<Satine> Good evening everyone and welcome to this month's European Dev chat! With our second free content update just released,
we hope you've got lots of questions lined up to ask the folks from Turbine.
Just before we get started though I do have a couple of announcements to make: First off, don't forget that we've only got a
few days left until the end of the cloak design contest. If you want to be in with a chance of getting your cloak actually built and implemented into the game, then click here for details: http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.ph...rticletype=News
Secondly, the LOTRO Free trial is almost upon us. Starting 30/08/07, if you have friends and family that want to give LOTRO
a go before they commit to purchase, now they can play for free for 7 days. Check the news page on www.lotro-europe.com
for the full details.
Ok and now down to business. With us tonight from Turbine we have the following people:

<Scenario> Good evening everyone! My name is Matt "Scenario" Elliott - Lead Worldbuilder for the LOTRO team. The world team is responsible for the over (and under) land develop of Middle-Earth. Most recently, our efforts have been focused on housing and new landscape additions!

<DangerDan> Hello everyone! This is "DangerDan" Parke, systems designer on LotRO. I work on a bunch of things including monster behaviors, class design, and monster play. Lately, I've been hard at work on Housing and some new, exciting boss monsters for "the rift".

<LOTRO_Patience> Hi everyone! I'm Meghan "Patience" Rodberg, Community Manager at Turbine. I'm a very tired puppy after last week's Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, but I think I might rather have seen Leipzig's Party Tree :)

<Denour> Evening everyone! My name is Andy "Denour" Gillis; I am a Game Systems Engineer (Game Programmer) on Lord of The Rings Online. Game Systems bring you fun things like Combat, Auctions, Quest Tools... horray!

<Satine> And I'm Sam "Satine" Russell, the Senior Community Manager for LOTRO Europe!

<MadeOfLions> Hi everybody! I'm Jeff 'MadeOfLions' Libby, and I've been playing in the Trollshaws! Also: the next book of the Epic story!

<Ethelyn> Is there any chance that we get any more info on the house system? (like prices, size, how to get etc)

<DangerDan> We are going to offer a range of house options. There will be entry level houses, more extravagant houses, and also some houses that a whole Kinship owns.

<smoltok> how are you planning to put the Balrog in LOTRO ? many people are afraid about some balrog you can "easly" kill...

<MadeOfLions> We're definitely being careful with the use of a Balrog -- we know how powerful they are, and we know their significance. We have some 'story reasons' in place that should make this work. ;)

<Tharmar> hi there! will kinships sometimes get there own vault, a save storeroom or something like that?

<Denour> Purchased houses will include storage chests; this includes Kinship Houses. Your kinship will have the ability to purchase a Kinship Home and by proxy, have access to storage chests that can be used by the Kinship.

<oranius> Hello there, I noticed that it is really hard specially within the week to find companions to quest with, did you all ever think of adding Henchman to the game so that people can complete Quests without having to wait hours or days to get things done cause this is really a problem at times. This is for the Vanyar server don"t know if this applies to others as well but it's really frustrating at times.

<MadeOfLions> No current plans in place for Henchmen, but we are working on a lot more solo and Small Fellowship quests, so that should help!

<Schwerti> why the horse cannot trot (in animation) if i press the key for the slowly walk?

<LOTRO_Patience> Hi Schwerti! That's a great idea, and we'll pass it along to the animations team.

<Falto> Is there any info on what classes are gonna be revamed in book 11?

<DangerDan> Falto, for Book 11, we're already hard at work on updating and expanding the Minstrel and Loremaster. I play a Minstrel on Live and I'm psyched for what's happening there. And the Loremaster stuff in the works is pretty hot.

<legrand66> When the game is in the windows mod (not in fulscreen) that the desk keep the original settings

<LOTRO_Patience> Hi legrand66! That's a "known issue" that's being worked on and will be fixed. :)

<Galwin> Will it be possible to disable wispers by guest acounts, because auf the goldsellers?

<LOTRO_Patience> Hi Galwin. While trial accounts haven't been limited, some changes went into Book 10 for everyone that should help limit the amount of spamming the gold sellers can do. These changes won't be noticed much by "normal" players.

<mcman> Will the next book update include more different ways to gain rep with certain factions as i think it is quite repetetive at the minute?

<MadeOfLions> One of the advantages we have as we move forward, now that the Reputation System is in, is that we can give you reputation rewards for new quests as we add them.
As a result, many of the new quests we add can give you reputation rewards as you complete them: new quest hubs means new opportunities to gain rep, in some cases. :)

<Leirah> Are there any plans on adding more weather effects in the future? Especially at night, the sky seems to be clear a lot of time.

<Scenario> For Book 11, we are not planning any modifications to the weather system. The new areas we are adding (High Pass in the Misty Mountains and Tal Bruinen in the Trollshaws) will be featuring some extreme varieties of existing weather. For the future, we are interesting in adding further diversity to our weather, but we do not have an available ETA.

<Marrok[EN-RP]> When are we going to have fishing / boats =D

<LOTRO_Patience> I'm working on it, I'm working on it. Every day, I show up and start annoying the dev team.
"When do we get fishing?" I say.
"GO AWAY!!!" they say.
There are "No Fishing" signs all over the LOTRO dev pit.
(And a "Do Not Jump from Dock" sign too)
But I'm trying to convince them. They know we want it. Eventually, we'll get it :)

<mcman> Hi will the next book update include more much needed level 40+ solo content and will it be somewhere different from angmar?

<MadeOfLions> We're going to have a lot of new content for solo players in their forties in the next update!
The new additions to the Trollshaws and Misty Mountains will give you quests between L40-45 and between L45-50, and they're being designed primarily for solo play.

<Scenario> In addition to the new content introduced without Book 11 areas, the bestiary of each area is designed to better support existing Deeds. For example - the Trollshaws Worm and Crawler Kill-Deeds will have much better support.

<Tille> on the topic of housing: do we also have to buy the lots or just the houses?

<DangerDan> Tille, when you buy your house you get a yard at the same time. You'll get a chance to decorate outside as well as inside. Show off to the neighbors!

<oranius> how much will housing cost so we can start saving up money :)

<DangerDan> We haven't set a final price, but there will be a range of prices for houses from modest to extravagant.

<Anonymous60> From what level can you buy a house, or can you buy a house at level 1, provided you have enough gold ofcourse.

<DangerDan> We have not decided what level you must be to buy a house, but the plan is that there will be a minimum level.

<Leirah> Are there any plans on adding rewards for playing a troll or a ranger in PvMP?

Leirah, I think that playing Trolls or Rangers *is* the reward! I mean... you get to be a Troll! Seriously, though, you have opportunities to earn back the Destiny Points spent to get into Troll or Ranger play by completing deeds.

<Jatimatic> What about wargs as mounts for monsterplayers?

<LOTRO_Patience> That's a great idea, Jatimatic. We'll think about how it would work.. but.. then what would wargs in PvMP ride? :) That could be... awkward.

<Tille> on the topic of housing: are you planing to allow players to place trophies of defeated monsters (as it is possible in DAoC)?

<Denour> We would love to have monster trophies / boss trophies as housing decorations. This is not something that will be in the initial implementation of housing, but it is definately something we will be touching on after Book 11.

<Leirah> Will we see more in-game events in the near future (like the summer festival?) Or events that will require the whole server to work together to achieve a certain goal?

<MadeOfLions> We have a number of fun things planned with events, so the Summer Festival certainly won't be the last one you see. As for a big 'working together' event, we have some ideas but haven't hammered out anything specific yet.

<Aranidh> When will it be possible to eat or smoke while sitting? Or ask a question without standig up ecerytime?

<LOTRO_Patience> Hi Aranidh - that's a mostly cosmetic issue, so it's way down on the list right now in priority. That's not to say the animations won't be getting more attention though. :)

<Tille> on the topic of housing: i read news that said housing will be instanced, right? 30 housing lots each, so will i still be able to visit other instances or am i bound to my 'neigbourhood'?

<DangerDan> Tille, you will be able to visit any neighborhood--whether you own a house there or anywhere. You can wander around, take in the sights, interact with friends, or even go house hunting.

<Nuutia>Good Evening! Will the housing be made in solid neighbourhoods or will they be "floating", in a way that the neighbourhood would chance depending on whos active in their houses?

<DangerDan> Nuutia, when you buy a house in a neighborhood it will always be in that neighborhood. If your friend buys the house next door, you'll always be neighbors so long as you both own your houses.

<Anonymous60> Hello, what changes do you have planned for Loremasters (and Minstrels)?

<DangerDan> Like our previous updates to classes like the Champion, Hunter, and Captain we plan to add new skills and revisit existing skills and the like. Specifics? You'll have to wait for some upcoming dev dairies!

<smoltok> How about the level 7 and 8 of kinships ? ( 1200 and 1300 players !!! ) Was it a some easter eggs ?

<LOTRO_Patience> Yeah, about that - it was intended. But they forgot to give me a release note, so it was intended, but unannounced, which I suppose could make it an easter egg. :D

<harfkill> Will it be posible to sell your house?

<DangerDan> No, you cannot sell your house. Though can choose to give it up.

<Amrac> Please send us some more questions :)
We still have plenty of time for more answers from the devs

<Rizzly|Erynhenw> Will we be able to kill balrogs in lotro (as we've heard about them, and their role in the future of lotro from different interviews with jeffrey steefel), will we get assistance in that case (Radagast, someone)? Or will balrogs be like nazguls, that you just "defeat" them?

<MadeOfLions> I hinted at some 'story reasons' earlier in the chat to justify why you might be able to face off with a Balrog, and you're on the right track with your question. I won't say anymore about that for now, but know that we're handling it carefully. ;)

<MR-OnAir|Matze> when you "give up" your house you probably will not get your money back right?

<DangerDan> Matze, if you paid for some of your house maintenance in advance and then decide to give up your house, you will get that back.

<XerxisFox> Will there be more exact time notes in the auction hall? At the moment one left minute is shown as one hour.

<Denour> There are no plans to show auction times with more accuracy than one hour. This is an intended mechanic to help avoid placing a bid on an auctions at the last second (Sniping if you will). Sorry guys!

<logean> Question: Will we notice anything of the change of the seasons, such as the difference between Bree in Summer or Winter?

<Scenario> Because so much of our landscape is hand-made, implementing seasons is something that is not terribly feasible. It helps to think of each area of the game as being set in a specific time. The majority of the content in the Shire occurs not long after Frodo and company cross into Bree-land, for example.
When building new areas, we try design the biomes and themes to fit within a specific timeline, not on a progressing timeline.

<Annonymous60> When will the Southfarthing be added (I just love the Shire =P)?

<Scenario> South Farthing, like many locations in Eriador occur "off-map". We don't have a specific time-frame for when the South Farthing will be added to the game. It would be great to have all of Eriador (and eventually all of Middle-Earth) as playable landscape - but that is a lot of ground to cover and some areas are more important to develop than others.

<harfkill> will it be posible to make furniture (example a woodworker can make a table)

<DangerDan> Oh, but yes! There will be a number of different kinds of decorations that can be placed inside and outside of your house--and crafting will be a great way to make many of them.

<BuckRogers> when will it give better sort function in the auction house, regarding occupation prescriptions?

<Denour> There are plans to add additional search categories for occupation prescriptions (I assume you mean craft recipies?). Don't lose hope, you'll be able to search for pie recipies soon enough!
Mmm... pie...
<LOTRO_Patience> Pie!

<Amrac> This will be our last question for today. So please don't send us anymore questions for today, thanks! :)

<Baldred> Will there be an emblem for kinships some day?

<LOTRO_Patience> If you mean kinship stencils, yes! Though they won't be coming in Book 11, we're looking to add them in another book. :)

<Amrac> Ok, one more ;)

<Agetha> Hello, will we be able to make our own chat channels?

<LOTRO_Patience> Yes - they're currently scheduled for Book 11, unless something blows up. :)

<Scenario> Thanks a lot for all the questions, folk! Have a great evening!
<Satine> Well I'm afraid that's all we have time for folks. Thanks for all the great questions and if we were unable to answer yours tonight, don't forget that the EU dev chats are held on the last Thursday of every month so be sure to come again next time with your questions!
<Satine> In the meantime, join in the discussions on the LOTRO forums here: http://community.codemasters.com/fo...splay.php?f=417
<Satine> So long for now!
* Scenario runs off to put the finishing touches on Elf housing.
<MadeOfLions> Bye everybody! Thanks for the questions!
<LOTRO_Patience> Thanks for coming everyone!
<LOTRO_Patience> Did Scenario say fishing?
<Denour> No!
<LOTRO_Patience> OOOOH... finishing. :(
<LOTRO_Patience> I thought it said fishing touches!
<Denour> He said Elves, and Elves hatez fishies
<Scenario> Patience has carp on the brains
<LOTRO_Patience> :P
<Satine> obsessed!
<DangerDan> So long, all.
<LOTRO_Patience> Bye everyone.. thanks again :)