Book 12 hits the Lord of the Rings Online live servers tomorrow and after a recent interview with Executive Producer Jeffrey Steefel and Director of Communications Adam Mersky as well as a hands-on demonstration of the new content, we provide this preview.
"This is true in all games. Players are constantly torn between: do I get to wear the really, really fun goofy; or really, really elegant; or really, really flashy costume and get to look the way I want to look or do I get to have the armor stats that I need to go into combat?" Executive Producer Jeffrey Steefel asked rhetorically.
The outfit system is unlocked at level 20 and uses a combination of actual items and cosmetic items. Each player has a maximum of two outfits (essentially templates) to begin with, but unlike regular equipment, the actual item is no longer necessary once locked into an outfit. Say for example, a player finds a special robe they really love the look of, but it's too expensive to just keep and not the right fit for their character. They can add it to an outfit, save that template, then sell or trade that robe to another player. As long as they don't tinker with that outfit, they can show it off to the world long after the item is gone.
Read more after the jump.