Thread: New Store Item: Hobby Horse

Originally Posted by Lainalagos

"Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harp-string, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow.
Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning?
Or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning?"

This is the only thing that need be said about this whole proposal. +rep, Lainalagos.

Originally Posted by Lainalagos

You want to earn 5K TP for a really premium mount? How about this: make the beautiful horse model used in the Rohan legendary content 'Discovering the Decedent' available as a player mount. Call it 'Decedent of the Maeras', give it +100% speed and 500 morale. Add a unique hide for warsteeds that copies the dappling on the rear and feathered hooves. (If the technology to change to leg mesh on a hide doesn't exist make the feathering a leggings cosmetic.) Finally, for that price, make it account-wide.

This is an excellent suggestion, and something I might actually buy, if it was account-wide. I wouldn't even need the extreme speed or morale. 68%, 250 morale, and the corresponding war-steed appearance would be enough for me.

So a breeland starter pony moves at the same speed, and costs 495 TP (if you were to buy it with TP rather than just waiting), yet a hobby horse costs 5000 TP? I can't understand this logic, aside from that Turbine milk a lot more now than they used to.

I've read through this thread now and I cannot see more than a few, if that, positive responses to this proposal.
Please, for the love of all things Tolkien and Middle-earth, if you must put this thing in the Store, put a non-crazypants price for it. No higher than 250tp.

Of course, I'd prefer it if you didn't put the thing in the Store at all, and I'm sure there are many that feel the same way, but I think that ship sailed West to the Undying Lands a long time ago.

I'd rather you spent development time on new content, be it raids, instances, epic books, new regions or new systems, or even revamps to housing and kinship systems.

I like the price point.. it would be very tedious to see people riding them every day and so it is necessary to set the cost high. Besides there are plenty of lifetimers who get 500TP a month for essentially nothing; all they need to do is log in 10 times over the course of 10 months and they can get the hobby horse essentially free.

I do agree it should probably be account bound though

Originally Posted by ShireDweller

3.) I would change it so that when you use the item, your character would turn into a boy or girl on a hobby horse, and you can ride around that way, with your name displayed on the character similar to the way it is when you are playing as a chicken in chicken play.

I would make it something that can be used only in housing districts or in towns where children currently appear. In other words, not something that can be ridden into combat. It would still be fun and could be used by groups of people such as kins for fun activities or role playing.

That is really a very interesting idea. I'd like to draw more attention to it.

Originally Posted by GV-Tanith

]

• It would have to be offered to the playerbase in a less condescending manner than it has been here. I don't know if y'all have noticed, but the sneering, snotty tone of the OP has gone over like the proverbial fart in church in this thread. And, I might add, it's riled some very notable players of this game.

Do you read it that way? I don't. I read it as a Dev drawing the short straw on having to present an idea to the playerbase that he knows is going to go over like a lead balloon. His whole "no-crazypants" statement is an attempt to keep the resulting thread less hyperbolic so it can reasonably be used to present to higher management (which appears to be the Store, nowadays) reasons to not give the go ahead to the item.

There are some folks here who, while not wrong, hurt their argument by always turning it up to eleven, making it easy to dismiss as just an overreaction by the few. What we need here are calm and level headed reasons why this is the stupidest idea since Illuvatar sang stupid onto this world...

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

Are you serious?

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

Not at the price of 5000 TP.

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

If it would allow me to one-shot everything i attack for the next 30 minutes after dismounting.

4. Any rants about how evil Turbine is for making store items, even those that are entirely optional and up simply for the fun of those who are willing to pay for them, will be disregarded. This item is an experiment item. We simply want your feedback on the type of item presented and what might be added to it or done to it to make it a better item. We are not forcing you to buy it. No one is forcing you to buy it. It's something to be there and be fun for those who may want it.

I don't think it's fun to waste 5000 TP for a 'fun' item. This time of the year there are some great new games in the store. I could buy an entire game for the same amount of money.

You want to be taken serious, yet you make a post about a slow wooden horse that will be the price of a full game. I wonder what drugs you take, it must be good.

Originally Posted by xRaina

Some of you may have noticed a new item in your store on Bullroarer: the Hobby Horse.

The store wizards would like your feedback (well-thought out, non-crazypants) on this item.

