I just picked up a trial account recently and I've been having a great time immersing myself into this, the original Tolkien fantasy world. I've thouroughly enjoyed the charracter system and the differences between the races. Great care seems to have been taken to instill into this game the spirit of the fantasy world of Middle Earth.
The environments seem almost to breath with the detail paid to their composition. The architecture and landscape of the Bree-Lands (as far as I've gotten on the trial account) matches closely the images I've interpreted from the Fellowship of the Ring.
Combat is enjoyable and involved, with the few classes I've sunk my teeth into offering combination and synergy between skills and abilities which seems to lend itself to personalized stiles and use.
The adversaries run the gambit from resembling some possible charracter designs to dreadful creatures bred from darkness. The drop system is logical and avoids the "imp who happens to have a Halberd in his pocket" issue of other games. So far there is little to no simple use of recolor to simulate diversity among monsters, and npcs and quest givers seem to have a degree of uniqueness of appearance which sets them apart from non-interactive villagers.
The Trait system is wonderful for personalization. With many traits being rewards for achievements there is more insentive for putting one's nose to the grindstone to complete them.
Even though I've only scratched the surface of this world through my limited experience in the trial account and newb areas I've witnessed a certain soul to this game that denotes a loving hand and a cafeful devotion to the lore set down by Tolkien.
Little license has been taken and great attention has been paid to detail. I look foreward to this games continued future and popularity.
- Forums
- Cross Site
- General Video Game Discussion
- ZAM's Lord of the Rings Contest
ZAM's Lord of the Rings ContestFollow
#253
Jul 16 2009 at 10:47 PM
1 post
I played the game for a few months right after the release of "Mines of Moria" expansion. This game is the best mmo game i have ever played. i have 5 characters(my main is a lvl 60 hunter) on Landroval and 1 character(a lvl 37 champion) on Elendilmir. i love the zones(my favorite one is Evendim), graphics, the epic storyline, and especially the community. My only dislike about the game is the radiance gated instances in Moria. Other than that it's all perfect. Turbine did a really great job...
#254
Jul 16 2009 at 10:51 PM
1 post
I am a hardcore LOTRO player. I have never played an MMO before and I have no intention of playing any others. I have a lifetime account with Turbine/LOTRO. I Log in every day and play at least 5 days a week. There is no greater game out there. :)
#255
Jul 16 2009 at 10:53 PM
1 post
This is my second summer playing Lotro and I have to say it is an amazing game. The first thing you will notice about this game is its beautiful graphics. Not too cartoony but not too realistic, it's the perfect balance with great color hues. Second thing you will notice about this game is its superior story line, which should be a given because it's based on Lotr. You find yourself very interested and attached. Don't be surprised if you start reading quest narratives more often than not.
The PVE play is surprisingly polished and has been for a while, considering the short time the game has been out. I love how this game actually focuses on PVE as opposed to PVP. It makes the game more enjoyable in my opinion. Lotro has accomplished so much in its short time. I wouldn't be surprised to see it surpass WoW to the unbiased gamer. Classes are unique and serve fun, specific roles. The crafting, conjuction (fellowship maneuvers), and legendary item systems are done well and add to the uniqueness of Lotro. Lotro makes for a good family game as well. Overall, the community is very helpful and well-mannered as opposed to WoW, which can get pretty hardcore.
I had some gripes early on (last year) such as too many fellowship quests early on in the game being detrimental to leveling. Sometimes it was hard to progress if you just wanted to play solo or had a hard time finding a group. Turbine solved this by making some areas mostly soloable and adding more "small fellowship" quests in future updates. One great thing about Turbine is they really listen to their subscribers and act swiftly and effectively to correct issues.
Lastly, the best thing I love about Lotro is what I stated earlier, the foundation it relies on which is Lotr. With this, you can always expect an ample supply of unique, fun future updates for years to come. Mines of Moria has been extraordinary. Can you imagine when we get to enter Mordor? An instance of the Battle of Helms Deep? Epic things have yet to come! Turbine has captured the atmosphere and landscapes of the Tolkien universe perfectly. I continually expect to always be drawn into this virtual world. I have yet to be disappointed!
Edited, Jul 17th 2009 2:55am by KleptoxAntics
The PVE play is surprisingly polished and has been for a while, considering the short time the game has been out. I love how this game actually focuses on PVE as opposed to PVP. It makes the game more enjoyable in my opinion. Lotro has accomplished so much in its short time. I wouldn't be surprised to see it surpass WoW to the unbiased gamer. Classes are unique and serve fun, specific roles. The crafting, conjuction (fellowship maneuvers), and legendary item systems are done well and add to the uniqueness of Lotro. Lotro makes for a good family game as well. Overall, the community is very helpful and well-mannered as opposed to WoW, which can get pretty hardcore.
