This is topic Lord of the Rings Online in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :
 
Does anyone here play? I have an elf hunter called "Indelvan" (those who've read "Inda" might recognize the name...) at Meneldor Server (lvl 16).

If you're searching for a nice MMORPG, Lotro is a good choice. The graphics are gorgeous and the story element really well done.
 
Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :
 
Linkys?
 
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
 
How would you compare the game play and character dynamics with other MMORPGS?

Can you solo effectively, or do you have to group? How are the different skills and attacks, fun, boring, useful?

I played the Beta for about a week, and it didn't really grow on me. I know that isn't a fair view of the complete game, so I wonder how you like it.
 
Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :
 
Link: http://www.lotro.com/

Before playing Lotro, I've known (played) these MMORPG: World of Warcraft, Eve Online and Ragnarok.

I only played one class in Lotro (Hunter, which is the archer), so my views might be a bit skewed in this regard. I solo well enough. There are, of course, some tough quests that require groups (or "fellowships", as the game calls it). Some quests were designed to be completed by groups. They're called "fellowship quests". Nothing stops you to try and beat them alone, but... hehe...

I found the skill system Innovative and refreshing , and the game in itself is immersive. Its not much pvp intensive (but when you reach certain level you unlock the 'monster play' feature that allows you to play with a monster serving the Witch-King of Angmar), but the wealth of quests is staggering.

Of course, there are much better and more complete reviews than mine, out there, hehehe.
 
Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :
 
Thanks Eduardo. Might see you online - time, tides and two-year-olds permitting [Wink]
 
Posted by BandoCommando (Member # 7746) on :
 
I play online. I'm ... hehehe... Enderion.... on Nimrodel server. I, too, am an elf hunter.

Soloing is easier in this game than WoW on most solo-missions at or slightly above my level. The fellowship quests are tough to complete alone, even when two or so levels below my level.

Graphics are *BEAUTIFUL*. I'll see if I can post some screenies when I get home.

Fellowship play is pretty fun, but IMHO, the fellowship-attacks don't come frequently enough to make a significant difference in gameplay.

I find the quest storylines to me *much* more compelling that WoW and Star Wars Galaxies (the two other MMORPGs that I've played), but it could be simply because the source story is more compelling. In WoW, I'd often just accept quests w/o reading the background, but in LOTRO, I actually follow the story.

Also regarding quests, I find it much easier to find out where to go and what to do in LOTRO than it was in WoW or SWG. The quest details actually let you know where to go and what to do, without being so specific as to be dumb.

More later. Must go teach class.
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
I rank the game above WOW in the way that the quests when you get around to the story driven specific ones have a higher degree of us caring about it, we the player were only somewhat aware of the WoW sotryline, but all of us love the lord of the rings and from there can associate with it.

The graphics are similar to that of WoW or Dungeons and Dragons Online, well more similar to the latter as its alot less cartoony then the former, but similar in terms of system requirements.

Like most traditional Momopugers you run about from A-Z, 1-2 click combat, bring X amount of item A to NPC prick #37, I would rate Tabula Rasa better in this respect as at least it mixes it up a little with base defence but it just seemed to me that the quests werent dynamic enough to care about whether completing to them had any form of importance to completing the ultimate goal.

What is nice is that apparently I think at level 10 or 20 I forget which you can play as a NPC "monster" and rampage around killing poor nubs, it doesn't seem to let you raid towns though, on the other hand I dont know if if you attack in big enough numbers if its possible to raid towns, I doont really know.

Generally I don't see the point really of getting to level 70 in wow so unfortunately I dont quite see enough being different about LOTRO to be worth playing the same amount of time, BUT if you do like WoW and get some feeling of accomplishment of getting to epic levels then play LOTRO as to me its a much better game and more deserving of your 14$/mo then Blizzard.

Or you can play Tabula Raza, [Smile]
 
Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :
 
$9,99/month (for a 3/month subscription, actually)
Or $200 for a lifelong membership (my case - a friend actually gave me such a gift :-) ).

