Free period is ending ... now what?

[SSG_RedPanda]

Can we redeem the coupon while being VIP (as long as we do it before Aug. 31 I mean)?

The coupon code will be redeemable by everyone including vips.

[Laurelinarien]

The coupon code will be redeemable by everyone including vips.

Can't wait

[Mysthoo]

The coupon code will be redeemable by everyone including vips.

Can i get a coupon to login in 1 attempt and not in 7 ? Another one for my housing decorations (that i bought with LP) not spawning for 3 months ?

[Erionor]

so we are going for 3 more months of lags if i understand correctly

Permanent, because everybody gets it all free forever if they are clever Seriously, some people will just complain no matter what

Well all I can say is thank you very much SSG! My son will be over the moon with this as he only owns the packs up to Isengard. I have most of them already, but will still benefit as I don’t own Wildermore, Vales or Langflood. Well done and thank you enormously!

[ShireDweller]

Thanks to all who were involved in making this decision. Much appreciated.

Oh and the new area is fantastic! Love the landscape and the music.

[Nebless]

I've just noticed that Peon recently came out with a first impression on DDO. The irony is that I played every MMO you can think of, and spent some amount of money in it, but I never even considered touching DDO. Why? Because knowing what we know about LOTRO, how much can that game possibly cost? I can't imagine. And it's 14 years old or something. It's quite laughable when people playing a game from a developer has to consciously avoid other games from this same developer because the monetization is just out of this world.

Because of how DDO is set up there's actually more of it available to a F2p player; 74 lvl 1 to 10 dungeons and another 24 lvl 11 to 20 dungeons. Which doesn't look like a lot on paper, but is pretty generous as you could actually make it to cap (back when it was 20) on just the free dungeons.

After those, sure it could get a bit pricey - buying other adventure packs or the expansions.

[Nebless]

"we will be providing a Coupon Code that will let you acquire all currently-available quest packs permanently on your account(s)!"

"we will be conducting a limited time sale on select Expansion quests in the LOTRO Store where you will be able to pick up the following items for only 99 points: <lots of quest packs>"

It would seem that one of these is superfluous.

Not really. Quest packs would be the regions which is everything BUT the expansions. So regions free, expansions cheap.

[NeebPlayer]

After reading the announcement, one kinnie who's never been VIP before simply just said, "I've just bought VIP." This is my reaction, too. Now that they are giving so much stuff away, I want to support them with VIP and everyone who can should.

[Kaeneth]

I nearly always play as a VIP, but I think this is quite a nice decision to both bring more people in, and help keep people who have been brought in around this time. Thanks to SSG for making this decision. The VIP vendor sounds interesting, but I'll hold my full opinion on it until I see how it plays out. Though if there was one thing I could ask for, and get, as a VIP it would be the ability to purchase more vault storage space with in game gold. The standard max vault per character is what, 120 items or so? That's really not much at all for a fully leveled character who has a lot of items he's holding on to. Adding onto that with lotro points is actually pretty expensive for just 15 items per character as well. It's a lot cheaper to just make alts to use as storage as most people know, and personally I'd opt for that given the high price of vault storage in the lotro store, but given that we can't organize/hide characters on the selection screen, it's messy and inconvenient. So if you guys are considering making VIP more attractive in the future, please consider giving us access to more storage for in game gold. That would, at least, make one person feel like they are getting a better value and having a better player experience.

[Rugongrod]

./applaud

[Starsmith]

Bravo. I was hoping you guys would follow up with something like that expansion sale, but you've gone above and beyond in making sure everyone who came back to play feels welcome to stay. Well done, SSG.

[LeRaginAsian]

After reading the announcement, one kinnie who's never been VIP before simply just said, "I've just bought VIP." This is my reaction, too. Now that they are giving so much stuff away, I want to support them with VIP and everyone who can should.

I picked up a lifetime account when they offered it for the last time with Siege of Mirkwood so I've only been paying for expansions (and occasional point sales) for quite a while now. The initial free access got me to start putting some time into a long-dormant second account to take advantage of it, the extension got me to turn on VIP for a month, and now I'll probably just let it run because it doesn't seem like a big deal at all. It's funny how all the streaming services have gotten us so acclimated to multiple $15/month subscriptions. It's like we've come full circle.

