Shamus Plays: LOTRO, Part 12

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Ok, I admit it it now. I've tried some of the Fellowship quests that Shamus was gabbling on about earlier, and DEAR GOD they're impossible.

Picture my level 30 Elven Hunter walking into the Great Barrows. Level 19 Spider Queen ahead - and with my new Dwarven-made (?) crossbow, I let off a twin shot. Oh, and my newly acquired heartseeker doesn't work...eat food, shoot, shoot, trap, swing, drink potion, swing, swing, heartshot, another heartshot, rain of arrows. Dead.

Well, the Great Barrows is the first full team instance in the game. It's basically LOTRO Raiding 101 and as such does pretty much require a full team of 6 at anything near level. Even some classes at or near cap would have trouble with some pulls there (large groups VS an induction based class = potential death no matter what the level difference).

Problem is, there's no TP nearby (apart from the flag), there's no vendors or salesmen nearby, it's a 5 minute run through hostile winding territory to get there, there's no-one else there, and it's one of the few places you can actually get level ups to faction. And everything in there is insta-spawn, hostile on sight epic critters.

What it says in the intro is "You might need some help" not "This makes Mordor look like Playschool".

 

[Desyphur]

I'm curious...

How was Holly screwing up that recipe enough to warrant sending Lulzy all over the Shire?

And how did she screw it up without noticing? Pretty sure I'd notice if something went wrong in a two-step recipe.

Perhaps when Lulzy got back to her, she didn't think enough of the secret ingredient had gone in. Might well be why she sent her back out to collect them again. And by the time they were returned, maybe enough suffering will have gone in. Think yourself lucky she didn't send you out to deliver them again.

The berries were bad, actually.

 

[DTWolfwood]

lol reading this really gets me to want to boot up my game again. Lifetime member \o/

 

[hopeneverdies]

I like how one of the rewards for the pie quest is Patience +1. Because that isn' what I would be feeling.

 

[adderseal]

absolute top-quality post here, this is solid gold! keep it up! lulzy's songs are always fresh and hilarious, brilliant stuff. fast becoming one of my favourite features on the site.
I noticed some of your comments on chocolatehammer.org's let's play morrowind, looks like you've been getting inspiration.
please keep this up!

 

[WaderiAAA]

Hey, Samus, i have a question (sorry if someone's asked before): Are there many quests that you skip because you don't think they are silly enough to put in the comic?

 

[fanklok]

Feck that, I'd sooner sneak into Mordor.

One does not simply sneak into Mordor.
Sorry I had to do it.

Great fun Shamus, be careful with all those buckets of water you might spill them and get a pie wet.

 

[The Great JT]

You know, the bad guys' plan involves killing all idiot NPCs. And they have a good 401K and give health, dental and vision and after three months on the job you start earning vacation time.

 

[Cazino]

Great article, I love the pictures you take and the way you write!

Btw Why are your hobbit wearing shoes?

 

[Shamus Young]

Hey, Samus, i have a question (sorry if someone's asked before): Are there many quests that you skip because you don't think they are silly enough to put in the comic?

Tons. There's more reasonable quests than silly ones, even in the Shire.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Ok, I admit it it now. I've tried some of the Fellowship quests that Shamus was gabbling on about earlier, and DEAR GOD they're impossible.

Picture my level 30 Elven Hunter walking into the Great Barrows. Level 19 Spider Queen ahead - and with my new Dwarven-made (?) crossbow, I let off a twin shot. Oh, and my newly acquired heartseeker doesn't work...eat food, shoot, shoot, trap, swing, drink potion, swing, swing, heartshot, another heartshot, rain of arrows. Dead.

Well, the Great Barrows is the first full team instance in the game. It's basically LOTRO Raiding 101 and as such does pretty much require a full team of 6 at anything near level. Even some classes at or near cap would have trouble with some pulls there (large groups VS an induction based class = potential death no matter what the level difference).

Problem is, there's no TP nearby (apart from the flag), there's no vendors or salesmen nearby, it's a 5 minute run through hostile winding territory to get there, there's no-one else there, and it's one of the few places you can actually get level ups to faction. And everything in there is insta-spawn, hostile on sight epic critters.