Blayne, your game review was much better than mine. Thanks. Could you link to Tabula Rasa homepage, please?
 
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
 
quote:

Fellowship play is pretty fun, but IMHO, the fellowship-attacks don't come frequently enough to make a significant difference in gameplay.

Unless you are a burglar with 2 daggers, high crit stats, and have received your cause fellowship maneuvers skills. [Taunt]

I have a level 22 Burglar on Firefoot. I like it. I have played too much recently and am waiting to convert to Pirates of the Burning Sea once a Hatracker who has played it recommends it.

I am a Master Journyman Scholar.

Impressions...

I am not invested in the game. I only play at night when I can't sleep. I have owned the game since it first came out and only have 1 level 22 character. I subscribe every couple months for a month.

I usually listen to CoasttoCoastAM on the computer and play the game for an hour or so until I get tired if I can't sleep.

You have a main story plot that starts in Bree Town at the Prancing Pony with Strider, but I have not started it yet. There are plenty of town quests to keep me happy.

There are three starter areas depending on your race. Those areas are for levels 1-20. Then you all move into higher areas.

There are lots of take-this-here and kill-that quests, but when you embark on quests you realize you can get titles for killing multiple enemies of the type you set out to kill. I killed like 45 putrid slugs in Hobbiton and have the title "Bug Squasher."

The game also has "virtues." They are slotted on your character, so if you slot "valor" you might have extra health or in combat moral regeneration...or something. You get more slots depending on your level. Your virtue levels level up depending on how many of a particular monster you kill or how many quests you complete in an area or if you do something special.

After I got my Bug Squasher title I could work on a virtue that adds to my dex. I killed 60 more bugs, got it, and equipped it.

There is definite grinding, but you get the added benefits of titles and virtues. Quests give more exp then monsters so you actually don't need to grind if you can live without a title or virtue.

It took months because I would log on for 30 minutes and kill some bugs and do a quest and then log off for a couple weeks.

What I have found myself doing is staying in the three starter areas and just leveling up my virtue points. Grinding. My goal, after all, is to get tired and go back to sleep.

About the town quests: They are fun, well written, and I actually enjoy reading/participating in them. I have found that you might get three quests from one person that are really easy and then the fourth quest needs a fellowship and you get a super cool item.

The fellowship quests are tough and very fun. I played one last night that was several levels below me and I had two other people my level or higher. We got creamed! We needed at least two more, and it was still hard.

I am at the point where I have done almost everything in the three starter areas and am bored. I really need to move on deeper into the higher levels or start the Epic Quests (Story Arch).

I am probably going to unsubscribe and play Pirates of the Burning Sea because it looks like you can play the economy in the game very well by only logging on every three days for a short amount of time.

It is fun tho. I like the music, graphics, quests, and other players. It also has a cool in game music feature where you can play an instrument. Keys on the keyboard are mapped to notes. I even think you can feed in music files to play. I haven't done that yet so I am fuzzy how it works.

I have player music volume turned WAY up and everything else pretty low. I was in a lonely area one day when I heard "Dust in the Wind" on harp. It was very well done and matched my mood. It was actually beautiful, sorrowful, and really cool. There was some level 50 hobbit just hanging out playing some tunes by himself in the middle of nowhere.

Other times you run into bands doing their thing.
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
I've got a 50th level minstrel, Nielluinthir, on Nimrodel. Bando, if you want either food or jewellery, let me know; I'm a grand master in both professions. I've also got a 13th level burglar, Nielbo. I haven't played either character in more than a month though, and have been thinking about cancelling my membership. I'm a little LOTROed out.
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
Is anyone out there still playing this? I've never played an MMO before, and my brother has been harping on me to try this for months and months. Finally I ran out of excuses last week when I graduated, so I downloaded it and I've been playing for a few days. It's quite a bit of fun. Some restrictions for free players, but I suppose I understand that.

If anyone is still around, or wants to start playing anew, I'm a level 18 Guardian man in Meneldor named Riddon. I also have a lore master started, but I'm not thrilled with him. And I can never find any of the damned leather pieces I need to make anything for my tailor profession, which is quite bothersome.
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
In all honesty at this point in time LOTRO has been pretty much superceded by RIFTS which is an improvement graphicwise and differs in a much more polished way from WoW.

