Anyone Can Play A Fighter

If you were going to suggest a class for a first-time player of DDO, which class would it be?

In my book, the best first-timer class is the fighter*.  Forget the various build possibilities (like Two-Handed Fighting [THF], Two Weapon Fighting [TWF], 'Sword & Board' [S&B], tank, etc.).  Forget all the extra feats.  Forget the limited number of skills.  Forget all of that.  At its core, the fighter is easy to play.  I mean, what's easier than jumping into the middle of a, um, mob of mobs and just swinging?

And when you're first learning the mechanics of any game, "easier is better".

Fun and Potentially Annoying

Did you know that in LotRO Player-Characters (PCs) can play music?  In the game?  That can be heard by other PCs?  Yep.  All PCs can, by default, play lute and clarinet.  Minstrels can play all instruments and can also teach other instruments to non-minstrel PCs.  They can also make "manuals" that can be read by PCs to 'learn' other instruments, as well.

Not all AI is Created Equal

As a programmer*, I know how important it is to re-use working code.  Re-inventing the virtual wheel (so to speak) each time you need a wheel-like routine is silly.  So, one would think that all hirelings - of a given class, at least - would be using the same code and, therefore, would act "the same".

Except, they don't.

STO Dilemma

I finally made it to rank 4 of the "diplomatic" DOFF ("Duty Officer") missions, which means I can now get one (and only one?) Orion* (female) BOFF ("Bridge Officer").  But which?

Frustration, Guild Style

Loot or guild renown?  That decision is easy...when you aren't given a choice.

Geoff Hanna says he has the worst loot luck...but then he turns around and rolls (2) "jackpots" - in a row, mind you - with the daily dice.  Me?  I got nothin'...'specially on Argonnessen.

LotRO: Turbine's Other* MMORPG

Did you know that DDO and LotRO are related?  And, no, I don't mean because they are both produced by Turbine.

Most of the original 'lore' of D&D can be directly traced back to the works by J.R.R. Tolkien and his stories of "Middle-Earth".  Elves, Dwarves, Halflings (Hobbits), Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, Mithril...the list goes on.  Notably, for whatever reason, "Ents" became "Treants" - I think I heard there was a threat of a lawsuit, which wouldn't surprise me, but that could just be rumor.

Supporting Turbine's Customer Support

It's easy to be negative.  And a lot of people are - just go check out pretty much ANY game fora (sorry, "forums") and you'll see quite a bit of negativity.  I, myself, have had some posts that many would consider 'negative'.  Even I have been known to vehemently disagree with certain game mechanics (I'm looking square at you "AP spent in tree"...).  But at the same time, though I disagree with some aspects and what, at times, feels like arbitrary decisions, I still roll with it (or at least I try to) - it is what it is.  If our complaining makes any difference, that's the exception and not the rule, so just be pleasantly surprised when it happens.