Now I’ve had a go at it before now, and it was really rather good, but I can’t remember why I stopped playing it, until I reinstalled it this afternoon…

Loads of corrupted files in the downloaded installer I got from Turbine themselves, and then the game goes all Error 201 on me, constantly.  This is not good, and it seems I am not the only one who’s having this issue, it seems to be very common indeed.  This is why I stopped playing…

To me, this is a problem with the installer.  I find it very strange that the game downloads the installation files, then you can have access to the patcher.  Why not just have the game download through the patcher?  Since there are forum posts dating back to 2008, I guess this is a problem that won’t be fixed soon, but I will persevere, and hopefully not have to resort to torrenting a full install from the shadier parts of the interweb.

Related posts:

1. The difference a driver can make

Adventures in Error [201], Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

Now I’m in the mid 20′s my once a week drop into LOTRO means my level 30 post could be a long way off. So I decided to do a quick post (now I’m level 26 woooo), letting you know that Yetian is indeed still exploring Middle Earth. I’ve had my first tanking experience as you may know if you’ve read my last post regarding tanking (if not go read it ), so this time around it was back to solo questing and exploration.

I think in addition to my level progress posts there will be more general exploration news coming from the journal of Yetian the Warden as my leveling slows. Hopefully with some nice shiny screenshots when I actually remember to take some and write down the locations. I think I’m going to have to take screenshots and tab out to rename the files to something relating to the image as my memory is shocking.

Anyway I digress (something I do a lot), I’m supposed to be talking about where I am now.

I decided that instead of continuing my quests in the Lone Lands, I would take a look at the North Downs and Trestlebridge. My reasoning for this was the fact that I had a green quest to visit Trestlebridge and figured the higher level ones in the Lone Lands could wait a bit.

Off I ran up the Greenway and into the town itself forgetting to take pics as I ran in, picked up quests and ran across the Trestlespan (something I did take a pic of).

So far I’ve killed a lot of ugly looking orcs and even managed to take a nice shiny pic of one of their war machines. This was in the orc infested area known as Nan Wahren, woo I remembered a name. Don’t get excited, it’s the only place I saw outside of Trestlebridge itself.

Anyway that’s it for now, just thought I’d let anyone interested know Yetian isn’t under a table in the Prancing Pony, he’s off exploring albeit slowly.

Related posts:

1. Yetian’s New Outfit
2. LOTRO – Level 20
3. LOTRO – Level 25

Trestlebridge, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

If your a reader (or should I say the reader) of this fine blog you’ll no doubt know I hit the level 25 mark a while ago and due to the dreaded real life and my MMO time spent in EQ2 I only just made level 26 last night. I like to take my time in LOTRO, so much to explore and get lost in as well as the fact that unlike EQ2 if you want to go somewhere you really have to travel there.

Anyway I digress…

Last night I jumped into EQ2 quickly then had to log out for the real world again. I unexpectedly then had a bit more game time so jumped into middle earth. I was wandering up the road to Trestlebridge when I received a message from another player asking If I wanted to head to the Great Barrow. “Oooh I thought, I had a few group quests there” so I accepted, only to realise as I hit the button that I am in fact a tank and not a healer as I usually play in EQ2 groups, panic then set in!

I quickly explained to my group what they were letting themselves in for and as we had a rookie healer too we all decided it was going to be a fun and interesting group. Off I headed to the Great Barrow and we ventured inside. As Wardens make use of combo moves called Gambits in combat I memorized a few taunt gambits as well as an AOE damage one. I already have somewhere in the far reaches of my brain known as “The Middle Earth Pocket” a couple of attack gambits as well as a shield boost and a heal, so I felt ready.

We ventured inside and after a few fights I was getting the hang of my taunt gambits and was managing to pull aggro most of the time on my chosen target. We had a level 33 hunter with us though and due to his damage output he could easily grab the mobs attention ahead of me, in fact once he had aggro it was almost impossible for me to grab it back. In fact on the last boss type mob no matter what I did I couldn’t get him to pummel me instead of the Hunter.

Another problem I had was targeting.  As I’m not used to tanking and haven’t done it seriously since EQ1 it could be that I’m just rusty in the way of the meatshield, but I did have problems getting the right target at first. Obviously I pulled my main target and then had to tab to get the rest of them and hit them a few times, throwing in an AOE taunt gambit (a two fist one for those that play). I’m not sure if the group was assisting me but I seem to remember that in LOTRO when you press assist it doesn’t change your target if the tank changes his/hers, though I could be wrong on this as I haven’t grouped in the game for a long time away from my Warden.