Lotro was nice for being able to play an instrument with your keyboard and that was about it. Lotro and DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online) both more or less come down to do you like the setting enough for playing something that isn't as polished as wow?

(Though DDO is FTP so thats an advantage in its favor ala microtransactions but whatevs.)

WoW vs RIFTS vs EVE thats kinda it right now.
 
Posted by Happy Camper (Member # 5076) on :
 
First of all, it's just Rift. But there are a lot of choices out there, and I'm not sure what criteria you're using that you throw out most of the MMOs and hold onto EVE, except that you play that one.

But onto the LoTRO thing, I play EQ2 fairly exclusively, but since SoE took everything down due to the hack, I've gone back, and since I had bought the game and had a subscription in the past, I have a bit higher level of access, been working through the epic storyline. It's a decent diversion, but personally, nothing I'm likely to stick with for an extended period of time.

I have a level 52 warden on Silverlode along with a stable of lower level characters.
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
Because EQ2, Rift, Lotro, WoW etc are all fairly interchangeable mmorpgs, if all pick a class do some quests up until max level and then do raiding, to get gear, to do more raiding with.

EVE Online doesn't have that, it has pvp which funds pvp for more pvp and no levels just real time skill training that doesnt require you being online. Ship customization is infinitely more than any typical mmorpg.

Rift I consider a step up from WoW because it has an almost dungeons and dragons level of character customization in terms of your skill trees, my friend who likes being a "Caster Cleric" in Neverwinter Nights found he could be this easily in Rift and with extreme difficulty in WoW.

So Rift, WoW, EVE. The golden triangle of MMORPGs; I discount nonmmorpgs mmos like say MMOFPS like WWII Online or MMO Flight Combat sims like Aces high as theyre vastly different gameplay that happen to be massively multiplayer.

But games like say Warhammer Online? Basically a worse version of Rift.

Rift basically blows out of the water all non-WoW mmorpgs. Leaving in trailing 4th play DDO where its core gameplay is a little different, between casters but not by much, its advantage is being free to play.

There is no real or substantive choices for most MMORPGs, only a couple do the job markedly different enough from WoW to be worth your time and money.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
I disagree. SO do a lot of people, obviously, which is why these games exist, and why they have fan bases still.

That being said, I played around with LOTRO for a little, and thought it was cool, but not worth a subscription.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Hmmm....LOTRO is free to start? I am downloading it now to give it another try.


I will try Meneldor since a few people say they are on that server already...
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Not good...the installer keeps crashing on my computer.
 
Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :
 
I used to play WoW, but then I got a girlfriend, and quit and never ever ever went back, even when we broke up.

These games give you a false sense of accomplishment and of being part of a community (as much as this forum one might argue).

If you can find balance, between real life and these games, then go for it, they are fun as heck...me, I'll stick to a firm no MMORPGs rule.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Not working, still. I think I will pass. If they can't even GIVE their game away free I can't see bothering to try it out.


Got it working another hour into it.....my computer was shutting it down, although it has never done anything like that before to any other download, and I download a lot......


I am going to bed with it running. I have a long download ahead of me, it looks like, so as long as it is still running when I get up I will give it a try. If it isn't....well, it isn't meant to me then.

[ May 07, 2011, 06:27 AM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
 
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
 
I'm sorry you had so many problems with it, Kwea. As a Tolkien geek who enjoyed the Silmarilion, I adore LOTRO. I love exploring the places I read about, seeing the characters who didn't make it into the movies, and following a "behind the scenes" storyline where I get to help Frodo defeat Sauron.

I love that it's free for the basics and I get extra perks if I buy points. With WoW, I felt like I needed to put in at least a few hours a week to justify my $15. With LOTRO, I just hop on when my schedule allows and when I feel like it. For a super-casual gamer, freemium is the way to go.
 
