[Zenobia]

Since my last post on the upcoming expansion disappeared in a grand conspiracy, disguised as a forum issue (I blame Delmar), I figured I would give it another shot. Below is what the Lotro forum users have put together between the interviews, announcements and forums posts from the developers, full thread here, http://forums.lotro....know-about-2012!

Update 5.2

Probably in February, and will be mostly bug fixes and Store additions.

Update 6

In "spring", and will have a new map. The tentative name is "The Great River", and it will be south of Lorien, along the west bank of Anduin, all the way to Rohan. This region will be free to VIPs (just like Enedwaith and Lorien) and everyone else can buy it for TP. Presumably the Epic Storyline will be free.

The IF will have all the old functionality from the Instance Join and Reflection Pools added to it. This means that the IJ and Pools will be removed, and that you will be able to choose instance in the IF instead. (Massively)

We will also be able to summon our Soldiers out in the landscape, but not in instances (yet, at least, but no promises this will happen in the future). It will mainly be temporaty help as in: "sometimes when I'm playing, [and] really need a helping hand" (Katie Paez in Ten Ton Hammer)

There will not be instances or skirmishers in this Update. (Ten Ton Hammer)

The 5th Anniversary

In order to avoid a repeat of last years "Grindaversary" fiasco, "new core content" with "new mechanics" (Massively) have been added.

The Summer festival

There will be a new festival this summer. (Massively)

Riders of Rohan

Coming this fall, it will be twice as big as Moria, area wise, and have twice as much content as RoI did. (Sapience)

RoR will be divided into three zones, two small, Amon Hen and Eaves of Fangorn, and one huge, East Plains. We will enter from the Update 6 area (Anduin), as it will not link up with RoI yet. (Ten Ton Hammer)

In the East Plains, and only there, will mounted combat be available. The new War Steeds will have their own levels, armor and skills (Press release). New skills and "class like traits" in lvls 76-85 will be focused on mounted combat. (Massively) You will not be able to use some of your old skills on horseback, like any bow skills. (Eurogamer) Out on the plains there will be large groups of mounted enemies called War Bands, which will show up quickly to attack players. Going on foot will not really be an option. Beta testing for this will begin this summer. (Zam) The War Bands will charge groups of players. (Games Radar) The War Bands will be of 40-50 Orcs. (Eurogamer)

There will be no specific Rohan classes. (mmorpg)

There will be more focus on seeing events and characters from the books, like the death of Boromir.

You will be able to buy this expansion in chunks, like RoI. (GamesRadar) And presumably in a whole package, just like RoI.

Also, Ron Whitaker who writes for Game Front does not know someone wrote books about LOTR.

Post RoR

No "Hobbit" tie-ins, but Helms deep and Edoras are planned. (Ten Ton Hammer) Helms Deep will not be this fall, and Turbine want to develop tech to show 10k orcs, before we get there. There is some (presumably very early) planning for Minas Tirith, but there will be a lot of more Rohan before we get there. (Eurogamer)

Other tidbits

Major Updates will have more of the Epic story, and be the major content releases, every few months or so. The "fraction" (.1, .2 etc) releases will be more or less every month and have bug fixes, Store additions and Festival updates. This is meant to bring us faster bug fixes.

Turbine speculates they will continue the game after Mt Doom, and just continue the timeline, if there is still interest in the game by then.

[Jaada]

I hope I find the One Ring so I can end all this pointless fighting. MY PRECIOUS!!!

Jaada