We did manage to complete the instance without anyone dying and I picked up a few new Purple (I think they are better than yellow) bits of armour, one of which was a fancy new green pair of pants! A pair that looked exactly like my old pair, but green. The LOTRO devs really have no idea about MMO fashion, it’s as if they made one design and pressed a few random colour buttons.

Anyway after my first pickup group I learnt a few things and realised I can learn a lot more. I think I need to grab a few guild members sometime to learn the ropes a bit more, that or put a few more pickup groups through the pain.

So any LOTRO players have tips for a tank in training? If you like pain and suffering and play on Laurelin, give me a shout if you see me wandering around and want to point me at some mobs.

Tanking in the Great Barrow, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

It’s been a while since my level 20 post, but Lord of the Rings online is my really casual MMO so things take me an age. It’s the kind of game that allows you to take your time, never feeling rushed to level. The scenery makes you stop and take a screenshot, something I don’t do as often in EQ2.

Yetian is now level 25 and although I planned to post at level 30, I decided 5 level posts would allow me to post more than one every 6 months.

As with most of my character posts there’s a few screenshots along the way to help explain what’s going on, mostly because I can’t remember what I’ve done in any detail so pics help, must be getting old.

The first pic is of Yetian fishing, yup that’s right I broke off stabbing things with my spear to fish by a lake. It’s actually for a festival quest but did allow me to chat to a few people along the way. Granted I’m alone in the picture, so obviously my conversation wasn’t that interesting.

The 3 pics above are of the foothills around Weathertop which I explored for a good few quests including a part of the main storyline where I have to help out another Ranger who is camped nearby. It was this quest that saw me take part in my first pickup fellowship (group) with a couple of kind souls who aided me in my quest.

Weathertop itself is great to explore and climb, stopping to take in the view as you go. There is a quest which takes you into an instance linked to the aforementioned Ranger which requires you to climb to the top with the Ranger himself and take on the nice looking but not too great smelling (if LOTRO had smelly-vision), Troll.

The final set of screenshots I have for you to ogle today are of the Forsaken Inn, yes that’s right a member of neXus once again ends up in a pub.

A sight for sore eyes after a long… well 5 minute horse ride from Bree. Needless to say I had to take a peak inside and stay for a few Beers, Vannin our guild leader might kick me from the guild if I’d passed a pub and not ventured inside.

The Inn itself is the first quest hub I’ve found in the Lonelands. It contains NPC’s giving quests for the surrounding area including some Goblin ruins I can’t remember the name of to the south. I managed to complete a few quests from the ruins, but forgot to take some screenshots …. oops! I did manage to fall off a wall into a den of nasty looking spiders, though I did manage to fight my way out and make my way back up to the ruins themselves.

That’s it for now, stay tuned for Yetian’s adventures in Middle Earth to level 30!!

Related posts:

1. LOTRO – Level 20
2. Yetian’s New Outfit

LOTRO – Level 25, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

My Character Yetian is now level 20 and has entered the city of Bree, found my Kinship house and ventured into both the forest near Bree and the Barrows.

I am enjoying the game again and even at my slow pace there is plenty to see, with the views still outstripping other MMO’s I have played. The character models are still poor  though and I’m trying to get a decent black outfit now I can use appearance sets of armour.

I’m afraid this is a short post as things are hectic here at the moment and I’m off to our guild meet in a couple of days in Liverpool/Isle of Man.

Nothing major has happened to my character apart from a dungeon instance to advance the epic storyline of which a couple of pics are attached to this post. So here’s a few images from my most recent adventures, with more to come in the future.

Related posts:

1. LOTRO – Level 25
2. Return to Middle Earth
3. Yetian’s New Outfit

LOTRO – Level 20, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

DDO has become very successful since it went F2P, and I have no doubt LotRO will follow it, but what happens to all the Lifetime Subscribers?  My guess is a mountain of in game bonus items and more than likely a few tokens for the cash shop every month with a discount.

I know a few people on this site have lifetime subs, your thoughts?

Via Joystiq

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1. To Subscribe…
2. Care in the Community
3. Return to Middle Earth

Lord of the Rings to go F2P, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

I decided I’d make an effort to get in at least once a week to say hi to them all and maybe when I gain a few levels get the occasional group. As it’s been a while I created a new character, Yetian the minstrel was remade to Yetian the Warden.

