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ZAM's Lord of the Rings ContestFollow
#177
Jul 16 2009 at 4:07 PM
1 post
I've been playing since open beta and I love this game. However, I'm not too happy with some of the choices for Mines of Moria content (major grinds, gear gating etc). My staying a subscriber depends on which direction the game goes in. If it stays on the current direction, I will probably have to say goodbye to Middle-earth.
#178
Jul 16 2009 at 4:11 PM
1 post
Well, i first started playing LOTRO when it first stated way back in 2007. unfortunately i came upon hard times and was forced to stop playing for the last 2 years but i have recently begun my adventure again! i did not remember how to correctly play my old toon so i made a new one in the form of a Female Elf Rune-Keeper, This is one of the new classes offered by the Maines of Moria Expansion, and have been enjoying it ever since. My RK is currently lvl 33 and is haning around the North-downs doing quests.
I am truly enjoying the Gaming Experience the RK offers in the game. I can play as a healer or major damage dealer whenever i want. i normally stay as a healer and all my main traits are from the healing tree, but this still does not stop me from doing major damage when i have to or when i solo.
Another plus is a found a great kinship in the game almost immediately. Legends of Mordor on the Server Nimrodel is where i am and they are a great group of people. if anyone here plays on Nimrodel please look me up sometime my RK is named Corelia. Cya!
I am truly enjoying the Gaming Experience the RK offers in the game. I can play as a healer or major damage dealer whenever i want. i normally stay as a healer and all my main traits are from the healing tree, but this still does not stop me from doing major damage when i have to or when i solo.
Another plus is a found a great kinship in the game almost immediately. Legends of Mordor on the Server Nimrodel is where i am and they are a great group of people. if anyone here plays on Nimrodel please look me up sometime my RK is named Corelia. Cya!
#179
Jul 16 2009 at 4:18 PM
1 post
I have only been playing for a little over a month now. I love the storyline and the way that it is organized into books and chapters. The graphics are great. I dislike the fact that there is not a "pure" healing class in the game.
#180
Jul 16 2009 at 4:22 PM
1 post
Hi all!
I've been playing LOTRO now for a year and a half and have had the time of my life!
The graphics and thought that go into the game are simply breath-taking.
The community is second to none. With more matureness than I've seen in a MMO to date.
All this makes for a regular happy experience... or so you would think...
Of late Turbine have taken a turn to the dark side. Nerfing and fiddlying with a crafting system that was not broken. Gear-gating the instances. And basically pandering to the WoW type players which is NOT what LOTRO players are!
We all hope this will stop. And whoever the Developer/s that are responsible for this will get the sack.
Because sadly it is starting to drive some of the faithful away.
Me included......
I've been playing LOTRO now for a year and a half and have had the time of my life!
The graphics and thought that go into the game are simply breath-taking.
The community is second to none. With more matureness than I've seen in a MMO to date.
All this makes for a regular happy experience... or so you would think...
Of late Turbine have taken a turn to the dark side. Nerfing and fiddlying with a crafting system that was not broken. Gear-gating the instances. And basically pandering to the WoW type players which is NOT what LOTRO players are!
We all hope this will stop. And whoever the Developer/s that are responsible for this will get the sack.
Because sadly it is starting to drive some of the faithful away.
Me included......
#181
Jul 16 2009 at 4:28 PM
1 post
I've been around the block starting out the MUD in the early/mid 90's. I've played through a my fair share of games and although Lotro can use some tweaking to take my top spot, its definitely in second. It's hard to replace your first love and that holds true here, they defintely have the ability to take over. Each MMO has its own benefits, protractors and detractors. I've only been in Lotro for a 15 months, I came over because I got tired of the community in EQ2 and wanted to try something different. So for the pros, Lotro has
Incredible Scenery
Great Story intertwined within the quests
Low monthly subscription with regular new content added without cost
Interesting side quests, like chicken play - imagine a lvl 1 chicken running across middle earth dodging predators
A music system where you can create music and play instruments, download your favorite songs and play them on instruments in the game.
One of the best in game communities I've encountered.
And Cons, areas which really need improvement IMO
Kinship- Lotro's guild system lacks flexibility
Housing is ok but the decorating system is in need of major rewriting
More PvP zones, the single Ettenmoors region can overwhelm your GPU/RAM/CPU due to the sheer numbers of players fighting. You have to drop graphics settings to low unless you have a serious gaming system.
Character creation, cosmetic variations are kind of lackluster and would be nice to see a little more creativity in player designs, costumes, and armours.
I'd have to warn Lotro against falling into the rut that most MMO's end up in, Raiding becoming necessity. Raids should never be the only means to get the best gear. The reason for that is that it forces the community to lose its character. Other games force you to make the choice leave your friends to join Raiding guilds just so you can enjoy end game, and Raiding guilds tend to shut their doors on those players that arent hard core.
Put more RP into the game
What could they do to make it better?
I'd like to see more old school gaming, GM run activities that are random. Assualts on villages, activities that gets you're adreneline running, there is a war going on after all. Make the game stand apart from other MMO's, give it a character, oh and don't forget that even the low levels should be included in those activities.
All in all its worth the subscription especially if you enjoy Tolkien.
Incredible Scenery
Great Story intertwined within the quests
Low monthly subscription with regular new content added without cost
Interesting side quests, like chicken play - imagine a lvl 1 chicken running across middle earth dodging predators
A music system where you can create music and play instruments, download your favorite songs and play them on instruments in the game.
One of the best in game communities I've encountered.
And Cons, areas which really need improvement IMO
Kinship- Lotro's guild system lacks flexibility
Housing is ok but the decorating system is in need of major rewriting
More PvP zones, the single Ettenmoors region can overwhelm your GPU/RAM/CPU due to the sheer numbers of players fighting. You have to drop graphics settings to low unless you have a serious gaming system.
Character creation, cosmetic variations are kind of lackluster and would be nice to see a little more creativity in player designs, costumes, and armours.
I'd have to warn Lotro against falling into the rut that most MMO's end up in, Raiding becoming necessity. Raids should never be the only means to get the best gear. The reason for that is that it forces the community to lose its character. Other games force you to make the choice leave your friends to join Raiding guilds just so you can enjoy end game, and Raiding guilds tend to shut their doors on those players that arent hard core.
Put more RP into the game
What could they do to make it better?
I'd like to see more old school gaming, GM run activities that are random. Assualts on villages, activities that gets you're adreneline running, there is a war going on after all. Make the game stand apart from other MMO's, give it a character, oh and don't forget that even the low levels should be included in those activities.
All in all its worth the subscription especially if you enjoy Tolkien.
#182
Jul 16 2009 at 4:30 PM
1 post
I started playing LOTRO a couple months after launch and absolutely loved it. The sense of epic destiny running through the opening scenes and continuing in the main quest lines was great. I had played WoW for a couple of years beforehand, and it did not have the same kind of feeling at all. The crafting system was new and interesting, and I found no lack of players to group with. I quit soon after, not having the cash to keep playing, and came back to it just recently with my low level dwarf guardian to find that the low level world had been totally abandoned by players. Thorin's hall held five or six players at most, and the player economy at that level was completely broken. By the prices, it looked like the only people using the auction halls were high level players. To conclude, I think LOTRO is a wonderful game, and definitely brings the kind of story focused flavor that I love to the MMORPG landscape, but the player base (at least in the Brandywine realm) is far too small to make it fun at low levels.
#183
Jul 16 2009 at 4:36 PM
1 post
I love this game. I've been playing MMOs since Ultima Online debuted, and have spent a lot of time grinding and questing and crafting with elves and spaceships and aliens and gods and demons.
I'm also a huge Tolkien geek, and couldn't wait for the movies to come out.
This game is a constant source of Tolkien-y, game-y happiness. New places to explore, new things to do, new ways to hang out with friends - and make friends out of strangers...
It's certainly not perfect - but what MMO is - and it's certainly not for everyone...but it's just right for me. And the screenshots I can take end up being creators of envy amongst my non-playing friends and family.
I think the best part of the game is the fact that a fellowship is entirely supportive; no class "stands out" or "stands alone" when played in a fellowship - everyone contributes to what the group is doing. That makes success sweeter, and failure easier to deal with.
I'm also a huge Tolkien geek, and couldn't wait for the movies to come out.
This game is a constant source of Tolkien-y, game-y happiness. New places to explore, new things to do, new ways to hang out with friends - and make friends out of strangers...
It's certainly not perfect - but what MMO is - and it's certainly not for everyone...but it's just right for me. And the screenshots I can take end up being creators of envy amongst my non-playing friends and family.
I think the best part of the game is the fact that a fellowship is entirely supportive; no class "stands out" or "stands alone" when played in a fellowship - everyone contributes to what the group is doing. That makes success sweeter, and failure easier to deal with.
#184
Jul 16 2009 at 4:36 PM
1 post
AS soon as i heard about LOTRO i was filled with excitement i was over joyed to be able to play in the relm of my favorite movies. I play lotro daily for about 4-8 hours in the summer. it took just under a month to have my first lvl 60 which was a Man Warden. Than i wanted to know what the rest of the classes where like and they where all diffrent every single last one was diffrent and that was AWESOME!!! I love how Turbine made each class a completely diffrent experince in the game play to help ensure that players dont run the same story with a diffrent character. what i love is that the game gives you a drive to continue to the next lvl there is soo much to do that your rarely at a dull mmoment. The end game content has got to be a work of art i mean there are soo many things to do and see that it will keep you entertained for what could be a life time. The PVE style of game play is what i love the most. Turbine did a great job with the lore and making the enviroment just as if we where in one of tolkins books. The one down side is that players know full well playing LOTRO that its a heavy PVE game not a PVP and the when the CREEPS complain and than than the classes get nerfted which kills some of the fun for those classes. Hunter for example got cut down soo there DPS was not nearly as good as before but when you have to chose between an RK or Hunter the RK wins becuase of its supperior DPS. All i am trying to say is that if anyone compalins that is doin PVP need to be ignored as i full well know and believe LOTRO is 95% PVE why should the 5% of PVP players change what is not desinged for them. But over all LOTRO is a well built game and enjoy the game play and i believe that i will continue to play till i can fight at the gates of mordor and defend the lands of the free people from what new enemy lurks in the shadow of darkness
#185
Jul 16 2009 at 4:39 PM
1 post
I have been playing LOTRO since closed beta and I still really like it. I think that they have done a great job with this game and they seem to continue to try and improve it. The one thing that I wish were different is the end-game can get a bit grindy at times.
#186
Jul 16 2009 at 4:39 PM
1 post
I have been playing LOTRO since the early closed beta stage of Shadows of Angmar (if I recall correctly, I was accepted into the beta in late November of 2006?), so I'm coming up on nearly 3 years of play. I was later invited back to Closed Beta testing for Mines of Moria and I've had several occasions to meet the devs. During that time I've played Guardian as my main, Weaver as a close second, Captain, Reaver, Champion, Burglar, Warden, Hunter, Warg, Rune-Keeper, Blackarrow, Warleader......just about everything. The game has been a lot of fun and I've enjoyed most of my time, but since the release of Mines of Moria I have been distressed and largely dissatisfied with gameplay.
I like Turbine, and I think they have made some great advances since the beginning (Customer Service for example has improved greatly) but I think as the game has gone on and new systems have been added, the game has lost some of what made it so attractive in the first place over other MMOs. At the risk of my post wandering, I'll touch on my peeves.
The Radiance System:
I hate it. HATE IT. Totally, utterly hate it. Removing this system should be Turbine's top priority. I am in one of the top raiding kinships on my server, we jump on new content immediately and have a few server firsts under our belt, so you'd think content gating wouldn't bother us as much, but it is seriously horrible. Lets look past the fact that it has completely destroyed the gear system (both crafting and farming for specific drops) for now. This system has single handedly added a ton of grind to this game. In Shadows of Angmar, skill counted for a lot with encounters, knowing your class, but gear was flexible. Now we have great players who we can't even bring into DN (or sometimes even The Watcher) because we have to run hours worth of content to gear them up. This seriously hurts players who take a break and then wish to return, they feel left out and wonder why they ever came back in the first place.
This also influences existing players......many of the great kinships on our server have broken up or fallen into inactivity and we have gotten a huge influx of applications from people who just want some people to run content to get radiance gear with. Its saddening compared to how things used to be.
It aggravates and annoys the diehards like myself. I have 4 characters that are in the 50+ range. One of them (my guardian) is geared already for DN. When I get the other three to 60, that means I have to run 6 hard mode instances times 3 (18 at least) and then the Watcher (at least) 3 times.....at least 6 if I want the full Tier 1 set for each. That also means I need to find 5 other people willing to run 18 hard modes with me, who don't need or are nice enough to let me win the coin.....then 3-6 watchers were the other 11 don't need or are nice enough to let me win the coin.......so basically I'm saying there's no reasonable time frame that I'll be able to get these alts ready to run DN, because you'll always be rolling against other players. Why do I need these alts to be able to run DN? Well, as a regular player who is familiar with several classes, if my guardian has the locks, I could jump on an alt to help out another raid out (assuming they were geared). Also, I just simply enjoy playing several different classes at endgame....but the radiance system punishes people with alts.
Every day that Turbine doesn't announce they are removing this irritating a poorly thought out system is a day I get closer to subscription cancellation. This system is literally sucking all the fun out of the game.
Legendary Items:
This system has a lot of potential and I see that Turbine is refining it, I like that. Personally I think it is too grindy still (relics for example are too much of a grind...again, especially when you're dealing with alts) but I see potential. A couple things that irritate me are that there are two legendary item levels....both the level of the item when it drops (a level 55 sword for instance) and the item of the level that is upgraded via Item Experience (a level 55 sword that is currently level 33, for example). This is irritating because as you level, you often have to deconstruct and "kill" your items and start over. It really makes this system of zero value until you reach the level cap. Personally, I think your item should level WITH you. If I acquire a legendary sword at level 50, I should be able to level that sword up to 50 (from level 1, via Item Experience, like the current system) however, when I reach level 51, that items max level should improve to 51. Currently the system allows you to add legacies at the item levels 10, 30, and 50, and then improve legacies at levels 20 and 40. Why not have the system add legacies at 52, 56, and 60, and then improve legacies at 54 and 58? This would mean the sword you found at level 52 and worked on, would level WITH you to 60, rather than becoming obsolete and all your time invested in it becoming wasted. This is exactly how the Legendary Item system SOUNDED like it was going to work when they were marketing it prior to Mines of Moria release......and this system has a great deal of potential if they would just refine it.
Other things I would do to the LI system is: any "exp spillover" that you get from your character being at level cap, should go directly into your item experience. From killing mobs or from quest turn ins. This would help eliminate the feeling of grinding across the entire game because running repeatable quests for rep or instances for the 200th time would still help you level items.
Devs:
I still like the Devs, but their input on the forums has dropped significantly. We now have community team members all over the place (bless you Sapience & Patience, I'm not saying I don't like you) and the class devs have fallen silent for the most part. I am well aware that there's plenty of idiot players who will flame no matter what, but there's some devs who can handle that and still participate (Orion, Zombie Columbus, Graal, etc). I want a return to the old ways, with Turbine reps who are class experts commenting in the class forums specifically, answering questions about class mechanics, and explaining upcoming changes. I understand this still goes on on the closed beta server, but the way it used to work on the public servers/forums was great and it was a huge point in Turbine's favor over other MMOs in my opinion.
Marketing:
I have always hated how the marketing department will not release subscription numbers. NOBODY expects the numbers to be up with WoW, so who cares. Hiding the subscription numbers has always made me think its because they have something to hide, because they are ashamed of how low they are. Get out there, post some numbers....a low population may even ATTRACT some players. It certainly isn't going to drive off existing ones. If you want to drive off existing players you're always doing it exceptionally well via radiance gating and a lack of improvements to........
PVP:
If Turbine wants this game to live beyond the Moria expansion, and if they want the Rohan expansion to post some good numbers, then they need to revamp PvP ingame NOW. They need to offer gear for creeps. They need to develop the monster side the same way the free peoples side is being developed. They need to offer a leveling system for creeps. From level one on through level cap. They need to have gear and the whole nine yards. They need to offer battlegrounds type zones. They need to offer SEVERAL different zones similar to the ettenmoors, and hire and entire team of coders to work on nothing but class balance out there. Mordor needs to be coded up and offered as a starter zone for creeps. If they really want to hold onto their subscribers and start raking in the new players, this should be given top priority. PvP is its own endgame content creator that will hold players over inbetween patch releases of PvE content. Why they don't get this and they keep stunting PvP's growth is beyond me.
In fact, I don't understand why Shadows of Angmar wasn't pushed back to give more time to work on PvP after how popular it is in other games.
Edited, Jul 16th 2009 8:41pm by Xeroproject
I like Turbine, and I think they have made some great advances since the beginning (Customer Service for example has improved greatly) but I think as the game has gone on and new systems have been added, the game has lost some of what made it so attractive in the first place over other MMOs. At the risk of my post wandering, I'll touch on my peeves.
The Radiance System:
I hate it. HATE IT. Totally, utterly hate it. Removing this system should be Turbine's top priority. I am in one of the top raiding kinships on my server, we jump on new content immediately and have a few server firsts under our belt, so you'd think content gating wouldn't bother us as much, but it is seriously horrible. Lets look past the fact that it has completely destroyed the gear system (both crafting and farming for specific drops) for now. This system has single handedly added a ton of grind to this game. In Shadows of Angmar, skill counted for a lot with encounters, knowing your class, but gear was flexible. Now we have great players who we can't even bring into DN (or sometimes even The Watcher) because we have to run hours worth of content to gear them up. This seriously hurts players who take a break and then wish to return, they feel left out and wonder why they ever came back in the first place.
This also influences existing players......many of the great kinships on our server have broken up or fallen into inactivity and we have gotten a huge influx of applications from people who just want some people to run content to get radiance gear with. Its saddening compared to how things used to be.
It aggravates and annoys the diehards like myself. I have 4 characters that are in the 50+ range. One of them (my guardian) is geared already for DN. When I get the other three to 60, that means I have to run 6 hard mode instances times 3 (18 at least) and then the Watcher (at least) 3 times.....at least 6 if I want the full Tier 1 set for each. That also means I need to find 5 other people willing to run 18 hard modes with me, who don't need or are nice enough to let me win the coin.....then 3-6 watchers were the other 11 don't need or are nice enough to let me win the coin.......so basically I'm saying there's no reasonable time frame that I'll be able to get these alts ready to run DN, because you'll always be rolling against other players. Why do I need these alts to be able to run DN? Well, as a regular player who is familiar with several classes, if my guardian has the locks, I could jump on an alt to help out another raid out (assuming they were geared). Also, I just simply enjoy playing several different classes at endgame....but the radiance system punishes people with alts.
Every day that Turbine doesn't announce they are removing this irritating a poorly thought out system is a day I get closer to subscription cancellation. This system is literally sucking all the fun out of the game.
Legendary Items:
This system has a lot of potential and I see that Turbine is refining it, I like that. Personally I think it is too grindy still (relics for example are too much of a grind...again, especially when you're dealing with alts) but I see potential. A couple things that irritate me are that there are two legendary item levels....both the level of the item when it drops (a level 55 sword for instance) and the item of the level that is upgraded via Item Experience (a level 55 sword that is currently level 33, for example). This is irritating because as you level, you often have to deconstruct and "kill" your items and start over. It really makes this system of zero value until you reach the level cap. Personally, I think your item should level WITH you. If I acquire a legendary sword at level 50, I should be able to level that sword up to 50 (from level 1, via Item Experience, like the current system) however, when I reach level 51, that items max level should improve to 51. Currently the system allows you to add legacies at the item levels 10, 30, and 50, and then improve legacies at levels 20 and 40. Why not have the system add legacies at 52, 56, and 60, and then improve legacies at 54 and 58? This would mean the sword you found at level 52 and worked on, would level WITH you to 60, rather than becoming obsolete and all your time invested in it becoming wasted. This is exactly how the Legendary Item system SOUNDED like it was going to work when they were marketing it prior to Mines of Moria release......and this system has a great deal of potential if they would just refine it.
Other things I would do to the LI system is: any "exp spillover" that you get from your character being at level cap, should go directly into your item experience. From killing mobs or from quest turn ins. This would help eliminate the feeling of grinding across the entire game because running repeatable quests for rep or instances for the 200th time would still help you level items.
Devs:
I still like the Devs, but their input on the forums has dropped significantly. We now have community team members all over the place (bless you Sapience & Patience, I'm not saying I don't like you) and the class devs have fallen silent for the most part. I am well aware that there's plenty of idiot players who will flame no matter what, but there's some devs who can handle that and still participate (Orion, Zombie Columbus, Graal, etc). I want a return to the old ways, with Turbine reps who are class experts commenting in the class forums specifically, answering questions about class mechanics, and explaining upcoming changes. I understand this still goes on on the closed beta server, but the way it used to work on the public servers/forums was great and it was a huge point in Turbine's favor over other MMOs in my opinion.
Marketing:
I have always hated how the marketing department will not release subscription numbers. NOBODY expects the numbers to be up with WoW, so who cares. Hiding the subscription numbers has always made me think its because they have something to hide, because they are ashamed of how low they are. Get out there, post some numbers....a low population may even ATTRACT some players. It certainly isn't going to drive off existing ones. If you want to drive off existing players you're always doing it exceptionally well via radiance gating and a lack of improvements to........
PVP:
If Turbine wants this game to live beyond the Moria expansion, and if they want the Rohan expansion to post some good numbers, then they need to revamp PvP ingame NOW. They need to offer gear for creeps. They need to develop the monster side the same way the free peoples side is being developed. They need to offer a leveling system for creeps. From level one on through level cap. They need to have gear and the whole nine yards. They need to offer battlegrounds type zones. They need to offer SEVERAL different zones similar to the ettenmoors, and hire and entire team of coders to work on nothing but class balance out there. Mordor needs to be coded up and offered as a starter zone for creeps. If they really want to hold onto their subscribers and start raking in the new players, this should be given top priority. PvP is its own endgame content creator that will hold players over inbetween patch releases of PvE content. Why they don't get this and they keep stunting PvP's growth is beyond me.
In fact, I don't understand why Shadows of Angmar wasn't pushed back to give more time to work on PvP after how popular it is in other games.
Edited, Jul 16th 2009 8:41pm by Xeroproject
#187
Jul 16 2009 at 4:39 PM
1 post
I've played Lord of The Rings Online for about a year and a half now. Out all of the other games out there, I've found this game to be the most compelling for the main storyline. There is a vast number of quests to complete, and many things to do. All of the 'cool' features of the game, you get it at day 1. I enjoy the festival events Turbine holds in the game, which creates competitions to win new game items. Also, recent changes they've made to the game, I like the fact that Leveling is now easier, and you get quest assistance, which is great! I also have played all classes of the game, they're all great for what they do, and it just makes it interesting how you can customize your player a number of ways! Also, there's a lot of roll playing in here, for you rollplayers, and of course, Player Vs. Player action, in its unique way. There's also some minor things in the game that aren't so great. "Fellowship" quests suck at times, these quests require you to group with a bunch of other players to complete, and a lot of the time, you may not find a group! Frustrating?! Yes!
Certain classes are a whole lot easier to level than other classes, which sometimes isn't cool. Also, certain professions are A LOT harder to accomplish than others!
All in all, this game is very good, it is by far the best game I've played, with its unique cultures in different areas, and stunning graphics (if you have it on high.) And the roll play!
I reccomend this game more than any other.
Certain classes are a whole lot easier to level than other classes, which sometimes isn't cool. Also, certain professions are A LOT harder to accomplish than others!
All in all, this game is very good, it is by far the best game I've played, with its unique cultures in different areas, and stunning graphics (if you have it on high.) And the roll play!
I reccomend this game more than any other.
#188
Jul 16 2009 at 4:43 PM
20 posts
I have played for a couple years and have spent lots of time in it. I have a friend I would like to get into it and he's reluctant to try an MMO. I love the game and would like to get him hooked for a no cost start!
#189
Jul 16 2009 at 4:44 PM
2 posts
I love the game of LOTRO, I have 4 Charaters - Elf level 40 Lore-master, Elf Level 40 Rune-keeper, Race of Man Level 35 Hunter, Hobbit Level 27 Warden.
The store is donw very well. The landscape is beautiful.
The store is donw very well. The landscape is beautiful.
#190
Jul 16 2009 at 4:44 PM
1 post
I was in the LOTRO Beta and was really underwhelmed. I thought the quest lines were compelling but the world felt artificial and sterile like a theme park.
Came back a year or so after launch and downloaded a free trial. Same problem as above, plus my friends and family play WoW and that is a pretty strong draw.
Heard all the good press about the Mines of Moria expansion as WoW became more and more repettive and felt like work. I wanted what MMOs can offer, persistent worlds, economies, exploration, social opportunities, but I missed the RP you can find in games like NeverWinter Nights. So, I tried EQ2, Vanguard, Warhammer Online, Guild Wars, and LOTRO about two months ago.
Hands down, LOTRO was the best experience. The world felt much more real than it had in my previous experiences, still had the compelling storylines and the Lore I enjoy. The player base is overwhelmingly helpful and mature and free of Allakhazam jokes and the other sophomoric rants that were so commonplace in WoW. The crafting has amazing depth and I love the possibilities of critting on items. The art and music direction are superb, and the classes are nuanced and full of flavor. The trait system is very inventive and the Deeds are a great combination of RP fun with actual tangible game play changing traits. The environments elicit emotional responses from me, whether feeling claustrophobic in the Old Forest, or creeped out by a Spider skittering down a thread of silk. Good stuff!
Also, the ability to customize how my character looks is a lot of fun. I never have to look like a clown unless I chose to. The outfit system and the ability to dye items is adds a layer of role playing. Player housing is not something I have a lot of experience with yet, but I am looking forward to buying one soon.
I managed to get my wife and two friends to form a Kin and we are all having a great time. Obviously, any feedback I can offer lacks the experience of a long term player, but as a noob, I have nothing but good things to say about the game. LOTRo is an MMO experience that still has the RP fun. Look forward to seeing more of the world, getting to explore Mines of Moria and wondering what the next expansion will bring.
Came back a year or so after launch and downloaded a free trial. Same problem as above, plus my friends and family play WoW and that is a pretty strong draw.
Heard all the good press about the Mines of Moria expansion as WoW became more and more repettive and felt like work. I wanted what MMOs can offer, persistent worlds, economies, exploration, social opportunities, but I missed the RP you can find in games like NeverWinter Nights. So, I tried EQ2, Vanguard, Warhammer Online, Guild Wars, and LOTRO about two months ago.
Hands down, LOTRO was the best experience. The world felt much more real than it had in my previous experiences, still had the compelling storylines and the Lore I enjoy. The player base is overwhelmingly helpful and mature and free of Allakhazam jokes and the other sophomoric rants that were so commonplace in WoW. The crafting has amazing depth and I love the possibilities of critting on items. The art and music direction are superb, and the classes are nuanced and full of flavor. The trait system is very inventive and the Deeds are a great combination of RP fun with actual tangible game play changing traits. The environments elicit emotional responses from me, whether feeling claustrophobic in the Old Forest, or creeped out by a Spider skittering down a thread of silk. Good stuff!
Also, the ability to customize how my character looks is a lot of fun. I never have to look like a clown unless I chose to. The outfit system and the ability to dye items is adds a layer of role playing. Player housing is not something I have a lot of experience with yet, but I am looking forward to buying one soon.
I managed to get my wife and two friends to form a Kin and we are all having a great time. Obviously, any feedback I can offer lacks the experience of a long term player, but as a noob, I have nothing but good things to say about the game. LOTRo is an MMO experience that still has the RP fun. Look forward to seeing more of the world, getting to explore Mines of Moria and wondering what the next expansion will bring.
#191
Jul 16 2009 at 4:46 PM
1 post
Lord of the Rings Online....what an experience it has been. With a rich story, the most beautiful graphics, and a great player base it has become my favorite past time. I have been playing since alpha stage 2 and have seen this game progress greatly since that time. I remember the first time I stepped foot in Archet and saw the water graphics I was amazed. (though the odd aura around you was quite annoying to me in those early days.) Over time I learned the game mechanics, the ins/outs of crafting and combat. While some changes have been poor choices IMO ex: the stealth 10s cooldown nerf, the majority of changes have been good in my opinion. Change is the nature of the beast in these types of games.
Most of the content is well thought out and designed, and some of the instances can provide quite a challenge to most groups. One of the biggest improvements made to the game in general was the cosmetic clothing system. No longer are ugly outfits a necessity. Now you can hide that ugly gear while still getting the stats you desire. I have spent hours just tweaking my characters cosmetic outfits by scanning the AH for yellow items that are no good stat wise but have unique appearances. Small features like this help provide a sense of uniqueness for each individuals. I have never stuck with a game as long as I have LOTRO and I do not see myself leaving any time soon. If you have never checked it out it is well worth the download for the free trial.
Most of the content is well thought out and designed, and some of the instances can provide quite a challenge to most groups. One of the biggest improvements made to the game in general was the cosmetic clothing system. No longer are ugly outfits a necessity. Now you can hide that ugly gear while still getting the stats you desire. I have spent hours just tweaking my characters cosmetic outfits by scanning the AH for yellow items that are no good stat wise but have unique appearances. Small features like this help provide a sense of uniqueness for each individuals. I have never stuck with a game as long as I have LOTRO and I do not see myself leaving any time soon. If you have never checked it out it is well worth the download for the free trial.
#192
Jul 16 2009 at 4:46 PM
2 posts
The other thing I forgot to mention is that the kinships are very fun. Unlike in other games, people seem to actually want to help each other as opposed to watching out just for themselves. I think this has to do with the age range being so varied due to the age of the material. I have people in the kinship I've made that are 20 and I have people who are in the kinship I made that are 40+. Everyone loves LOTRO! :)
Thonorin of Windfola
Thonorin of Windfola
#193
Jul 16 2009 at 4:51 PM
1 post
Do you play? Yes, started about a month ago
Have you tried the game? Yes
What do you like about it? The casual atmosphere
What don't you like about it? Lack of info on the web!
I'm former WoW junkie. Started about 4 years ago. A little bit before the Dire Maul patch. I've played many classes (a hunter and rogue in vanilla, shaman and paladin in BC, shaman and DK in Wrath) to their respective max levels and raided both casually and hardcore.
I love raiding, I love instancing, I love soloing. I like BG's, despire Arenas, not much into PvP in any sense really. Group and solo play are both very important to me. Unfortunately, life intruded on my gaming. I had to stop hardcore raiding and I found raiding in Wrath to be, quiet honestly, lame. The casual side in Wrath seemed to get boring a lot quicker than before. Maybe I'm just brunt out on WoW. Don't get me wrong, I still love the game but when the point comes that there isn't a reason to log in anymore, I don't see why I should keep an active subscription. Major patches and expansions you can bet I'll still check out.
So, why did I come to LotRO? Well, I tried it during one of the first free trial periods. It was fun. I couldn't exactly find anything wrong with it but I didn't see any spetacular. I stayed with WoW. Now that my WoW "career" died down, I still needed something to pass the time. I tried AoC, didn't like it, was probably my settings but it looked terrible and ran terribly. It happened to be another trial weekend so I came back to try LOTR now that the expansion was out. Again, it was fun. I don't think much has changed since I first tried it but it is my pace now.
Now that I've played it for about a month, I see a few things that stand out. I like the story quests/instances. I think the deed system is pretty neat. I like the trait system even a little better than WoW's talent system. I like the crafting interface but I don't really like the vocation system. Crafting guilds are a nice touch. My highest is 38 so I might be missing something but the reputation system seems to be very slow progressing. I might drop mounts to level 30. That seems to be about the level when you are traveling across the zone for quests. I love that I can hide my ugly leveling gear also with a costume. If WoW had that I'd always wear my Skyshatter <3
I will say, the game is GORGEOUS. I turned my settings to Ultra-high and took a screenshot that I used for my wallpaper. I've had a few people see it and swear that if it weren't for my wife's and my toon in front of it that it was a painting.
Overall, I find LOTRO to be more casual and laid back. Which isn't a bad thing. It's a game, not a competition or job.
Have you tried the game? Yes
What do you like about it? The casual atmosphere
What don't you like about it? