The Lord of the Rings Online Developer Diary
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Crafting is an interesting proposition. It has factored into games in a lot of different ways, sometimes as heavy features, sometimes as cursory play experiences. The idea of crafting in Middle-earth is a weighty one; items have power in Middle-earth, and for a number of reasons. Take for example, Boromir's sword. "Boromir had a long sword, in fashion like Andúril but of less lineage and he bore also a shield and his war-horn." (The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Ring Goes South") We think of Andúril as a special sword, imbued with special properties. Boromir's sword, not so much. By saying "in fashion like Andúril," the implication is that these swords were fashioned in the same way; perhaps by the same smith, but at least of the same material and design. So why is Andúril special?
In many fantasy works, a sword becomes special when specifically enchanted, by the virtue of the smith who forged it, or as a result of the materials from which it is forged. Tolkien adds another factor to this: the idea of lineage, that a sword can have a destiny of its own. Andúril was made great by those who forged it and those who wielded it, but also by the history it bore witness to. We knew right away that we wanted to capture aspects of this for our crafting system as well.