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
 
EQII is also free to play and if you don't care about lord of the rings specifically as a franchise, is probably the better gameplay experience. EQII also hamstrings non-playing characters less.
 
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
 
I play DDO and really like it, is LOTRO similar?
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kwea:
I disagree. SO do a lot of people, obviously, which is why these games exist, and why they have fan bases still.

That being said, I played around with LOTRO for a little, and thought it was cool, but not worth a subscription.

That alot of people buy into a certain thing isn't evidence of its uniqueness or quality, all mmorpgs use skinner box techniques to keep people playing up until content is exhausted and the players get bored because they don't update as fast as wow.

Wow has a massive lions share of the market for a very simple self perpetuating reason, they can afford to constantly release new content. very few others can, which is why almost all mmorpgs are wow clones as its the "proven thing".

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/1906-The-Future-of-MMOs

Here you go.

Notice that they don't even argue "Why do all modern mmo's fail?" Because its true.
 
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
 
quote:
Wow has a massive lions share of the market for a very simple self perpetuating reason, they can afford to constantly release new content.
That's part of it. The real story behind WoW's continued market dominance is one of much more complexity. No other factor has been as important as WoW's design and developmental implementation being superior to other attempts made, even by studios (Mythic, NCsoft) with the resources for an operable launch.
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
The problem is that they are too comparable, the differences in gameplay, graphics, and content are just too minor for non wow wow clones to really get a competitive market share.
 
Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :
 
I'm still playing, 4+ years later.

quote:
In all honesty at this point in time LOTRO has been pretty much superceded by RIFTS which is an improvement graphicwise and differs in a much more polished way from WoW.

Lotro was nice for being able to play an instrument with your keyboard and that was about it. Lotro and DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online) both more or less come down to do you like the setting enough for playing something that isn't as polished as wow?

(Though DDO is FTP so thats an advantage in its favor ala microtransactions but whatevs.)

WoW vs RIFTS vs EVE thats kinda it right now.

Everyone I know who played LOTRO first, then got excited to switch to Rift out of a need for something new have come back to LOTRO with less than stellar reviews for Rift.

I think they attract different crowds.

I'm on Brandywine, playing pretty casually these days.

They've made leveling much easier and smoother than at launch, adding zones and quests in lower level areas to add variety. PvP is much the same, though--meaning it's an afterthought. But it's fun in small doses. And soon F2P players are going to be able to play monster characters.
 
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
 
Being 'too comparable' is not why they are unable to break WoW as the juggernaut. Complicity with WoW's DIKU derivative formula, going on well over a decade, ensures that WoW's first real competitors will continue emulating the same successful formula to a significant extent. People are okay with the WoW formula, but will still welcome a change of pace and setting. The reason why WoW has not been de-monopolized is because the challengers who invested the resources necessary to develop an actionable MMO have failed conspicuously at implementation and class balance, and this sharply inhibits the lasting appeal of the game for most users.

You can make a game that's better than WoW. It just hasn't been done.

Mythic's approach was on the other end of the PvE v. PvP design-centric scale, a perfect angle for market penetration, and scores of players — enough to make it the first real competitor to World of Warcraft — were ready for and desired it. Box sales were expectedly high. Two months in, the lack of implemented features, poor world design, and absolutely unacceptable class functionality disparity (re: Bright Wizards, anyone?) created the expected cascading populace exodus.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Funny....the 2010 MMO of the year is a failure and nothing more than a WOW clone.

Because Blayne says so.


I never said there were not similarities. I said that a lot of people don't think they are clones, and there is a substantial customer base that believes it is worth playing for the DIFFERENCES.

YOU may find it derivative, and not prefer it, but not everyone agrees.
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
You seem to be fairly knee jerk here.

I don't recommend them because they are derivative, I assume people want to simply play Wow 2.0 they can just play WoW or Rift. The other mmorpgs only have minor differences that to my mind do not make them worth playing at the sametime as for example wow. If I want wow I'll play wow, if I want something that is nontrivially different in gameplay Rift and EVE are more or less there.