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

It would be a bad joke if that price were a joke. It's an outrageous price for anything but... (see 3)

Originally Posted by xRaina

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

No, it's just really not what I'm looking for in this game. I like my fluff to be more serious.

Originally Posted by xRaina

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

Accountwide access to content: landscape with questspacks and instances.

Originally Posted by xRaina

4. Any rants about how evil Turbine is for making store items, even those that are entirely optional and up simply for the fun of those who are willing to pay for them, will be disregarded. This item is an experiment item. We simply want your feedback on the type of item presented and what might be added to it or done to it to make it a better item. We are not forcing you to buy it. No one is forcing you to buy it. It's something to be there and be fun for those who may want it.

Some experiments have rather predictible outcomes. This is one of those. I don't feel forced, just a bit mindboggled.

Originally Posted by xRaina

Constructive commenting and questions ONLY


We know store items cause heated discussion. We know some longtime players find them problematic. Please try to be level-headed. We appreciate the passion you all have about LOTRO.

I'm level-headed. I understand you need to make people spend TP in the Store. I salute you trying to find creative ways to achieve this. However, I don't think this was a particularly wise experiment. Still, if for one thing, I do have to compliment Turbine for sheer guts.

Thank you for being open to our feedback. I hope it helps you to properly evaluate the outcome of this experiment.

Does it come with a monocle?

Just to add my 2 cents. NO I will not pay 5k tp for the hobby horse. I won't even pay 2k for the cosmetic mounts. What I would buy is a rental on the hobby horse .. say an hour for 50tp in Harwick. Perhaps make the training grounds double as a hobby horse track for kin events. I don't want to see that stupid hobby horse charging around the world. Please reconsider. Also I would never pay 5k tp for ANYTHING so I can't answer your 'what would make you pay 5k tp for this item". Not even if it was attached to an xpac.

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.
You have every right to set your prices as you wish

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?
Not at this price. Not in a million years.

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?
A decent bottle of scotch.

4. Any rants about how evil Turbine is for making store items, even those that are entirely optional and up simply for the fun of those who are willing to pay for them, will be disregarded.
You are not evil. You are casting a net and seeing what you will catch.

This item is an experiment item. We simply want your feedback on the type of item presented and what might be added to it or done to it to make it a better item.
Is the item the experiment or is the pricing the experiment?

Please try to be level-headed.
Ok. I am in marketing and I think what you are doing is perfectly legitimate user testing. I believe we will see the Hobby Horse available in store for 2500TP, followed by a TP sale and then a %off store coupon.

Why do I believe this?
1. Setting an unrealistic price of 5000TP makes 2500TP easier to swallow. (We saw you guys do this with the ridiculous price of RoR when you were selling it without instances.)
2. With the instance cluster and the kewel new Hobby Horse, players who didn't buy right away will flock to the TP sale to stock up and buy the new stuff.
3. Those who held out for the inevitable store sale will be hooked once you offer the %off store coupon.

All in all, you will win. You will make money and hopefully you will pump that money back in to the game.

You attach a price of 5000 TP to a fluff item, invite feedback, and say that insulting comments will be ignored and you only want constructive feedback.

So this is constructive feedback-

Whoever thought that 5000 TP would be remotely close to any sort of reasonable prices suffers from a medical condition and needs extraction surgery- and fast! Please get them the help they need.

There is absolutely no way on earth a fluff item like this would ever be reasonable priced at anything close to that. As others have said, why would you pay the same price as an expansion? Why pay the same price as the total of most of the SoA quest packs and a bunch of extras?

I love Rohan, I love the game, I love a lot of what is being done. But there are a few things- in this update in particular (festival quest deeds? interrupts/ cooldowns?)- that makes me wonder about the sanity of someone making some of the decisions here.

Contstructive criticism from me is as follows:

5000TP for ANYTHING is way beyond what a sane person would pay. Several months of VIP status had better come with it for that price.

The thought of seeing anyone riding a hobby horse around Middle Earth, other than as part of a quest, or festival event makes me a bit angry and a bit sad, because, well it's just not fitting with the world and the serious business that's going on.

I think much more important things could be done with resources that are being used for this... for what I'm not sure, but I'm willing to bet there is.

Originally Posted by Frisco

I can offer nothing constructive about this topic. I am going to curl up in my hobbit hole with my butter knife and jar of fireflies and pretend that it's 2007 again.

