Hey, the King’s Back

According to the Bartle Test,  I’m an ESAK.

“ESAK players often see the game world as a great stage, full of things to see and people to meet. They love teaming up with people to get to the hard-to-see places, and they relish unique experiences.”

Breakdown: Achiever 46.67%, Explorer 80.00%, Killer 13.33%, Socializer 60.00%

Probably about right.  I guess it was inevitable that the call of the unknown would inevitably lure me back to Middle Earth.

I’ve been without a “second” game for some time.  The WoW instance group is still on track to meet its date with destiny, but with PotBS a washout and continuing delays for Warhammer and Conan, there is little on the MMO horizon to grab my attention.  And, I’m not quite ready to go back to Eve yet.

So, the call to continue exploration of Middle Earth has been rekindled.  I’m not quite ready to reroll on Arkenstone as Scott at Pumping Irony might be hoping.  Not saying I wont, but as I’m a wee bit rusty, I thought I’d take out my near 30 toons for a spin first and see what happens when the nostalgia wears off.

After being away a while, I was immediately struck (restruck?) by the look and the atmosphere of the game, including the music.  Its still quite a beautiful game.  This is a good thing because if I’m going to slog my way to the Mines of Moria on the backs of countless bears and boars, I better have some pretty scenery to look at.

While there are many minor annoyances, one thing Turbine seems to have gotten quite right to me at least is the atmosphere or tone of the game.  To me there seems to be an almost palpable sadness and yes, dread, that suffuses the game.  For me at least, it echoes the tone from the books, the sense of coming dread even while the sun is shining bright and the flowers in the fields are waving in the winds.  I often catch myself just kind of drifting in the game, just enjoying the environment.  Probably that 80% explorer coming back to bite me.

I have no real agenda in LotRO at this point, though I’m hoping Wilhelm can solve his video problems and get in game so we can hook up.  (FWIW, I have a 8800GT with version 6.14.0011.6921 drivers and everything’s fine).  Mrs. P seems to interested in returning too, so that might be fun to share the exploration.

I hopped in to check in on my toons and found a few surprises.  I’m sure I’ll run into many more as I get used to all the “new” improvements that have been implemented since I checked out about 6 months ago.  All good blog fodder.  Stay tuned.

Some of these surprises were my own doing.  Echoing the subprime meltdown, my dwarf guardian, Fergorin, was apparently evicted from his house for failing to pay his upkeep.  When I logged in, he was literally in the street outside his former home with all his possessions on his back (which includes a tree btw).  Serves him right for trying to live above ground.

Dengo, my hobbit burglar, finally claimed his founder pony.  Now he can travel more quickly.

I also spent a bunch of time running my hobbit Minstrel, an Honourary Shiriff no less, up to the Northern Bree Fields to collect his pony only to find out he’s still a bit too wee to ride yet.  Level 25 minimum for the founder’s pony.

So I rousted my captain Dendromir and his trusty man-pet Cuchulainn to engage in a bit of derring do.  Or at least get on the road to the Book III story line quests.  A little running around and we were sent back to Esteldin.  Apparently our man Halbarad has weighty matters on his mind that require our attention.

More on this as it develops!