Just because something is MMO of the year is not instrinsically evidence of some form of quality or worthwhileness to play. I've already mentioned that when it comes to picking Lotro, DDO, EQ2 or WoW it all pretty much comes down to setting they "feel" different in theme, but gameplay wise they are more or less the same and not really reccomendable on that basis alone.

That people play them is no more evidence to their quality then them being thematically different from wow is evidence of inferiority.

To elaborate, I narrow it down to the games that are the most different gameplaywise from each other, there is no disputing this, this is a fact. Rift has a significant gameplay difference in terms of implemenation from WoW; EVE Online is a radically different game from WoW. DDO is different in someways but is free to play so it can be forgiven.

Ignoring the FTP aspect DDO is more or less in the same class of LOTRO, Vanguard, EQ and EQ2 as games that while are thematically different from WoW barely distinguish themselves from WoW and lack the same level of content or support.

"WoW is WoW, there's no beating WoW, for a change of pace any of these are kinda the same but a little different" - hardly a ringing endorsement and hardly a reason to recommend them.

Thus Rift (Rift world event system) is a very substantive change of pace while being extremely polished rippoff of everything that worked with WoW and then going their own direction with it.

DDO / LOTRO / EQ2 / CoH / DC Online / Vanguard are all more or less the same category of "Looks pretty, but plays more or less the same way. And not as much content" Only recommended on the basis that it isn't Azeroth.

So if you don't like WoW fluff but don't mind WoW gameplay any one of these is for you.

EVE-Online is well EVE, a gameplay centric game with a core mechanic (player market with exploitable unclaimed wilderness and limitless pvp and territory control) and generates content only gradually with a playerbase that is linear in nature rather than cyclical in growth.

I'm doing this entirely based on what I feel to be substantiative gameplay differences, I couldn't careless about how good the games are, as far as I'm concerned EQ2 is equally good to LOTRO but either aren't as good/polish as WoW.

What everyone may or may not be playing doesn't matter that much when its still apparent WoW seems to still be dominating the world market share.

I think you need to calm down.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Hardly. Just because you say something is a trivial difference doesn't make it so.

It's funny how in one post you discount fan bases as proof of people liking one over the other, yet in the next post you claim that nothing else matters because WOW dominates the market.

EVE is horrible. I tried it, and while I could see why some people would like it for a while I was bored by the gameplay. I found the political aspect childish and felt it detracted from the game. Most everyone else I know felt the same.

You could say all FPS are Doom ripoffs (or even better Castle of Wolfenstien ripoffs), and it would have about the same level of accurateness. IN a general sense there are some similarities, but that is what makes it a genre game.

I don't think that each genre deserves only one version, nor do I feel the similarities always outweigh the differences.

YMMV, of course. It's just yet another thing we disagree on. [Smile]

[ May 07, 2011, 08:17 PM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
quote:

EVE is horrible. I tried it, and while I could see why some people would like it for a while I was bored by the gameplay. I found the political aspect childish and felt it detracted from the game. Most everyone else I know felt the same.

A common joke in EVE, what happens when a player quits EVE to join WoW?

The IQ of both games go up.

quote:

You could say all FPS are Doom ripoffs (or even better Castle of Wolfenstien ripoffs), and it would have about the same level of accurateness. IN a general sense there are some similarities, but that is what makes it a genre game.

This is an exaggeration of my argument beyond usefulness, the difference between WoW and Rift isn't the same distance as say Halo 3 and Doom. There's clear leaps and bounds improvements in drastically evolved gameplay and drastically changed graphics.

A graphic boost alone if significant enough, can drive sales, ie a graphical remake of Halo Combat Evolved I'ld buy, sure its still Halo 1, but the graphics would be visibly massively improved.

While the difference between EQ2 and Rift, I can't tell the difference except minorly with every setting at max and then editing the files to support unsupported settings.

quote:

I don't think that each genre deserves only one version, nor do I feel the similarities always outweigh the differences.

I did not say this, I am simply stating that this is the current state of affairs not that it is desireable. Check the link I posted.

You'll see some elaboration of my points there.

quote:

Hardly. Just because you say something is a trivial difference doesn't make it so.

You're argument used fanbases in the copout argument of "People play it so it has to be good!" I am using market share as a statistical indicator of how compelling the game is to the player base.

If a game was truly equally competitive with wow, it would have a comparable share because there would be a nontrivial amount of support saying "this game is different from wow enough to play it instead."

So right now you only mostly have people who are drawn and compelled to playing games that are for the most part greater fans of their niche setting (Lord of the Rings, Middle Earth) than of Blizzard's IP.

quote:

EVE is horrible.

This is objectively not the case, a quick rundown of its features and gameplay and availiable, level of support etc all on paper point towards a unique and innovative game.

Never did I say, as I must point out again say that EQ2 etc were bad simply that they weren't unique and innovative enough compared to WoW for me to really recomend any of them aside from Rift because the rest are Basically World of Warcraft but either incrementally better graphics in a different setting.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
That's your problem in this argument, Blayne. You assign blame as you see fit,and then claim your own opinion as fact.

Similar to most other "problem" discussions you have had recently, IIRC.


I stated that there were a number of people who disagreed with your assessment of the two games, and they must be playing it because they preferred it. I didn't claim any specific market share, I didn't refute that WOW was a dominate player. I objected to you lumping all of those games together, and announcing as fact that they were all basically knockoffs.

If you had only been talking about what you prefer, there wouldn't be any issues, really. But you tend to make grand statements with very little facts, and then attack people who disagree with your OPINIONS, simply because you stated them as fact.

As far as my point about FPS games, it is no more general than yours about MMO's. I don't lump SOCOM, COD, and Duke Nukem together and discount their differences, because there ARE substantial differences. Yet to people who don't like those types of games they are very similar.

I am not trying to make you paly these games, Blayne.It's actually fine with me if you don't. But a large number of people DO find LOTR compelling enough to play it.

And BTW, LOTRO is ALSO free to play. You seemed to be cutting DDO a lot of slack because it was free, even though it is the most derivative of them all. You have to pay for some content, but there is no subscription unless you want a premium membership.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Downloading now. I went to a direct download, 7 hours left on it. I'll be working all day/night tomorrow, but I may be on Monday.
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
I play LOTRO only because I love Lord of the Rings, and my brother is the same way. He and I loved RPGs as a kid, but could never really make the leap to MMOs when they became popular. And I wouldn't play any MMO that wasn't free; that's the only reason my brother and I play.

My brother and I tried Star Wars Galaxies when it first came out because we love Star Wars, but it was totally uninteresting to us. We considered the Stargate MMO when it came out as well, but didn't bother with it. I really love LOTRO though. I might get bored with it eventually, but there's just SO MUCH to see! The detail is impressive, the story is fun, the graphics are nice, the quests are fun and interesting. I fully understand if an MMO lover vs. a LOTR lover wouldn't find it appealing, but I'm having blast with it. I get a little peeved when I want to do something or have an ability that costs money, but I get that these things aren't charity, they have to make money somehow. They might even suck me into buying Turbine Points eventually, but not yet.
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
Stargate MMO wha?
 
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
 
Installed, might start playing tonight.
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Blayne Bradley:
Stargate MMO wha?

My bad, we were considering the Stargate MMO, then decided against it, but it ended up being canceled before release anyway a couple years ago, so we wouldn't have been able to play it anyway. It was in development for a couple of years and canceled just after beta testing started.
 
Posted by Happy Camper (Member # 5076) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Lyrhawn:
I play LOTRO only because I love Lord of the Rings, and my brother is the same way.

I really love LOTRO though. I might get bored with it eventually, but there's just SO MUCH to see! The detail is impressive, the story is fun, the graphics are nice, the quests are fun and interesting.

I very much agree. A lot of it is stuff you might not recognize if you've only read the books or seen the movies, but the feel is definitely something they got right.

I had a serious whoa moment when I ran into the 21st hall the first time, they went through there in the movie, or a place nearly identical.

I do have to comment on the ongoing discussion though. I can't see how one can split out Rift from the crowd more than, say, Ultima Online or EQ2. I enjoyed Rift, though I didn't ultimately end up subbing due to time constraints. But the fact of the matter is that while Rift has some pretty nifty stuff going on beneath the hood, it feels VERY much like LoTRO in terms of gameplay, and both are quite derivative of the WoW model, as I understand it.

On the other hand, EQ2 has a much different feel, though it's drifted more toward WoW's in the last few years. If someone were looking for a game in general, instead of looking at a specific game, I'd probably recommend LoTRO or EQ2 if they're interested in F2P (and possibly subbing), or Rift if they're looking to sub off the bat, because getting in on the ground floor of a game makes the experience infinitely better.

Me personally, I would list about half a dozen games among the options, and unless I knew something specific about a person, EVE wouldn't even rank a spot in the top 10.
 
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
 
my overall recommendations, in descending order

WOW Cataclysm > RIFT > Guild Wars >>>>> Aion > EvE > LotRO > Everquest II > Dungeons and Dragons Online >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> all else

I actively discourage interest in the 'all else' category, which includes Warhammer Online, Age of Conan, Star Wars Galaxies, Final Fantasy XIV, Champions Online, All Points Bulletin: Reloaded, Star Trek Online, and so on.

Lotro, EQII, and DDO are kind of in their own little 'you get what you pay for' category in that they're only worth considering because they're free.
 
Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :
 
Oh, man...I forgot all about Aion.

People who threatened to leave LOTRO for Aion were the fastest ones back...and that includes the "all else" games you mentioned. [Razz]

But there are probably some people who enjoy it.

This thread is like a music thread, in that everyone feels that what they like best is the best.

The only way to give good advice is to know the other person and what THEY like.

quote:
Lotro, EQII, and DDO are kind of in their own little 'you get what you pay for' category in that they're only worth considering because they're free.
Can't speak for the other 2, but LOTRO was well worth the subscription for 4 years before it went free this year. That is, if you enjoy lore, a mature playerbase, and don't focus primarily on pvp.
 
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Frisco:
People who threatened to leave LOTRO for Aion were the fastest ones back...and that includes the "all else" games you mentioned. [Razz]

Aion Syndrome: when a new MMO that has offered many promises distracts players from the MMO they are playing currently (usually WoW) for a while due its unique nature, but those players mostly invariably cascade back to what they’ve become accustomed to when it provides too many disappointments in gameplay.

Keep in mind my list is based on the likelihood I'll think that an MMO is a good fit for someone. Most people are going to loathe Aion and EvE but there's a certain gameplay personality that's going to be attracted to either (Aion: Hardcore PvP L2 veterans jonesing for a new monolithic NCSoft climb. EvE: Cutthroat dramatics and sperglords into empire building and no-holds-barred). LotrO would have a larger share than either if WoW wasn't just such a better fit for the vast majority of them.
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
I love spreadsheets in space.
 
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
 
I loved EVE, but I really can't afford any subscription MMO, thats why I play DDO.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
You can keep them.

I am almost finished installing LOTRO, but will not be playing until I wake up. LOL

Just got off from a 16 hour shift, and need sleep. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by DarkKnight (Member # 7536) on :
 
I've been playing LOTRO since beta, I'm a lifetime member, and I still love it as much as I did when I first started playing
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
OK, I am on. [Big Grin]


I am playing on my laptop, and at first it seemed a little choppy. I wonder if I downloaded the hi-res version by accident. The mouse is a little sensitive, and my arrow buttons are useless. I wonder if there is a way to alter the sensitivity on these things.

I have a level 4 hunter, but I thought I would ask what we have available on Melanor before I started my second character. Do we need anything specific? I have tanked in other MMO's, and I usually prefer distance DPS classes, but I am up for trying just about anything. Any suggestions?
 
Posted by Happy Camper (Member # 5076) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kwea:
OK, I am on. [Big Grin]


I am playing on my laptop, and at first it seemed a little choppy. I wonder if I downloaded the hi-res version by accident. The mouse is a little sensitive, and my arrow buttons are useless. I wonder if there is a way to alter the sensitivity on these things.

I have a level 4 hunter, but I thought I would ask what we have available on Melanor before I started my second character. Do we need anything specific? I have tanked in other MMO's, and I usually prefer distance DPS classes, but I am up for trying just about anything. Any suggestions?

Almost positive that the problems you're having are correctable. I remember I had mouse sensitivity issues at first, but it was years ago, and I don't recall how I fixed it.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
I will check out the forums. The mouse is better better, or I am getting more use to it, but the keyboard is useless.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
I figured it out, and it is working well now. I am at level 10 now. [Big Grin]

I will send messages to anyone listed in this thread on that server tomorrow. I also started a level 1 Dwarf Guardian, I think.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Huh....funny thing about that link, Blayne.....LOTRO is already doing microtransactions, as they suggest. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
Kwea -

What profession did you choose?

I'm a level 24 Man Guardian (Armorer) named Riddon.

I also have a level 12 Lore Master (Tinker) named Telpirion.

My brother also plays on Meneldor, and he's a level 42 Hunter.

Can you wear Medium Armor? Let me know if you want any armor made.
 
Posted by DarkKnight (Member # 7536) on :
 
I have a 65 Elf Warden, 61 Human Hunter, 60 human Captain, 40 Elf Loremaster, 34 dwarf guardian, and 13 hobbit burglar...
I'm on Windfola server though
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Not sure what I picked, to be honest. I haven't really done any of it either. [Big Grin]

Yeah, I can wear medium armor, just started buying myself some. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
Save your money, I'll make you some tonight. What level are you?
 
Posted by EarlNMeyer-Flask (Member # 1546) on :
 
What do you think about Final Fantasy XI?
 
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by EarlNMeyer-Flask:
What do you think about Final Fantasy XI?

I have a higher opinion of it than XIV.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
I am level 12 now. I also have about a gold saved, which isn't bad at this level.
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
My characters name is Elgarid. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Jacket250 (Member # 12574) on :
 
(Post Removed By Janitor Blade. Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam Spammity Spam)

[ May 19, 2011, 10:42 AM: Message edited by: JanitorBlade ]
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Playing now...lol

I will be once it finishes updating, anyways.
 
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
 
http://i52.tinypic.com/2w3x7hh.png

Those giant ships? Hostile, all of them. The one in red is mine...
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
What does that have to do with LOTRO?
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
OK, on now. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :
 
Hello, guys. I don't know if some of you still remember me, as it's a long time since my last post, but I came back to Lotro as well. Are you guys still playing at Meneldor? If you are, search for a Minstrel called "Tobiassamett" ;-)
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
I'm still playing Meneldor. I usually pop on either for a little bit once a day, or every couple of days for an extended period.
 
Posted by Ecthalion (Member # 8825) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kwea:
EVE is horrible. I tried it, and while I could see why some people would like it for a while I was bored by the gameplay. I found the political aspect childish and felt it detracted from the game. Most everyone else I know felt the same.

Hmmmm... well, though i obviously disagree with the "eve is horrible" part i would have to agree that it is one of the least beginner-friendly games. It has gotten better, but the tutorials still suck, and unless you disable the notifications they pop up in all sorts of untimely annoying places. The UI isnt very intuitive at first, though once you've got the hang of it it does make sense.

Eve's biggest obstacle as far as people getting past their first month or two is probably that there is no direction. Whatever you want to do (within the loose confines of the program) you do it. Its very different from the vast majority of games, where the game gives you objectives and you pursue them. In EVE you have to make your own.

What I am most curious about is that you and "everyone you know" thought the political aspect was childish. Could you explain why? or is it the idea of fighting over fake "land" in general is childish to you? It doesnt seem, by the way you described it, that you put the time into the game to be active in the political landscape.

[ June 06, 2011, 08:41 AM: Message edited by: Ecthalion ]
 
Posted by Jake (Member # 206) on :
 
Hey, Eduardo! Good to see you! How is life going for you these days? This is Noemon, btw.
 


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