The cynic in me says they must be seeing a good bump out of this or else they wouldn't be continuing it because good will alone doesn't pay the bills... but this is such a generous offer it feels like they're really investing in rebuilding the community and I'm absolutely here for it.

[Erionor]

The coupon code will be redeemable by everyone including vips.

Brilliant!

Thanks for the info SSG_RedPanda

I have a question - are you counting Far Anorien as a quest pack or expansion? It is listed in the LOTRO store as an expansion, but it is included in VIP, so behaved like a quest pack. Some of my kinship were debating this the other day.

Oh, and another question - what is the plan for new players who join after 31 August and miss these offers? Will the whole system just go back to normal for them, or will you be making any changes to how that works too?

Sorry, one more! Will you be making more interim “quest packs” as we know it, or just expansions in the future? And if so, will these still be available for LP at release like Where Dragons Dwell, or just cash, like expansions?

[squirle]

Very nice for everyone involved.

A few inbetween the lines question i've

Mordor and Minas Morgul expansion continue to be either a Lp purchase or cash. While the 2 areas after them are free with The vales and Floodwend? Or are the LP version considered questpacks as they come without the races and cosmetic Lotro market items?

Nowhere confirmed, but assumed that the codes and expansions are ingame only?

How will this impact the Challenge server (if VIP not required)? Would open up multi-boxing on the cheap.

[Anglion1]

So in other words, loyal paying customers (in many cases like me - paying since April 2007), don't get anything except reduced item wear (wow SSG thank you very much for that (not)), and rapid crafting (nice, but still absolutely not enough for loyal paying customers), and everyone who jumped in in recent months, get the whole game for free untill August 31st?

Is this correct?

If yes, please SSG tell me, why i should continue to be VIP, and still support you. To me this is yet another slap in the face of loyal paying customers, and i will surely drop the sub unless much more benefits will be added to this VIP vendor.

[BlitzKr1eg]

Can you please fix Evernight server? Or at least disable the free promo on this highly populated server? It can't handle that many ppl.

Also why enable us to play free side in ettenmoors without VIP... This will lead to an even future increase in the number imbalance between creep/freep.

[Mysthoo]

Permanent, because everybody gets it all free forever if they are clever Seriously, some people will just complain no matter what

Well all I can say is thank you very much SSG! My son will be over the moon with this as he only owns the packs up to Isengard. I have most of them already, but will still benefit as I don’t own Wildermore, Vales or Langflood. Well done and thank you enormously!

Dude i don't care at all the game to be free or whatever you want, it has been 3 months already that login is a pain on Evernight, housing decorations aren't spawning anymore from 4PM CEST to midnight due to overpopulated server. Nothing is being done and it looks like you don't have those problems or you would be raging too

[WorrBinpike]

At least i hope they do this because business is doing well and not the opposite.

I here and there have critics, but at the end i still want this game running for many, many years (10+).

[JDWard]

"Additionally, in the near future, we will be conducting a limited time sale on select Expansion quests in the LOTRO Store where you will be able to pick up the following items for only 99 points:

Expansion Quests: Mines of Moria
Expansion Quests: Siege of Mirkwood
Expansion Quests: Rise of Isengard
Expansion Quests: Riders of Rohan
Expansion Quests: Helm's Deep
Instance Cluster: Rise of Isengard
Instance Cluster: Riders of Rohan"


This is still a very generous offer either way, but could I please have this clarified. Is that 99 points for each pack, (total cost 693 points), or 99 points for all seven packs?

[JH15547]

So in other words, loyal paying customers (in many cases like me - paying since April 2007), don't get anything except reduced item wear (wow SSG thank you very much for that (not)), and rapid crafting (nice, but still absolutely not enough for loyal paying customers), and everyone who jumped in in recent months, get the whole game for free untill August 31st?

Is this correct?