I'm right there with you. I'll bring a frying pan and some delicious crispy bacon and we can wait out the end of the world. Hopefully it really is coming soon.

I'll add my voice to say nothing would make be buy this item for 5000 TP. This is not a joke? I disbelieve!

I'd pay 5000 as long as I can solo Bugud on it.

Here's how much I'd pay for various iterations:

- 1995 TP: The mount in its current form. A 250 Morale, +68% speed travel mount for one character.

- 2995 TP: The current mount, as an account-wide unlock

- 3995 TP: An account-wide unlock with 500 Morale and... say... +78% speed or so.

- 4995 TP: An account-wide unlock with 500 morale, ~+78% speed, and the animation is changed so my free arm is lassoing in the air ala Gangnam Style.

- 5995 TP: The above, plus it actually plays a loop of the song's chorus for me while I ride it.

- 19995 TP: The loop plays for everyone else too.

No. Just no. Kin event type thing would be fun, and certainly if it was just "fluff" around town - but watching someone ride around in the open at +anything%speed?

No.

Not even for 50tp. If it's JUST for fun - I could see maybe... 250tp.

2. Nope I would not be willing to purchase this at that price.

3. Perhaps I would purchase it if there was an expansion pack and Turbine points attached
.

Originally Posted by xRaina

Some of you may have noticed a new item in your store on Bullroarer: the Hobby Horse.

The store wizards would like your feedback (well-thought out, non-crazypants) on this item.

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?


4. Any rants about how evil Turbine is for making store items, even those that are entirely optional and up simply for the fun of those who are willing to pay for them, will be disregarded. This item is an experiment item. We simply want your feedback on the type of item presented and what might be added to it or done to it to make it a better item. We are not forcing you to buy it. No one is forcing you to buy it. It's something to be there and be fun for those who may want it.

Constructive commenting and questions ONLY


We know store items cause heated discussion. We know some longtime players find them problematic. Please try to be level-headed. We appreciate the passion you all have about LOTRO.

Originally Posted by Lainalagos

You want to earn 5K TP for a really premium mount? How about this: make the beautiful horse model used in the Rohan legendary content 'Discovering the Decedent' available as a player mount. Call it 'Decedent of the Maeras', give it +100% speed and 500 morale. Add a unique hide for warsteeds that copies the dappling on the rear and feathered hooves. (If the technology to change to leg mesh on a hide doesn't exist make the feathering a leggings cosmetic.) Finally, for that price, make it account-wide.

I would pay 5k TP for such a mount (and warsteed hide), it wouldn't even need the super speed, 68% is enough, but it would need to be account-wide. I always hesitate to purchase anything that isn't account-wide, including the class mounts.

Gave it some thought...

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

If people are willing to pay for it. Go. If not, adjust the price but beware the wrath of early adopters

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

No. Added value of a laugh here and there is not in line with the cost.

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

Well I have been thinking about this and came up with the one thing I would really love to see in the game. Enable players to put a house where they want it to be. Indeed, truelly free placement in currently available regions. Ofcourse there would need to be some regulations (min distance, max nr etc.) but it I think it would be great. New house models would have to be developed for all regions and there should be more (store bought) freedom and decorations compared to current housing but I would gladly depart from alot of TP for this!

Above all imho items or services at this pricepoint should have an account wide effect and be permanent without a fast declining usage or gimmick value.

Originally Posted by Jadzi

Here's how much I'd pay for various iterations:

- 1995 TP: The mount in its current form. A 250 Morale, +68% speed travel mount for one character.

- 2995 TP: The current mount, as an account-wide unlock

- 3995 TP: An account-wide unlock with 500 Morale and... say... +78% speed or so.

- 4995 TP: An account-wide unlock with 500 morale, ~+78% speed, and the animation is changed so my free arm is lassoing in the air ala Gangnam Style.

- 5995 TP: The above, plus it actually plays a loop of the song's chorus for me while I ride it.

- 19995 TP: The loop plays for everyone else too.

Jadzi, that is just evil. I love it.

Come on Turbine, this is just stupid.. I don't even want to say anything more, if you going to put this kind of stuff in the store, you gotta at least make the price resonable, and $50 for a item like this? It's just unacceptable.

Originally Posted by hillard1959

It's a Store Exclusive mount. That's about the size of it. Looks just like the hobby horse from the quest of the same name out of Harwick. Has 250 Morale, +62% Run Speed. 5000 TP. It is a per character purchase.

the [b] part is wrong, the hobby horse has only +40% runspeed.


and atm it is bugged as asdf.

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

Feedback on the price? This is the cost of a brand new game, I'm not sure what could be done to make myself spend so much money on a mount and a 40% one at that.

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

As it has been described - mount with 40% speed boost - no. Pricing is just plain too high to even begin to feel like it has value.

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

Its not a horse
40% speed is a starter mount, its a toy horse not a horse, this need to be less maybe 20% at most.

Emotes
If this is a fun item, make it so with some unique emotes, not short either you want 5k tp for this and I want to feel like its worth the cost. it should have a couple emotes that are long so that players who buy it can put on a show. ie 30 secs, ie you need to spend some money to make me buy this, don't resell something i've already paid for from the ROR expansion.

Deeds
How about a quest chain to a deed, something along the lines of the chicken run quests, riding through middle earth as a boy on the horse. Completion grants tp and a fast travel system to all the towns you have entered with a low cooldown (like 10-20 mins).

Account Wide
Not single character.


Really I've only offered 2 ideas here but the gist is that you need to do more than take something i've kind of already purchased when I bought ROR, slap 40% speed on it and stick it in the store if you want me to spend 5k tp on it.


Specifically regarding the store, if you split the colour packs up for the warsteeds into individual colours you'd sell more.
Not sure whos currently in charge of making these types of dicisions but pricing everything as a premium is a bad way to generate income. If you split them into individual colours and make some of them more expensive then others I think you'd generate alot more income from these items. Perhaps you have metrics that say otherwise. If you do why have you even started this thread? You should already have an idea what you'd make off your 40% mount for 5k tp....

Originally Posted by xRaina

Some of you may have noticed a new item in your store on Bullroarer: the Hobby Horse.

The store wizards would like your feedback (well-thought out, non-crazypants) on this item.

Crazypants new item warrants crazypants feedback

Originally Posted by xRaina

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

That may be the proposed price for the item but it most certainly is a joke.

Originally Posted by xRaina

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

No, for 300tp I may just for the short lived lols but the item would soon get forgotton about

Originally Posted by xRaina

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

It comes with 2 new raids, 3 new instances, at least 3 new regions, a level cap increase, some new skills, some new mechanics, some new quests and a new epic book (ie, it comes with an expansion)

Originally Posted by xRaina

4. Any rants about how evil Turbine is for making store items, even those that are entirely optional and up simply for the fun of those who are willing to pay for them, will be disregarded.

I feel so valued!

Originally Posted by xRaina

This item is an experiment item. We simply want your feedback on the type of item presented and what might be added to it or done to it to make it a better item.

Swap it for a fully fledged expansion and it will be a better item

Originally Posted by xRaina

We are not forcing you to buy it. No one is forcing you to buy it. It's something to be there and be fun for those who may want it.

I see, I know we are way beyond the slippery slope people predicted at the start of F2P but this seems like it could be the start of a whole brand new one!

Originally Posted by xRaina

Constructive commenting and questions ONLY

I do have a constructive question! Who thought this was a good idea?

Originally Posted by xRaina

We know store items cause heated discussion. We know some longtime players find them problematic. Please try to be level-headed. We appreciate the passion you all have about LOTRO.

You appreciate the passion? I thought we were all crazypants and unconstructive? i'm confused....

Originally Posted by xRaina

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

No, I still have to work to get my money from my boss, you have to work a bit more to get money from me.

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

An item granting a permanent 50% discount in the store. Actually, there is probably a price for which everything in the store could be permanently free. A sort of VIP status (not the actual VIP status, which does not feel so special).

Originally Posted by xRaina

...
Constructive commenting and questions ONLY
...

Seriously?

Originally Posted by xRaina

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

4. Any rants about how evil Turbine is for making store items, even those that are entirely optional and up simply for the fun of those who are willing to pay for them, will be disregarded. This item is an experiment item. We simply want your feedback on the type of item presented and what might be added to it or done to it to make it a better item. We are not forcing you to buy it. No one is forcing you to buy it. It's something to be there and be fun for those who may want it.

Constructive commenting and questions ONLY

1. The price seems far too high, compared with mounts that give better speed etc.
2. No. I find the idea immersion-breaking. It's a kid's toy rather than something the average 'adventurer' would have.
3. I find the price too high, as it doesn't even stack against proper mounts that cost 1995 points, let alone against quest packs and expansions.

Red

PS Forums mean 'crazypants' feedback happens. People have feelings and some express them in a less than constructive way. I'm afraid the way you've expressed yourself in this post has created ill feeling, from all I've read above. It's one thing to say around the office that someone has posted 'crazypants' feedback but it's quite another to post on the forum telling your customers they won't be listened to if they lose their rag and post heated comments.

Originally Posted by xRaina

Some of you may have noticed a new item in your store on Bullroarer: the Hobby Horse.

The store wizards would like your feedback (well-thought out, non-crazypants) on this item.

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

To 1. It may be no joke, but it's amusing. Sorry for laughing out loud

To 2. Yes.

To 3. If it comes with a code for 4950tp.


@ Jadzi: +rep for your feedback, I'm still laughing hard

Originally Posted by xRaina

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

4. Any rants about how evil Turbine is for making store items, even those that are entirely optional and up simply for the fun of those who are willing to pay for them, will be disregarded. This item is an experiment item. We simply want your feedback on the type of item presented and what might be added to it or done to it to make it a better item. We are not forcing you to buy it. No one is forcing you to buy it. It's something to be there and be fun for those who may want it.

1. Considering how lore breaking this item will be, how it will ruin my immersion and others, the price should be higher.
2. No; If this could only be used at festivals or have it's speed reduced significantly to keep people from speeding around all over the place then perhaps
3. Being a hobby horse itself I think is awesome

FIVE THOUSAND TURBINE POINTS

Feedback time.



My offer remains. 50 TP. Take it or leave it.



What? No. No no no.



Being an expansion?



For $50 I can think of better ways to have fun. Say, purchasing a video game. One whole, brand new video game.

Turbine is not evil for making store items. Turbine is crazy for expecting people to pay $50 for a pseudo-mount joke item.

Be realistic. No matter what you add to a horse stick, it's not going to be worth $50. That's my feedback to the "store wizards".[/QUOTE]
I honestly thought this was a joke. And at that price it certainly is. Agree with this poster heartily.

Originally Posted by Redamber

1. T
Red

PS Forums mean 'crazypants' feedback happens. People have feelings and some express them in a less than constructive way. I'm afraid the way you've expressed yourself in this post has created ill feeling, from all I've read above. It's one thing to say around the office that someone has posted 'crazypants' feedback but it's quite another to post on the forum telling your customers they won't be listened to if they lose their rag and post heated comments.

Thank you for saying this. I felt the same when I first opened this thread.

Originally Posted by utcorryredding40

Thank you for saying this. I felt the same when I first opened this thread.

I did not feel this way. I just saw an intelligent, rational person doing their job the best they can and asking everyone to stay calm.

I concur with those who have suggested that this should be a consumable and not usable in combat. Suppose the item costs 50 TP and lasts several minutes.
- More people would be able to purchase it (Turbine wins, players win)
- People who really like it would, in a few hours of using the mount, spend more than 5,000 TP (Turbine wins, long-term)
- Like festival consumables, it would be most likely to show up in towns, where people have an audience for that sort of thing. It would not be as likely to show up in combat and ruin our immersion. (players win)
Compared to a 5k TP permanent mount, I think a cheap consumable would be better for revenue and player immersion. (I still wouldn't buy it, but I do think it would be an improvement.)

Originally Posted by Silverangel

I did not feel this way. I just saw an intelligent, rational person doing their job the best they can and asking everyone to stay calm.

Exactly. I don't think that asking people to abide by the CoC and provide calm, rational feedback, minus the hyperbole that these forums are famous for, is too much to ask.

Here is my feedback (excuse my english):

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.

Could you please explain how you calculated this price ? This horse costs as much as one expansion ? I would expect not more than 1/100000 part of development, test and marketing costs for the horse compared to an expansion like Rohan.

Feedback: Outsource your development und QA to provide your customers better prices. This is not a joke.

