How’s that for a post title, Clue/Lotro/Daybreak Fans? Couldn’t resist!
MassivelyOP’s Monday Post on Lord of the Rings Online getting it’s own independent studio, called Standing Stone Games and being published by the ever mysterious Daybreak Games…Yikes! Eyes popping out of head! Impossible, yet, yow!
http://massivelyop.com/2016/12/20/lotro-is-considering-revamping-its-character-models-in-2017/
My immediate reactions were:
WTH????
Huge relief on behalf of the developers of LORTO that they are free of the soul sucking influence that has been Warner Brothers.
Amazement that Daybreak, which has had one of the wildest rides from a once (great) studio to a total unknown quantity that could shut down any day would be the new Publisher for Standing Stones. BONK!
Excitement for LOTRO. A desire to fire up my characters and play the game because it was going to be run by the so dedicated, incredible development staff who really can make this game even more awesome.
Where I am today:
I fired up all of my characters this morning, all are snuggled where I left them. Adventures await, and for the first time in a long time I really want to send them back out to the lands of Middle Earth.
I’m thinking of how I fled Star Wars Galaxies after the NGE and found the folks at Lord of The Rings Online to be so warm, friendly, welcoming. I spent a little time on the Isengard server and got to see the development process pretty close up. I have nothing but awe and respect for the way the game was built, and how generously the staff shared their plans and dreams and looked for and listened to feedback.
In an interesting turn, I feel like I can now go ahead and invest time in the Everquest 2 world, because this bold move feels like a company with plans for the future, and I’m relieved.
For all the time I spent hugely invested with SOE, some part of me still smiles to see their logo pop up when I log into the Galaxies Emu.
In a very odd way, having LOTRO coming together with former SOE feels like coming home. Messed up, I know.
I’m really enjoying what others have to say:
Myndariel’s Middle Earth She’s hopeful that the new studio and arrangement with Daybreak mean good things to come. http://myndariel.blogspot.com/2016/12/update-192-yule-festival-and-future-of.html
Ravalation feels that the developers who created the world will bring about a better Middle Earth than that allowed by Warner Bros (in so many words) http://ravalation.blogspot.com/2016/12/lotro-moving-to-standing-stone-games.html
Parallel Context also sees the departure from Warner Bros. as a good thing. http://parallelcontext.blogspot.com/2016/12/bye-bye-turbine.html
Contains Moderate Peril examines the business and marketing aspects of the changes in Middle Earth. http://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2016/12/20/standing-stone-games-and-lotro
Endgame Viable is cautiously optimistic that the developer at Standing Stones will be able to proceed and make a better LOTRO than has been allowed in recent times. http://endgameviable.com/lotro-ddo-turbine-standing-stone-games/
GamingSF feels that good things can come from a smaller, more focused studio, and thinks Daybreak has done well by Everquest 2, enhancing the game greatly. https://gamingsf.wordpress.com/2016/12/21/lotro-pre-holiday-news-avalanche/
Aywren Sojourner has a very positive outlook on the changes, and is hopeful this means nothing but good things for LOTRO. https://aywren.com/2016/12/21/the-future-of-lotro-is-with-standing-stone-games/
Biobreak has six reactions to the news from Standing Stone, and interesting thoughts on what it means for Turbine itself going forward. https://biobreak.wordpress.com/2016/12/21/the-future-fate-of-lotro-and-ddo/
Ancient Gaming Noob looks at the business aspects of the changes. https://tagn.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/a-standing-stone-gathers-no-momentum/
A small note on DDO: I basically never made it out of the starter area. You know what doom that spells for a game that you’re not going to be playing. I went in a single dungeon, and in the voice chat any imaginary world idea was rather ruined by my fellow dungeoneers, a woman who said she was a high school teacher flirting with the two guys who were part of the party who sounded as if they were in high school. Yech.
The Last Chapter Gaming Blog 