If yes, please SSG tell me, why i should continue to be VIP, and still support you. To me this is yet another slap in the face of loyal paying customers, and i will surely drop the sub unless much more benefits will be added to this VIP vendor.

You still get all the other VIP perks (swift-travel, open mail anywhere, etc.). It's up to you to determine if the value is there or not to continue as VIP. I don't think the majority of longtime, non-Lifetime subscriber VIP's (including myself) will share your reaction.

[Elmagor]

If yes, please SSG tell me, why i should continue to be VIP, and still support you. To me this is yet another slap in the face of loyal paying customers, and i will surely drop the sub unless much more benefits will be added to this VIP vendor.

Are you sure what people who don't have VIP never donate everything, and don't support SSG as much as you do? No one force you to buy VIP, you can support Lotro with other ways.

[NTFRemco]

Wonderful announcement, thank you very much, people from SSG!

[SSG_RedPanda]

Brilliant!

Thanks for the info SSG_RedPanda

I have a question - are you counting Far Anorien as a quest pack or expansion? It is listed in the LOTRO store as an expansion, but it is included in VIP, so behaved like a quest pack. Some of my kinship were debating this the other day.

Oh, and another question - what is the plan for new players who join after 31 August and miss these offers? Will the whole system just go back to normal for them, or will you be making any changes to how that works too?

Sorry, one more! Will you be making more interim “quest packs” as we know it, or just expansions in the future? And if so, will these still be available for LP at release like Where Dragons Dwell, or just cash, like expansions?

Far Anorien region will be included in the coupon. The coupon expires after 31 August. We don't have any information things beyond that date at his time.

The wedding will be the next thing coming for LOTRO and will not be an expansion pack. We will have more information about the War of Three Peaks as we get closer to that time.

Very nice for everyone involved.

A few inbetween the lines question i've

Mordor and Minas Morgul expansion continue to be either a Lp purchase or cash. While the 2 areas after them are free with The vales and Floodwend? Or are the LP version considered questpacks as they come without the races and cosmetic Lotro market items?

Nowhere confirmed, but assumed that the codes and expansions are ingame only?

How will this impact the Challenge server (if VIP not required)? Would open up multi-boxing on the cheap.

Mordor and Minas Morgul are expansions and will not be included in this event. But Vales of Anduin and Mists of Wilderland will be in the coupon.

"Additionally, in the near future, we will be conducting a limited time sale on select Expansion quests in the LOTRO Store where you will be able to pick up the following items for only 99 points:

Expansion Quests: Mines of Moria
Expansion Quests: Siege of Mirkwood
Expansion Quests: Rise of Isengard
Expansion Quests: Riders of Rohan
Expansion Quests: Helm's Deep
Instance Cluster: Rise of Isengard
Instance Cluster: Riders of Rohan"


This is still a very generous offer either way, but could I please have this clarified. Is that 99 points for each pack, (total cost 693 points), or 99 points for all seven packs?

99 points each.

[Sydir]

I think you should give something in return for all the packs we have bought.

This is already happened in the past, I bought lone-lands and Turbine decided a few weeks later to make that in f2p. ok, "only 500 points, let's move on" (more or less).
But now? 17? 18? quest packs from 595 to 2495 LP for around 100k LP total + expansions (some base, some collector).

It's a lot of money, and at this point I don't think I'll buy anything anymore because "who knows, perhaps the next month it becomes free".

[middlediscworld]

I think you should give something in return for all the packs we have bought.

This is already happened in the past, I bought lone-lands and Turbine decided a few weeks later to make that in f2p. ok, "only 500 points, let's move on" (more or less).
But now? 17? 18? quest packs from 595 to 2495 LP for around 100k LP total + expansions (some base, some collector).

It's a lot of money, and at this point I don't think I'll buy anything anymore because "who knows, perhaps the next month it becomes free".

We have had something in return for buying all the packs - the pleasure of playing them (in some cases several years ago). I bought all of them apart from Vales and the most recent one. It did help that I got some of the older ones at 50% off in one of the sales about 6-7 years ago (Great River was the newest region when I started playing).