I had some gripes early on (last year) such as too many fellowship quests early on in the game being detrimental to leveling. Sometimes it was hard to progress if you just wanted to play solo or had a hard time finding a group. Turbine solved this by making some areas mostly soloable and adding more "small fellowship" quests in future updates. One great thing about Turbine is they really listen to their subscribers and act swiftly and effectively to correct issues.
Lastly, the best thing I love about Lotro is what I stated earlier, the foundation it relies on which is Lotr. With this, you can always expect an ample supply of unique, fun future updates for years to come. Mines of Moria has been extraordinary. Can you imagine when we get to enter Mordor? An instance of the Battle of Helms Deep? Epic things have yet to come! Turbine has captured the atmosphere and landscapes of the Tolkien universe perfectly. I continually expect to always be drawn into this virtual world. I have yet to be disappointed!
Edited, Jul 17th 2009 2:55am by KleptoxAntics
#256
Jul 16 2009 at 11:14 PM
1 post
I've been playing since July 2007. This has been my first real MMO, and I have to say the community atmosphere in the game is quite something.
The visuals are breathtaking (provided your computer can handle them).
And there's content from things to do while on your own, and things to do when you get friends together.
The largest cons that I can think of are the past two books (book 7 and 8) have been kind of a let-down, content-wise. But there are large plans in the (near) future which should hopefully make up for it.
The game isn't perfect and has its flaws, but overall its enjoyable.
The visuals are breathtaking (provided your computer can handle them).
And there's content from things to do while on your own, and things to do when you get friends together.
The largest cons that I can think of are the past two books (book 7 and 8) have been kind of a let-down, content-wise. But there are large plans in the (near) future which should hopefully make up for it.
The game isn't perfect and has its flaws, but overall its enjoyable.
#257
Jul 17 2009 at 12:00 AM
1 post
From the day that Beta came out i have seen that this is the game for me. It's got Guardian class just the way i like it - real Tank.
Too bad that I was lacking in time and little short in money when game was out. I started to play last summer, injoyed almost every time I played (except some grinding, not all - just some) and make few really good friends. Game graphics in so nice (Bree, Lothlorien, Shire...) and monsters look very detailed (and scary some times). Like every game and here you can find little things that can bug you but game is constantly repairing and upgrading.
I hope to see you in game ;)
Too bad that I was lacking in time and little short in money when game was out. I started to play last summer, injoyed almost every time I played (except some grinding, not all - just some) and make few really good friends. Game graphics in so nice (Bree, Lothlorien, Shire...) and monsters look very detailed (and scary some times). Like every game and here you can find little things that can bug you but game is constantly repairing and upgrading.
I hope to see you in game ;)
#258
Jul 17 2009 at 2:04 AM
1 post
I started playing LotRO in April on the free trial, and promptly bought a subscription. I play on Landroval, the 'unofficial RP server', and enjoy the game so much I canceled my subscription to WoW.
As others have said, the visuals are absolutely stunning... I am constantly amazed by the level of thought and detail that have gone into every zone. Even the not so 'pretty' zones of the game fit very well what I've pictured in my many readings of the books. Angmar is a bleak and blasted landscape with a poisoned sky, Moria is a warren of dark caverns with soaring vistas of crumbling Dwarven architecture through which you have to fight for almost every step you take.
The community on the server is the best I've seen in any game with friendly, helpful people, and a much more mature tone of conversation, in general, than I'm used to seeing in an MMO.
There's so much content that it's impossible to run every quest without leveling past a lot of it, so 'replay' is something I'm actually looking forward to. It's quite possible to level very quickly if one has a mind to do so -- as evidenced by the results of the recent 'Kinship leveling contest', wherein a surprising number of people were able to get characters from 1-60 in a mere 25 days. The character I created for that contest made it to level 42 in that time, and I was still RPing, crafting and so on, rather than engaging exclusively in the grind to get to 60.
The quests are interesting, the quest dialogues are engaging and well-written, the epic storyline does an excellent job of helping the player feel like they're actually part of the story of the Ring, without feeling contrived. The characterisation of the members of the Fellowship is quite well done and holds true to Tolkien's writing.
I do wish they'd allow for crafted bags of larger size, like WoW, more extensive LFG support functionality and more character appearance customisation flexibility, like CoX has, and more flexible player housing decoration, like SWG.
All in all, however, I think any game is going to have a long way to go to be able to lure me away from LotRO, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next expansion!
As others have said, the visuals are absolutely stunning... I am constantly amazed by the level of thought and detail that have gone into every zone. Even the not so 'pretty' zones of the game fit very well what I've pictured in my many readings of the books. Angmar is a bleak and blasted landscape with a poisoned sky, Moria is a warren of dark caverns with soaring vistas of crumbling Dwarven architecture through which you have to fight for almost every step you take.