What it says in the intro is "You might need some help" not "This makes Mordor look like Playschool".

I agree that it doesn't really have the signposts it should, but that's partially due to the reflow they did to Breeland a while back. Things in the barrows got shuffled around quite a bit which makes it a lot easier to traverse and quest in, but also makes it very easy to get in over your head. It used to take a long trek through the Barrowdowns (or through the toughest parts of the Old Forest) to get there with all of the quest givers way back in Bree so it wasn't a place you'd stumble on. Even the quest that introduces most players to GB (Vol 1, Book 1, Chapter 11) used to be a team required quest but it's now a tough but very doable solo so it's not uncommon for players to get the wrong idea about it.

 

[The Heik]

Shamus Plays: LOTRO, Part 12

A grand tour of Hobbiton...well, its pies, anyway.

Read Full Article

Another [a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/loadingreadyrun/1594-Who-You-Gonna-Call"]"Who you gonna call?"[/a] ?

Is April Ghostbusters month at the Escapist?

 

[The Random One]

Heh, hilarious... I laughed out loud at the shot of Lulzy running from a bear, pie in hands. I could make it into an avatar if compression wouldn't kill it.

Since I don't play it I'm wondering whether you can't just create the blueberry pie if you know the ingredients. Are most characters too terminally dumb to figure out that putting blueberry pie filling into a bowl gives you a pie? Isn't the pie filling the most important part and what the recipee should actually detail?

 

[Shamus Young]

Shamus Plays: LOTRO, Part 12

A grand tour of Hobbiton...well, its pies, anyway.

Read Full Article

Another [a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/loadingreadyrun/1594-Who-You-Gonna-Call"]"Who you gonna call?"[/a] ?

Is April Ghostbusters month at the Escapist?

Yeah, I was surprised when I saw that LRR post appear. I'd already written the "Who ya gonna call?" bit. (It's actually a hint about what quest I'll be doing next, for those that play the game.)

 

[Shamus Young]

Heh, hilarious... I laughed out loud at the shot of Lulzy running from a bear, pie in hands. I could make it into an avatar if compression wouldn't kill it.

Since I don't play it I'm wondering whether you can't just create the blueberry pie if you know the ingredients. Are most characters too terminally dumb to figure out that putting blueberry pie filling into a bowl gives you a pie? Isn't the pie filling the most important part and what the recipee should actually detail?

Correct. You can't make the pie without the recipe. There's another one (strawberry, I think) that's only obtainable during special holiday or seasonal events.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Heh, hilarious... I laughed out loud at the shot of Lulzy running from a bear, pie in hands. I could make it into an avatar if compression wouldn't kill it.

Since I don't play it I'm wondering whether you can't just create the blueberry pie if you know the ingredients. Are most characters too terminally dumb to figure out that putting blueberry pie filling into a bowl gives you a pie? Isn't the pie filling the most important part and what the recipee should actually detail?

Correct. You can't make the pie without the recipe. There's another one (strawberry, I think) that's only obtainable during special holiday or seasonal events.

Raspberry and Blackberry are Spring based, the Blackberry pie needing a Master skill to cook - which means a forced level 30(?) boss fight before you can even try.

 

[carpathic]

Excellent, and very funny like usual.

I appreciate the chance to peek inside an MMORPG like this too.

 

[Andronicus]

I wonder how many pies there are? Screw it, I'll just check the wi...OHMYGODSOMANYPIES!! Hmmm... pie...

Hey, Samus, i have a question (sorry if someone's asked before): Are there many quests that you skip because you don't think they are silly enough to put in the comic?

Tons. There's more reasonable quests than silly ones, even in the Shire.

Well that's a relief. +1 faith in mumorpugers. Now I can feel at ease when reading these, and not feel like I'm watching a train-wreck in slow motion. It's a shame all we ever get to see is the stupid ones, but I guess there wouldn't be much to poke fun at otherwise.

Looking forward to some guilt-free laughs at the expense of Turbine's writers next week!

 

[FROGGEman2]

Jesus. This makes me want to play LOTRO.

...Almost.

 

[Optimystic]

So after some minor irritation, Lulzy spends her hard-earned coin getting smashed.

I love happy endings!