Lotro Instances 2.0

Dev Diary 2.0 came out today.

I have mixed feelings about it.

On the one hand as many have said in the official forum thread, it removes the mystery from the instances. You go in the hopes of a certain piece dropping, then you have to roll high enough to win it. As much as I hate losing as I don't have unending time to play, a kin that really doesn't go out and seriously grind things (especially raids), and a husband that doesn't like my time spent on lotro , I have to admit to liking the suspense of "Is it going to drop?" and "will I roll high enough?". It is more exiciting and also frustrating in the end.

But it's the frustration part that causes me mixed feelings. Because I'm not in some super-uber, let's-get-everyone-in-the-kin-geared-up type kin, I'm missing out on a lot of shiny stuff I'd love to have. And I have a bit of a penchant for shiny stuff. :P I mean, even my little hobbit minstrel who I'm not that keen on playing...I still want her to have the best. :P But I just simply don't have the time or people to play with in order to get all that I want when it comes to drops or raid gear. So part of me thinks it's a good thing that folks like me will be able to work for the shiny stuff. (Although, I bet they will probably take an insane amount of skirmish marks and some special campaign drop from a boss.) But I'm reminded of Sword Halls EM or GS HM. Sure it was really nice to know that with enough work you will get your rad pieces...and not be stuck running DD or 16th hundreds of times in hope of getting your piece. But grinding Bored Halls sure wasn't that fun...though losing loads of rolls isn't fun either.

Really either way can be a complete grind. It's just with drops, there's more suspense and it's less business like. So I can't make up my mind. Suspense is fun, loads of losing isn't, and business-like racking up of marks won't be either...but not having the shiny things you want can leave you forever longing. :P I think really it comes down to working on my own mindset: enjoying the company of those around me and immersing in the game. That's honestly where the most enjoyment lies I think.