The community on the server is the best I've seen in any game with friendly, helpful people, and a much more mature tone of conversation, in general, than I'm used to seeing in an MMO.
There's so much content that it's impossible to run every quest without leveling past a lot of it, so 'replay' is something I'm actually looking forward to. It's quite possible to level very quickly if one has a mind to do so -- as evidenced by the results of the recent 'Kinship leveling contest', wherein a surprising number of people were able to get characters from 1-60 in a mere 25 days. The character I created for that contest made it to level 42 in that time, and I was still RPing, crafting and so on, rather than engaging exclusively in the grind to get to 60.
The quests are interesting, the quest dialogues are engaging and well-written, the epic storyline does an excellent job of helping the player feel like they're actually part of the story of the Ring, without feeling contrived. The characterisation of the members of the Fellowship is quite well done and holds true to Tolkien's writing.
I do wish they'd allow for crafted bags of larger size, like WoW, more extensive LFG support functionality and more character appearance customisation flexibility, like CoX has, and more flexible player housing decoration, like SWG.
All in all, however, I think any game is going to have a long way to go to be able to lure me away from LotRO, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next expansion!
#259
Jul 17 2009 at 2:09 AM
1 post
I've played Wow for about two years. I was really looking for something new so I checked into LOTRO. I've always been a fan of LOTR. I've read all the books, seen the movies, and played almost every LOTR game out there. But when I started playing LOTRO I was blown away. I instantly fell in love with the feel of the game. I started 5 days ago and I am hooked. The eviroment, people, and the story are phenominal. Turbine really did LOTR justice with this game. In my opinion it is the best LOTR game out there and one of the best MMORPG's to date. I reall encourage anyone who is a fan of RPG's or LOTR to try this game. You will love it.:)
#260
Jul 17 2009 at 2:09 AM
1 post
I have been playing the game for 5 days now in trial, i like the excellent graphics, the very exciting storyline, which in my opinion should not get more connected than it already is to the original story of LOTR. I do hope that turbine will keep on making th expansions, free or not, but just so one could stand in the middle of Mordor one day, perhaps fighting a recovered Shelob or something ;) Luv the game mechanisms for crafting also by the way.
#261
Jul 17 2009 at 2:23 AM
1 post
I have been playing lotro since it was started. Lotro is so cool and i cannot say how much. Lotro is my first mmorpg and I will play till it ends. I like quest, graphics, combat style. Overall i like every aspect of lotro. Crafting is cool too and the instances is simply awesome. I like how Turbine has followed the storyline of Lotr book and it is quite accurate. Its one of the best mmorpg game out there in the market. Turbine have done a great job. They have been giving free content every few months and that is great and i like it. I will never be tired of playing lotro. Until there is lotro out there, i wont be playing any other mmorpg. Simply, Lotro is the best.
#262
Jul 17 2009 at 2:33 AM
1 post
I started playing MMO's about 5 years ago. Like a lot of other people, I started by playing WoW. I played it for about 2 years or so and a friend of mine sent me an invitation to the LOTRO Closed Beta. I haven't looked back since. I have fallen in love with the games storyline and the people who play there. We have our fair share of non-intelligent lifeforms that play LOTRO, but the good outweigh the bad. I have tried a couple of other MMOs just out of curiosity, but I always return to LOTRO. Everything just seems to mesh together so well in it compared to some of the other games out there.
Grey
Grey
#263
Jul 17 2009 at 3:43 AM
1 post
Well I first would like to say i have played almost every MMORPG out there to date. I've done fantasy, medieval, superhero, martial arts, shooter, sci-fi. But mostly fantasy/medieval. Yet recently i have been getting tired of the fantasy genre of mmorpgs. Its been used sooo much that it was almost completely boring. Although i started playing Lotro again(i played in beta)and this game just made some stairs out of that hole the fantasy genre dug itself into. Lotro is an excellent mmo and the fact that it follows the books/movies is great! Theres nothing like playing LOTRO for a day then kickin it back on the couch watching The Fellowship of the Ring to go to sleep and be like "ooohhh i was there, ha those thing are easy!". LOTRO puts you into these stories and it just is well made. So Turbine I give you a thumbs up, for you made an excellent game.
#264
Jul 17 2009 at 3:58 AM
1 post
Growing up, Lord of the Rings (the book) was the inspiration to me to start writing. I am now a part time writer, but owe my inspiration to LOTR.
So, the films came out and my love for LOTR grew. The realization of the films added a huge colour to my imagination. I found myself falling deeper in love with LOTR.
A dear friend of mine, with whom I was writing a story, then gave me a trial key for the LOTRO game. And within a day I was hooked AND brought a lifetime subscription.
A day later, so did my husband!!!
