Long and anxiously awaited - GMs support is now available for player events!

[Amaurea]

We're pleased to finally announce that the much requested GM support for player events is now here!

That's right, you've been asking us to help us realise your own events in-game and we are delighted to be able to make this possible once again.

We have set aside a certain number of slots per month that our events team will be able to assist players in creating and executing their own events.

Due to current resourcing, we will trial this programme with running events at off-peak hours so that usual in-game support is not affected. All events will be held outside the peak play time window of 18.00 – 21.00 hours BST, (UK time). (These restrictions are subject to change).


But now on to the interesting part:

You want to have us help you run an event? Here's what you need to do:

• Organise an event for approximately 10-24 (no more than 50) participants

• The part of the event that requires the GM assistance must be completed within 60 minutes

• Plan your event well, stick to the guidelines listed later in this post

• Give us at least 2 weeks' notice before your event is due to take place, (the employee schedule will have to be adapted)

• Send us your completed application

• Write a draft invitation for your event with all the necessary (public) background information and send us this draft with your registration. Post the invitation to the Player Events forum when we have approved your event

• Be punctual! The GMs and your friends have gone to the effort of making your event happen so please arrive on time!

• Send us a summary and feedback after the event

• If for some reason your event cannot take place, please notify the GMs as soon as possible by PM and e-mail

• Anyone who cancels an event without sufficient advanced warning or a good reason will be barred from event support for one year

Our limits – what we won't do:

• Take on the role of in-game NPCs/important lore characters or historical figures

• Create named, quest or instance monsters

• Create vast numbers of NPCs or monsters

• Give away XP, gold or valuable items as rewards

• Take Monsterplayers outside of the Ettenmoors

• Accept responsibility for any character deaths, broken equipment or lost money, items, etc. that occurs as a result of the event. Players participate at their own risk!

• Change the lore in any way to accommodate your story line – all events must be in line with the game lore and story

• Hold your event in a areas of high traffic (e.g. Bree)

• Use items as decorations

• Create items/titles with an adapted name/appearance (memorials)

• Be part of a scene, as an independent player, in which the players simply watch

What we will do:

• Everything within our powers to make your event something special. In order to achieve this, we may need to make changes and adjustments to your plan, but we will talk with you about this in advance

• Depending on the size of the event, we may make extra announcements on the announcement forum or/and the homepage, however we cannot guarantee this

• Offer you tips on how you can improve your event.

• Provide the necessary tools, props and effects needed to realise your event.

How can I get a GM to help me with my event?
Guide:

Send an e-mail to eventsupport@codemasters.com with the subject line: LOTRO Event [Date of the Event][Event Title] and the following information:

1. Your contact information
(If you are part of an event team, please send us the contact data of the other main event planners as well), including:

• Real name and e-mail address

• Forum name

• In-game contact details (the character who is holding the event)

• Kinship/fansite details (if the event is planned as Kinship/fansite event)

If available, please provide us with any existing event invitation links or documents for our review

2. Event details

• Game in which the event should take place, (in this case LOTRO)

• Language you play in, (at the moment we can only offer support in German and English)

• Preferred date for the event

• Start time for the event along with the time zone

• Server you wish the event to take place on

• Location of the event, (name of the location or ;loc /pos coordinates).
  Please note that events should be held at locations with lower player traffic, at a respectful distance from cities or frequently visited areas. Islands and remote locations are preferred to ensure the safety of innocent bystanders, to minimise the possibility of people passing by disturbing the event and to prevent possible zone overpopulations that could affect the stability of the server.

• The number of expected participants and an average level of those characters

• Expected amount of time the GM will be involved

• Draft of an invitation to your event for the Player Events Forum

3. A list of what you need:

• Should a GM assume the role of an NPC?
  If so, please give us an exact description of what you want your NPC to be like: name, race, class, appearance, behaviour that the NPC should assume that day, (text samples are helpful to see how you imagine your NPC)

• Monsters required (quantity, monster type)
  The monsters should be indigenous to the area where the event is taking place, i.e. no Peikkos in the Shire. The level of the monsters will be adapted to the average level of the participants.

• Special effects, decorations – tell us what you would like and we will try to make it possible. However, we cannot guarantee that we can do everything.

4. Event Timeline

• Synopsis – give us an overview of the story to your event

• Chronological sequence of events – A detailed list of the actions with the estimated amount of time that will be needed for each part.
  
  For example:
  3:00pm: Meet at the Prancing Pony
  3:30pm: Arrival at [location of the event] [start of GM support]
  Participants according to their characters [behavioural pattern]
  3:40pm: Exorcism of a ghost.
  - If [keyword] is said then have the NPC appear and get angry at [name]
  - Kill [name], threaten the group and start to create monsters, 3 waves over the next 20 minutes
  - Following keywords that are important to the storyline [keyword1] [keyword2] [keyword3]
  4:00pm: Final [monster] [final words] [leave behind a burn mark]
  4:10pm: GM can go home

We will review all the event applications that have been correctly submitted following these guidelines and that have all of the requirements requested. Incomplete event submissions will not be considered. We may not be able to respond to all requests we receive. If you have not heard from us within two weeks from submission then it is unlikely that we will that we be taking your event any further forward.

If your application is accepted, we will notify you within two weeks of making the application to discuss in more detail.



As we've already mentioned, the number of events that we can offer support for is limited at the moment. We are working on expanding this service in the future.

The rules, registration process and event limitations can change at any time.

Tips:

• Have an alternative plan in case we cannot provide support for your event

• The better you plan the event, the more likely it is that we will help you

• Be flexible in case we have to postpone your event to another time

Have fun planning your event!

Your Event Team

[Zampano]

Very nice

You might want to put an announcement in the announcements section as this forum does seem to be easily missed.

[Smillariel]

I'm running around in circles now.

[Lethian Annenkov]

Can the Gm's make statue's for really important people like... me? :P because i'd love a statue from myself in the middle of bree xP

[Moir IV]

I was just wondering if there were any plans for an end off game event prior to the MOM expansion, either by Codemasters or players?

Hopefully more than 50 will take part .

Let's break those servers.

It's about time they had a server upgrade.

cheers.

[Mae Skeffington]

Definatly going to take advantage of this for the hobbit community. I shall put my thinking cap on!!

[Annatars Gift]

Wonderful stuff.

I'll be going back through all our previous kin events that could have been improved with a little GM magic, just to see which deserves to be resurrected.

[Bado]

Originally Posted by Annatars Gift

Wonderful stuff.

I'll be going back through all our previous kin events that could have been improved with a little GM magic, just to see which deserves to be resurrected.

Well we certainly could have done with another pair of hands over the camp fire out our BBQ the other night poor old Saxifrage was rushed off her feet with orders. :P

Can we not just have a game of hunt the GM
Get them to dress up as a mob and chase them all over middle earth.

[Thorombar]

I'm looking forward to see if the event we submitted will be accepted.
Is there any information we can have concernig it? Accepted? Refused? Under evaluation?

Thank you
Thorombar
Officer devoted to RP of Custodi della Fiamma di Anor

[Nimilanor]

maybe now.. an actual official ingame wedding can be held properly..

they can now also be held.. but extra options become availeble now