With Funcom's Age of Conan having racked-up 400,000 subscribers in the face of World of Warcraft, the previous most successful rival to Blizzard's opus (Lord of the Rings Online) could face more intense competition in the coming months, especially with EA's Warhammer Online entering the fray. age of conan gold Needless to say, then, the Mines of Moria expansion pack for the game is absolutely crucial, and it is with enthusiasm Turbine producer Aaron Campbell introduces the new add-on to us, behind closed doors at the Games Convention in Leipzig.

Mines of Moria is just a small part of Turbine's ambitious plans for Lord of the Rings, Oro en wow  the MMO specialist developer planning lashings of episodic ('Books') content additions and annual updates, a la Mines of Moria.

The most important element of the game is undoubtedly the bolting-on of a whole new region of Middle-Earth to explore, as well as a new epic story that will come hand in hand with these exciting new worlds. The plot focusses on the significance of the "dwarves that delved too deep" in the pursuit of wealth, and the trouble caused by the Fellowship's seismic passage through Moria. The dwarves want control of Moria, of course, but they are not the only forces to be reckoned with in the world...

With the advent of Volume II, which will roll in six new books, players will also see the MMO's level cap raised to 60 - with two new classes entering the limelight. The Runekeeper and the Warden are on their way to town, and these new classes promise to shake up what players can make of their characters.age of conan gold  Famous monsters will also be putting in appearances, including, it looks like, the terrifying Balrog.

New instances are also likely titillate, according to Campbell, with 10 level elder advancement ushering in fresh skills, quests and more for advanced players looking for a spot of refreshment. One of the most intriguing elements being ushered in by the Mines of Moria add-on, are the new legendary items. These special items will accrue their own valuable XP as you play, the relics psuedo-characters in themselves, including customisable abilities and the like.

Delving into the game proper, Campbell waxes lyrical on Turbine's artistic vision, Moria all about the contrast between "light and dark", the game's environment matching the ambiguities of Tolkien's tale. Interestingly, detailed spaces are a focus, with vast halls open to explore, the team truly hoping to muster a sense of the epic through their Moria-themed creations.

Talking about the classes, the producer tells us the Runekeeper will be Lord of the Rings Online's first real magic class. Interestingly, the class can be either a "nuker or a healer", the solo class based on a Galadriel archetype. Your in-game actions will impact the "nuker/healer" internal tussle. age of conan gold Moving on to the Warden class, we're offered a more traditional medium armoured tank character, capable of stringing together combo-style attacks in a manner Campbell likens to Street Fighter.

Emphasising how true to Tolkien's lore the producer hopes the team are steering, he notes that the entrance to Moria includes the exact number of steps, the game maker taking us through this vast hall, which certainly conjures up the epic scale of Moria Tolkien described in the trilogy. Vertical space is important, Campbell notes, and as he takes us on a whistlestop tour of Moria I'm impressed by the detailing evident, as well as the scales involved in these environs. LoTR players will be pleased, I think.

Passing Durin Hall, we're shown some appropriately hideous new Orcs, before taking in the visually vibrant Waterworks, a zone littered with vast wheels and columns, where we witness a battle with a Cave Spider. Turbine have clearly been working hard on the bad buys - Campbell noting a deliberate effort to offer "disgusting, over the top monsters".

Demonstration over and we're certainly interested to see how Mines of Moria pans out, although it does face some slick competition. Still, with the PvP level cap rising to 60, and a vast and visually arresting new world to explore, existing players will certainly be happy to delve too deep in the Fellowship's footsteps.