It's not just the texture of the game (bearing in mind I don't play on high-quality graphics settings, since I'm running on XP!), but the music, the incidentals. I still get that warm fuzzy feeling when you first help the fellowship. And yes, I find that as an author my 'characters' speak to me. Maliosi grumbles as he winds his way up the circling stairways of the Elven towns, saying that Elves wouldn't know how to build a stair if a Dwarf showed them! Mind you, that Dwarf is mad, he DID run to the top of Weathertop, alone, at level 8! And survived! :D Now that he's level 60, he looks fondly at the kin who add so much to the game. Finding the right kin just adds to a wonderfully complex environment, enhanced by fantastic music. I can't stop enthusing about the game, for while there ARE flaws, it is one of the most immersive games I've ever had the joy to play!
So, the films came out and my love for LOTR grew. The realization of the films added a huge colour to my imagination. I found myself falling deeper in love with LOTR.
A dear friend of mine, with whom I was writing a story, then gave me a trial key for the LOTRO game. And within a day I was hooked AND brought a lifetime subscription.
A day later, so did my husband!!!
It's not just the texture of the game (bearing in mind I don't play on high-quality graphics settings, since I'm running on XP!), but the music, the incidentals. I still get that warm fuzzy feeling when you first help the fellowship. And yes, I find that as an author my 'characters' speak to me. Maliosi grumbles as he winds his way up the circling stairways of the Elven towns, saying that Elves wouldn't know how to build a stair if a Dwarf showed them! Mind you, that Dwarf is mad, he DID run to the top of Weathertop, alone, at level 8! And survived! :D Now that he's level 60, he looks fondly at the kin who add so much to the game. Finding the right kin just adds to a wonderfully complex environment, enhanced by fantastic music. I can't stop enthusing about the game, for while there ARE flaws, it is one of the most immersive games I've ever had the joy to play!
#265
Jul 17 2009 at 4:03 AM
3 posts
i have had the game sdince it came out but was still stuck in d2 mode..about 9 months ago i tried the buddy key in my game pack and played it. since then, ive played daily non stop and paid up til oct this yr. i cant think of another game that has the graphics, gameplay,quests, crafting,npcs and almost true to the books storyline.sufficed to say. this is the BEST MMO EVER CREATED and it would be HARD TO MATCH in any arena.im hooked. i play for about 7 hrs a day at least, take gameplay videos with xfire and screenshots of kel fights and put on my xfrie prof page, im so proud to call myself a lotro gamer that i try my best to convert all the cartoon wow freaks i can.
hope i win something.if not, ive said my peace.
enjoy the game
i am!
david baker
hope i win something.if not, ive said my peace.
enjoy the game
i am!
david baker
#266
Jul 17 2009 at 4:03 AM
1 post
I been playing since it's release and plan on playing til it shutdown. I love the lore and love the game, Just wish there was more options for pvp to make this game more complete.
#267
Jul 17 2009 at 4:30 AM
1 post
Lord of the Rings Online... What can I say that would do justice to this game?
Before playing LOTRO, I had some experience with MMOs. Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the incredible job that the Turbine developers would do. Keep in mind, LOTRO has an advantage that most other MMOs do not - it is the opportunity to enter a world that many people have already loved for decades. Middle Earth comes to life in LOTRO in a way that blew my mind. I cannot say enough about the graphics in LOTRO! If your system is capable, run the graphic and anti-aliasing on full. Some of the vistas are breathtaking, to say the least.
Probably my favorite aspect of the game was the PvE side of things. You have the primary, overarching storyline written originally by Tolkien. Then, the Turbine devs have written off-shoot storylines that are quite good. If you love RP in your MMO, LOTRO has an incredible amount to offer. For instance, players are able to purchase a house in one of four special areas. You are then able to decorate and manage your house. As odd as it may seem, the housing was probably my favorite element of the game. One of my only criticisms of LOTRO, in fact, would be that the housing system has been almost wholly ignored. A good, solid update on the whole housing system would go a long way.
There is something for everyone in LOTRO - PvE, RP, PvP, end game, etc. There is constantly new and exciting content available for players. I never played certain "other" MMOs that are so popular, but from what I have been told, Turbine is unmatched in cranking out new content. New areas open up all the time to explore, new quests and raids are introduced, and players are drawn ever deeper into Middle Earth.
Let me just end by saying that LOTRO is special in two very critical ways. Thanks to the hard work on the part of Turbine, LOTRO has an amazing amount of diversity and draw. The diversity is there because there are so many niches into which players can fit. The draw comes from the depth of each niche and the lengths to which Turbine has gone to enrich all elements of the game. Read the books and/or seen the movies? LOTRO allows you to enter that world and have your own adventure in Middle Earth. And with Turbine's ever-impressive efforts, "the road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began..."
Before playing LOTRO, I had some experience with MMOs. Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the incredible job that the Turbine developers would do. Keep in mind, LOTRO has an advantage that most other MMOs do not - it is the opportunity to enter a world that many people have already loved for decades. Middle Earth comes to life in LOTRO in a way that blew my mind. I cannot say enough about the graphics in LOTRO! If your system is capable, run the graphic and anti-aliasing on full. Some of the vistas are breathtaking, to say the least.
Probably my favorite aspect of the game was the PvE side of things. You have the primary, overarching storyline written originally by Tolkien. Then, the Turbine devs have written off-shoot storylines that are quite good. If you love RP in your MMO, LOTRO has an incredible amount to offer. For instance, players are able to purchase a house in one of four special areas. You are then able to decorate and manage your house. As odd as it may seem, the housing was probably my favorite element of the game. One of my only criticisms of LOTRO, in fact, would be that the housing system has been almost wholly ignored. A good, solid update on the whole housing system would go a long way.
There is something for everyone in LOTRO - PvE, RP, PvP, end game, etc. There is constantly new and exciting content available for players. I never played certain "other" MMOs that are so popular, but from what I have been told, Turbine is unmatched in cranking out new content. New areas open up all the time to explore, new quests and raids are introduced, and players are drawn ever deeper into Middle Earth.
Let me just end by saying that LOTRO is special in two very critical ways. Thanks to the hard work on the part of Turbine, LOTRO has an amazing amount of diversity and draw. The diversity is there because there are so many niches into which players can fit. The draw comes from the depth of each niche and the lengths to which Turbine has gone to enrich all elements of the game. Read the books and/or seen the movies? LOTRO allows you to enter that world and have your own adventure in Middle Earth. And with Turbine's ever-impressive efforts, "the road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began..."
#268
Jul 17 2009 at 4:36 AM
1 post
I grew up on Tolkien, and love Middle Earth as if it were a RL retreat. This is a beautifully crafted game, and the creators obviously love the stories as much as I do. The writing, lore, characters and graphics are true to the story, highly entertaining (especially for a Tolkien fan), and give me the experience of actually visiting and spending time in Middle Earth. I have two lifetime memberships, and will play this game as long as it is here to play.
Jaima Willowbranch
lvl 56 Hunter
Jaima Willowbranch
lvl 56 Hunter
#269
Jul 17 2009 at 4:39 AM
1 post
I have been playing online games for about 10 years now.
The first couple were 2D.
I have played Dark Age of Camelot (still play after 7 years), EQ and EQ2 breifly (hated both), WoW (Still enjoy but not crazy about end game), Warhammer (Was OK, but too much RvR for my taste.)
I played LOTRO in beta and for a short time after release, but ran out of things to do solo at level 43. Grinding was fruitless with the really bad xp you got at the time. It was also too much for my old computer, so I left it until a couple weeks ago when I got a new comp.
I am mostly enjoying it, though feeling overwhelmed at all the changes. (Not a bad thing really, as they were needed.)
I am still finding it hard for my main (who is now 45.) I was impressed that they seemed to have improved the ability to just grind XP by killing mobs when needed, but was saddened to find out that was just temporary. I do like to socialize, but I tend to solo and am extremely shy about grouping out of guild, so It is rare for me to get any group things done. Hence, the need for more to do solo that I actually get XP from.
I like that they have added more horse models and that they can swim now, but I do find it incredibly annoying that I have to get off my horse to talk to NPCs or to zone. I am very very dissappointed that I cannot participate in the Horse design contest because I do not live in the US. As an artist, I was very much excited about entering it.. till I read the rules :(
Housing is a very welcome addition, but I find the house decor system very limiting.. I far prefer the DAoC housing system.. where I can put my decorations wherever I like. I do like the ability to change walls and floors though.. BTW, at the very least, more slots for large carpets are needed.
I would like to be able to upgrade my house or sell or give it away when I want to move. I do like that I can abandon it if I so choose.. I really do not understand the 24 hour wait to repurchase though.
I think it would be cool if you could actually list your house for sale.
I don't see why players can't have the big houses either.. right now most neighborhoods have nothing but those for sale. It would give us trophy hunter types more reason to play :)
I am also struggling with space.. I find it hugely restrictive and way too expensive. In DAoC your house vaults each hold 200 items and if you can afford a big enough house.. you can have 8. The mailbox is a nice touch (would be nice if others could use it though.. even giving full permissions doesn't allow them to).. would like to be able to add NPCs as well.. at the very least a banker. Craft stations in housing would be nice too.. doesn't have to be in the house.. but near the vendors would rock. Right now I cannot play some characters because they are stuffed full of craft supplies. Nor can I even buy a second bank slot for my main because the cost is horrendously expensive. Most of my chars are also behind on skills because training costs too much.)