My main in EQ2 is a Warden though in that world a Warden is a healer, in Middle earth it’s a medium armoured tank with combo attacks. These combo’s called Gambits are interesting and a bit confusing at first as they can taunt, injure the enemy and heal. It’s taken a while to remember the combinations I have available at present and I still have to check the skills window often when I forget.I am enjoying the character and so far have managed a few sessions in game to take him to level 15. I have a new set of armour awaiting me at level 16 kindly made by a member of the guild Llyra and have just made my way into Bree after questing around Combe and Staddle.

LOTRO is an interesting game although I’ve never stuck to it for long before, maybe this time it will be different if I tell myself to drop in now and again with no pressure to play. Halas has been released in Everquest 2 and I have a new alt (more to come on that), so I’ve plenty to do in EQ2 at the moment.

LOTRO does have a slower pace and is nice for a casual game, the views are great, you feel more involved in the world and it’s a nice gaming experience. The character models could use an upgrade though as my warden still looks like he’s wearing his pyjama’s.

Well enough rambling for now, here are a few pics from my initial wanderings, with more to follow as I explore.

Related posts:

1. LOTRO – Level 20
2. Tanking in the Great Barrow

Return to Middle Earth, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

I bought a shiny new pc around 6 months ago which included an ATI 5850 graphics card. As you may know if your a regular reader I play two main MMO’s, Battleground Europe for my PvP and Everquest 2 for my PvE experiences.

The 5850 was a nice card and worked great in EQ2, but Battleground Europe was another story. Despite the suggestions on the forums I could not get it to run the game for more than a minute without crashing. For me this wasn’t acceptable and as I knew the MD of the company I bought the PC from (I used to work there), I gave him a shout and he kindly accepted the card back, even though the card wasn’t faulty.

Out came my trusty Nvidia 8800GTX, the card I had run for the past 6 months, plus a couple of years before that. It ran everything I threw at it without issues.

I had been waiting for the new Nvidia Fermi cards to arrive before upgrading once again with a credit note from PC Specialist waiting for me to spend. As the early benchmarks came in showing the Fermi cards to have larger power draw, noise and cost than the ATI 5000 series, I wasn’t really wanting to order one. Before the Nvidia fan’s jump on this post, I know they are both powerful cards but not worth the cost compared to their ATI equivalents. Especially in the UK where we pay more for items like this.

I instead bought a Powercolor PCS+ 5870 from Overclockers. I actually ordered a standard 5870 and received the PCS+ version, I had half expected it due to other reviews on the product page, but it was a bonus to actually get it.

I tried the card with EQ2 and LOTR which both ran fine, Battleground Europe was still it seems suffering from the same problems as before. I could play a while and then crash.

I couldn’t believe that CRS (Cornered Rat Software) hadn’t fixed the issues with ATI cards and the game. It seems there is a history of issues with ATI cards and BE. I actually pre-ordered one of the new Fermi cards (a GTX470), as I wanted to be able to play one of the two main MMO’s I subscribe to.

Still not happy I searched the web for an answer to my problems with Battleground Europe and found some 10.4 beta drivers. I was a bit hesitant as these drivers could be dodgy having not come from the ATI website. As I was at the end of my tether with the card I tried the new drivers anyway and rebooted to try Battleground.

I managed to play for 4 hours with only one crash, a black screen freeze. The occasional crash happens in that game so I wasn’t too bothered with that. Since then I have reinstalled windows 7 (as I had a strange bug with flash I couldn’t fix), along with all the other programs and applications I use. I managed to play BE without problems since then so it seems these beta drivers have solved the problem, resulting in a cancellation of my 470 pre order.

Who is at fault here? I’m not sure to be honest, sure maybe I was daft getting a 2nd ATI 5000 series but in the end it paid off as far as I’m concerned. I am more concerned with the fact it took 6 months of driver releases to make a game work with the 5000 series cards. Is it the developers of BE or the people at ATI that are to blame? Well the developers at CRS only have one game to make work with various cards, ATI have countless games to support. How hard would it be to get the two to work together to come up with a problem? Maybe ATI were not concerned by problems with a smaller MMO, maybe they did try to work it out together, I guess I’ll never know.

The whole thing has just left me annoyed at both companies but in time that annoyance will fade as I enjoy both my shiny new card and continued play time in Battleground Europe.

I guess the point of my post is, if you had a similar problem where a component stopped you playing a game you enjoyed what would you do? Would you swap the component, be patient, or quit the game until a solution was found?