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?

no, i don´t like the idea of this horse

Feedback: For me to spend 5000 TP for one item you should be much more creative and innovative


3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?

if you tell the customers by buying this item one developer would be payed for one x months. The customers could then decide what the developer would code.

Feedback: the item itself too restrictive to add features that could increase the value to 5000 TP


4. Any rants about how evil Turbine is for making store items, even those that are entirely optional and up simply for the fun of those who are willing to pay for them, will be disregarded. This item is an experiment item. We simply want your feedback on the type of item presented and what might be added to it or done to it to make it a better item. We are not forcing you to buy it. No one is forcing you to buy it. It's something to be there and be fun for those who may want it.

Why shock and irritate your customers with such questions ? It´s not productive for your company.

Feedback: Ask marketing experts how effective selling is done

1. The price is not a joke. That is the proposed price for this item.
You should set the price at which you think you will maximize return. If your marketing research shows that ppl in other games buy expensive cosmetics and they determine that selling a few, high priced items yields a better return than selling many lower priced items, then go for it. I will not be one of those that purchase such a high priced cosmetic.

2. Would you be willing to purchase this item?
For a couple hundred TP I'd buy it just to check it off that I have it, at 40% or even 62% I wouldn't use it. I already have 60+ mounts that are obsolete since the arrival of war steeds. Regular steeds are only useful in the moors, and that has to be a 68% mount.

3. What sort of features might entice you to purchase an item at this price point?
If it included the West Rohan expac that arrives with end game instances and raids, a 7th bag, a grant of full rest xp to VIP players (my poor main is always struggling with her depleted rest xp) and an account wide war steed dye pack. Yes, for 5k TP I expect to get a lot.

The price may not be a joke, but the idea that you'll get a travel speed buff from a hobby horse is. As if apparel dummies weren't enough, do we have to have people on broomsticks running from Bree to Rivendell? I understand this is a game and it is designed for people to have fun, but this is too much.

I think the idea of getting a kid skin when using it is curious and deserves further exploration. But I don't think this should exist as anything other than a cosmetic item.

The developers have been following this feedback over the weekend. The Hobby Horse will now not be going live with that price point.


They are experimenting with items and pricing on the store. This test was, as is obvious from your feedback, unsuccessful. The feedback was somewhat expected.

From what you appear to be saying, something with a high price would have to have more of a use to it.

While flying mounts are not going on the table, the developers are interested in what type of item uses you are all looking for in a store item. These could range from silly to serious. Let the devs know!

I joined LOTRO because of the linkage to the books and Tolkien's material. Having now played for 6 months (which is not long I know) I want to venture a toe in the water with this hobby horse thing.

There are areas where LOTRO veers from the material: milestone markers/insta-port features & the shorter distances (e.g. distances that were "leagues" in LOTR are barely a LOTRO kilometer). I can get that somethings have to be altered for gameplay. Fine.

This rideable (non-cosmetic) hobby horse is not an alteration for the sake of gameplay. It is utterly inconsistent with the lore and original material. Given that the Tolkien estate has already sued Warner Brothers in the last month for violation of the terms and agreements WB has with the family/Christopher Tolkien

http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...others-for-80M

I am shocked someone from your legal department/general counsel hasn't taken you aside and suggested strongly and vociferously you shove this idea and deny ever having suggested it.

But please, go ahead and do this. I can't wait to read the inevitable cease-and-desist letter. I've read many in my time, but none involving dwarves riding hobby horses across the plains of Rohan. Working the phrase "breach of contract" in with "and the hobby horse you rode in on" may be tricky, but I'd handle it pro bono just for the bragging rights.

UPDATE: As I was writing Raina made the post above

http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...92#post6556692

including the phrase "The Hobby Horse will now not be going live ***with that price point***" (emphasis added) meaning, of course, it will be going live for something less (4999 TP rather than 5000?)

My original post stands: my objection isn't the condescension of the original post (no "non-crazypants" posts), the cost, irrationality, absurdity or the like, items well covered and well developed by others.

My objection is a) failure to adhere to the lore/mythos of Tolkien with a rideable hobby horse and b) the complete and total legal screw up you guys (probably) made in pushing this. Both contentions still stand.

Originally Posted by xRaina

The developers have been following this feedback over the weekend. The Hobby Horse will now not be going live with that price point.

So after reading all the feedback you are saying that the hobby horse will be going live with a reduced price point?