I would like to see armour dyes to cover things better.. right now it is almost pointless even bothering when so little of the item changes colour.
Things I do love about the game are the extensive emotes, the stories, the fun things like the festivals and the costume system. Oh, and with my new comp.. the graphics are awesome. (though I wouldn't mind the ability to tone down the water effects in Thorins and Celondim when I am fishing.. they are too fast and make me dizzy.
I am loving the Summer festival, but am finding it frustrating that I cannot get an answer or find any information about when it ends.. I'd like to know how much time I have to get things done for all my chars.
I am happy to see that new characters gain XP a little faster (I hope that's permanent) so they are big enough to actually survive getting through that quest to leave the beginner zone(that really was a horrible quest for elf hunters at level 5). But I was saddened to see that skipping the whole intro zone has been removed. (I have a level 18 minstrel that has never grouped and never killed anything.. I skipped the whole intro zone and just did delivery and craft quests.) (Skipping tutorial doesn't get your out of the into zone anymore.)
I would like the ability to copy my UI setup across all characters. I have 2 accounts and have friends on 3 servers.. its getting tedious doing total UI setup for each and every character. Especially since I have to set the font sizes for them.. Especially since my entire UI resets itself every day on every character.
Would like to be able to zoom radar in and out a bit.. not to whole map, but just enough to have a wider or narrower range.
Would be nice to be able to link quests in chats too.
I was very dissappointed when I joined a group for a quest and it appeared in my log when I entered the dungeon, but vanished on completion. Seems very unfair to me.
Was told it was because I didn't have the previous chapter completed.. yet I have the following one. Very confusing to say the least.
Overall though, even though I have a fairly extensive wish list.. I am enjoying the game :)
Finally.. the best part of this game is the community.. far more courteous and mature than other games.
The first couple were 2D.
I have played Dark Age of Camelot (still play after 7 years), EQ and EQ2 breifly (hated both), WoW (Still enjoy but not crazy about end game), Warhammer (Was OK, but too much RvR for my taste.)
I played LOTRO in beta and for a short time after release, but ran out of things to do solo at level 43. Grinding was fruitless with the really bad xp you got at the time. It was also too much for my old computer, so I left it until a couple weeks ago when I got a new comp.
I am mostly enjoying it, though feeling overwhelmed at all the changes. (Not a bad thing really, as they were needed.)
I am still finding it hard for my main (who is now 45.) I was impressed that they seemed to have improved the ability to just grind XP by killing mobs when needed, but was saddened to find out that was just temporary. I do like to socialize, but I tend to solo and am extremely shy about grouping out of guild, so It is rare for me to get any group things done. Hence, the need for more to do solo that I actually get XP from.
I like that they have added more horse models and that they can swim now, but I do find it incredibly annoying that I have to get off my horse to talk to NPCs or to zone. I am very very dissappointed that I cannot participate in the Horse design contest because I do not live in the US. As an artist, I was very much excited about entering it.. till I read the rules :(
Housing is a very welcome addition, but I find the house decor system very limiting.. I far prefer the DAoC housing system.. where I can put my decorations wherever I like. I do like the ability to change walls and floors though.. BTW, at the very least, more slots for large carpets are needed.
I would like to be able to upgrade my house or sell or give it away when I want to move. I do like that I can abandon it if I so choose.. I really do not understand the 24 hour wait to repurchase though.
I think it would be cool if you could actually list your house for sale.
I don't see why players can't have the big houses either.. right now most neighborhoods have nothing but those for sale. It would give us trophy hunter types more reason to play :)
I am also struggling with space.. I find it hugely restrictive and way too expensive. In DAoC your house vaults each hold 200 items and if you can afford a big enough house.. you can have 8. The mailbox is a nice touch (would be nice if others could use it though.. even giving full permissions doesn't allow them to).. would like to be able to add NPCs as well.. at the very least a banker. Craft stations in housing would be nice too.. doesn't have to be in the house.. but near the vendors would rock. Right now I cannot play some characters because they are stuffed full of craft supplies. Nor can I even buy a second bank slot for my main because the cost is horrendously expensive. Most of my chars are also behind on skills because training costs too much.)
I would like to see armour dyes to cover things better.. right now it is almost pointless even bothering when so little of the item changes colour.
Things I do love about the game are the extensive emotes, the stories, the fun things like the festivals and the costume system. Oh, and with my new comp.. the graphics are awesome. (though I wouldn't mind the ability to tone down the water effects in Thorins and Celondim when I am fishing.. they are too fast and make me dizzy.
I am loving the Summer festival, but am finding it frustrating that I cannot get an answer or find any information about when it ends.. I'd like to know how much time I have to get things done for all my chars.