Related posts:

1. Out with the old…
2. Station Players charges dropped
3. EQ2 account hacked!!

The difference a driver can make, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

I have been in my guild neXus since our formation over 4 years ago, I am officially the Deputy Leader of neXus although we make all decisions as a group where possible. We founded the guild as we wanted a casual small guild where members knew each other and everyone would help each other out when they could. All of us  founding members had been in guilds who’s ideals were the same as ours and had some good, some not so good experiences.

People told us it wouldn’t work and that we’d never get anywhere with such a small guild…

We began with a strict trial period for new members of 4 weeks and the ability for each full member to comment on each trialist so decisions are made by all members not just those in charge.

Our aim initially was to hit guild level 5 in Everquest 2 which at the time was our only game, we are now approaching level 70. Slow level progression sure, but we do it with a bunch of good people who all have a similar mindset to gaming. Our LOTR branch while small is also still going strong.

A few years ago we decided to have our first meet, something I think we’d all thought would be fun but also a bit weird. At this point the guild had been running for a couple of years and a good few of the guild members had known each other in various games for a lot longer.

Our first meet was on the Isle of Mann where our leader Vannin is based, we rented a house for a week and a good few of us descended on the Island. It was a bit strange at first meeting people you didn’t know but at least we all had something in common and had chatted via text/voice for a while. In the end we all got on well as a group and much drinking and chatting was done. Sure some of the chat was about gaming but not all of it. One of our group managed to remove his pants for some random woman in a pub, by which point we knew it was going to be a good week.

We had a mini-meet with just a few of us last year at a guild members house which again involved a good amount of beer and the chance to meet more of the guild.

I have just got back from the 3rd neXus meet in Copenhagen. Initially it was going to consist of around 10 of us but with the current financial situation for a lot of people, the numbers gradually dropped as we got near to the meet date. So as the sole representative of the UK neXians I headed off to Denmark to meet up with 3 Danish members of our group, that as of yet hadn’t been to any meets, one of whom was MMO-Symposium’s very own Ffaffner.

Again lots of Beer, Food and drunken chat/laughing was done, we even have a video on Youtube as well as a large number of pics in our site gallery. I won’t post the link to the Youtube video to embarrass those present (myself included), though I’m sure with a bit of imagination (we tagged it), you could find it.

The good thing about our guild (and some people would think this odd), is I count many members as friends as we always have a good laugh and enjoy our gaming. The addition of voice chat has helped as you get to hear what people you have chatted to via text for a long time, actually sound like and are able to get an idea of their personality. Sure you can do this via text, but we’ve all had moments where the point and mood of a text chat line has been misunderstood.

I think that meeting people outside of the game and in the flesh is where you find out what people are really like though. After the 3rd neXus meet I now have 3 more guild members that I count as friends outside the world of MMO’s, at least from my point of view. As well as people to call should I ever get lost in Denmark.

I guess the point of this post is that many people think it’s weird to call those you only know in games as friends, but when you spend so much time over the years talking and gaming with people who you get on well with, what else would you call it?

The addition of the guild meets has enabled this to move from the virtual world to reality and this can only be a good thing. Guilds should not just be about grouping in a game to achieve an objective, but to my mind should be about finding like minded gamers with who you can enjoy your gaming time. It also helps the guild stay together as even when members leave games as a guild, many still use our website and join new games we try as a guild.

MMO’s are social games and what’s more social than getting together with your guild members in the real world for chat, a laugh and a few beers?

Related posts:

1. Guild Meet 2010
2. A big congrats to neXus!
3. Guild Progression

Virtual to Reality, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium

When I first began browsing screenshots for the upcoming Moria expansion last year, I was somewhat unimpressed. The interior modelling seemed all too basic – the architecture simple, angular and repetitive, the texturing uninspiring. But it has to be said, a book should not be judged by its cover. The in-game experience is completely different than the static screenshots would have us believe and the atmosphere and grandeur of this legendary dwarven stronghold has truly been captured. The comment I’ve heard most from players is that Moria is BIG and it is all too easy to lose yourself in it’s labyrinthine maze of passages and caverns. And Turbine have injected a wealth of variety, with each zone comfortably unique, but in-keeping with the greater whole. The feeling of immersion is so convincing at times that I’ve even found myself longing for the open sky and breeze-caressed foothills of Eregion on occasion. It’s going to take a while to fully explore and appreciate every wonder that Moria has to offer, but it will be well worth the adventure.

//HoC

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2. What’s In A Name?

Moria Warrior, Originally Posted At: MMO-Symposium