actually plays DDO for more than a few minutes will quickly realize the game itself is actually more UI and inventory intensive than LOTRO/WoW or any other classic DikuMMO and I feel wouldn’t make a successful transition to consoles. Add all the new middleware Turbine licensed last year and either hints or outright statements in interviews that their secret in-development console MMOG would be a new property, not a port of one of their existing titles…

By: Barukalin

Barukalin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:59:24 +0000

See, I’d much rather see a Mac client developed for LOTRO…I for one am getting increasingly tired of having to rely on a virus-vulnerable Windows partition on my iMac to play this MMO, the only one I have any interest of playing.

I mean come on, CoH managed to find the cash to make a Mac client…why not Turbine?