I am happy to see that new characters gain XP a little faster (I hope that's permanent) so they are big enough to actually survive getting through that quest to leave the beginner zone(that really was a horrible quest for elf hunters at level 5). But I was saddened to see that skipping the whole intro zone has been removed. (I have a level 18 minstrel that has never grouped and never killed anything.. I skipped the whole intro zone and just did delivery and craft quests.) (Skipping tutorial doesn't get your out of the into zone anymore.)
I would like the ability to copy my UI setup across all characters. I have 2 accounts and have friends on 3 servers.. its getting tedious doing total UI setup for each and every character. Especially since I have to set the font sizes for them.. Especially since my entire UI resets itself every day on every character.
Would like to be able to zoom radar in and out a bit.. not to whole map, but just enough to have a wider or narrower range.
Would be nice to be able to link quests in chats too.
I was very dissappointed when I joined a group for a quest and it appeared in my log when I entered the dungeon, but vanished on completion. Seems very unfair to me.
Was told it was because I didn't have the previous chapter completed.. yet I have the following one. Very confusing to say the least.
Overall though, even though I have a fairly extensive wish list.. I am enjoying the game :)
Finally.. the best part of this game is the community.. far more courteous and mature than other games.
#270
Jul 17 2009 at 4:41 AM
1 post
I played LOTRO during beta and started playing at launch (taking a break from WoW). Unfortunately my friends still played WoW, and I get burnt out easily when playing these games solo. I got a Hunter to level 28. The game felt great, but I quit after a few months due to boredom. Having played WoW since then, I've recently had the itch to play LOTRO again. Finally, I watched the trilogy which finalized the deal. I reinstalled LOTRO and, after a lovely 5-6 hour download, began playing (with Mines of Moria as well). I love the Warden class so far. As I'm still playing solo, it works well.
The crafting system is great, with tiers and the mastery options. Setting it up with the vocations is a great way to ultimately balance out the number of players using different professions.
The game looks very well and does a great job of feeling like Middle-Earth. The semi-instanced Epic storyline is a great touch, what with the narration and everything. It just feels like you are actually participating in a great story, rather than simply doing random quests while watching a story unfold (*cough* WoW *cough*).
I've yet to joing a fellowship in order to witness or comment on grouped instances. I do love love love the fact that they don't just create instances for a full group (WoW). Their addition of 3-man instances is grand, as I typically play these kind of games with 2 other people (though they aren't currently playing LOTRO).
While I've not yet experienced housing or fishing yet, they are always welcome additions to an MMO in my opinion.
On a side note, the retro-active XP buff was awesome.. I logged into a level 28 hunter, killed a bear and *POOF* I was level 30 :-D. Gained 2 levels on a Champion that way as well.
The crafting system is great, with tiers and the mastery options. Setting it up with the vocations is a great way to ultimately balance out the number of players using different professions.
The game looks very well and does a great job of feeling like Middle-Earth. The semi-instanced Epic storyline is a great touch, what with the narration and everything. It just feels like you are actually participating in a great story, rather than simply doing random quests while watching a story unfold (*cough* WoW *cough*).
I've yet to joing a fellowship in order to witness or comment on grouped instances. I do love love love the fact that they don't just create instances for a full group (WoW). Their addition of 3-man instances is grand, as I typically play these kind of games with 2 other people (though they aren't currently playing LOTRO).
While I've not yet experienced housing or fishing yet, they are always welcome additions to an MMO in my opinion.
On a side note, the retro-active XP buff was awesome.. I logged into a level 28 hunter, killed a bear and *POOF* I was level 30 :-D. Gained 2 levels on a Champion that way as well.
#271
Jul 17 2009 at 4:51 AM
6 posts
I have always been a long time fan of the Tolkien novels even before the movies. So when I heard Turbine was making an mmorpg based on the novels and not the movies persay, I was really excited. I immediately signed up for the beta and was fortunate enough to be invited to test during alpha phase. I played all through alpha and beta testing and even pre-ordered when we were able to and continued to play after the game launched. I have been playing ever since and there isn't a mmo out there as well rounded in gameplay and content as "Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar"(lotro). I don't see myself quitting anytime soon and I am anxious to see what new content is added to the game in the future. It will be awesome to see more of the places from the novels introduced.
The depth of the achievement system is the best out there, games like SWG and WoW try to immitate Lotro's, but there is no comparison and theirs are nothing but lazy half-done attempts with no effect on the character's attributes like in Lotro. The environmental graphics are also the best out there that don't require a super PC to experience like some mmo's. On average I play around 50-60 hrs per week, I love the immersiveness that Turbine has put into Lotro be it through the great crafting system or combat. Not to mention I also like the small things to do on the side like play musical instruments and whole songs or engage in role-play or the festival games. There is pretty much anything for anyone, even playing a chicken character in "session-play" to do quests as.
The UI is also very user friendly and the tutorial areas are helpful but don't over-simplify it to make you feel dumb for being a new player. I have now been playing Lotro for over 2 years now and I look forward to meeting more new players that seemingly always arrive. I have played every mmo out there so far and none can compare to the amount of detail put into Lotro.
The depth of the achievement system is the best out there, games like SWG and WoW try to immitate Lotro's, but there is no comparison and theirs are nothing but lazy half-done attempts with no effect on the character's attributes like in Lotro. The environmental graphics are also the best out there that don't require a super PC to experience like some mmo's. On average I play around 50-60 hrs per week, I love the immersiveness that Turbine has put into Lotro be it through the great crafting system or combat. Not to mention I also like the small things to do on the side like play musical instruments and whole songs or engage in role-play or the festival games. There is pretty much anything for anyone, even playing a chicken character in "session-play" to do quests as.
The UI is also very user friendly and the tutorial areas are helpful but don't over-simplify it to make you feel dumb for being a new player. I have now been playing Lotro for over 2 years now and I look forward to meeting more new players that seemingly always arrive. I have played every mmo out there so far and none can compare to the amount of detail put into Lotro.
#272
Jul 17 2009 at 5:02 AM
1 post
I have played LOTRO for the better part of 2 years. The scenery is fantastic and I can spend hours just exploring. Being immersed in the LOTR world is what draws me to this game and community is fantastic.
#273
Jul 17 2009 at 5:03 AM
1 post
I have been playing MMOs for over 5 years now, orginally with EQ and then with WOW and Perfect World.
About 10 days ago I finally decided to give LOTRO a try, since then I have been playing about 7 hours a day, in short I am hooked.
I think I have finally found something close to what I am looking for, an anti-WOW. Don't get me wrong WOW is a very good game, for those as want to play it. But I feel it has had it's time, there isn't enough to make me want to keep coming back and coming back to it, particularly as they are trying to do away with any difficulty curve etc.
One really big thing to say about LOTRO is that the graphics are stunning, I am running a very high end machine and have everything cranked out to full on the settings but even on my crappy 3 year old laptop it still looks lovely.
The way that Turbine have managed to create a storyline and world that fits in with Tolkiens Legendarium without seeming cheap and tacked on or alternately feeling like it is re-hashing events in the book just with different characters is very impressive, as a life long Tolkien fan I had expected LOTRO to be let down by the Lore and the story.
It isn't a WOW beater and will never have the popularity that WOW does, personally I think that this is a big part of it's charm.
Hats off to Turbine for a job well done!
About 10 days ago I finally decided to give LOTRO a try, since then I have been playing about 7 hours a day, in short I am hooked.
I think I have finally found something close to what I am looking for, an anti-WOW. Don't get me wrong WOW is a very good game, for those as want to play it. But I feel it has had it's time, there isn't enough to make me want to keep coming back and coming back to it, particularly as they are trying to do away with any difficulty curve etc.
One really big thing to say about LOTRO is that the graphics are stunning, I am running a very high end machine and have everything cranked out to full on the settings but even on my crappy 3 year old laptop it still looks lovely.
The way that Turbine have managed to create a storyline and world that fits in with Tolkiens Legendarium without seeming cheap and tacked on or alternately feeling like it is re-hashing events in the book just with different characters is very impressive, as a life long Tolkien fan I had expected LOTRO to be let down by the Lore and the story.
It isn't a WOW beater and will never have the popularity that WOW does, personally I think that this is a big part of it's charm.
Hats off to Turbine for a job well done!
#274
Jul 17 2009 at 5:11 AM
Scholar
49 posts
Yes, in some ways, LOTRO won't beat WoW. But like Curadane said, that is a big part of the charm. My first MMO was EQ. I loved how it made you bond with other players. I get this feel with LOTRO, WoW doesn't have that feel for me anymore. I feel good that I have broken my WoW addiction!
#275
Jul 17 2009 at 5:13 AM
1 post
I have been playing LOTRO for a year now and am still enjoying all aspects of the game. It's graphically amazing, gameplay is awesome, players are generally nice and all in all, it's just a great experience! :) I have no plans of leaving anytime soon. (I wish they would bring back the $199.00 lifetime account because I would jump on it!)
#276
Jul 17 2009 at 5:23 AM
1 post
I started playing Lord of the Rings Online about a year and a half ago. I leveled up a toon to 40+ over many months but then rerolled a new toon. I just now got my hunter to 60 about 2 months ago and finally am getting to do the end game raiding content. There is so much to do and I have alot of fun with the other players in my kinship. The graphics are great and the new machine I built to get ultra high graphics make the game even more amazing. I have managed to get my Dad, brother, and even my wife addicted to it as well. I have played other mmmo's in the past but they never stick with me. I just love being able to wonder Middle Earth, explore, quest, and play with friends.
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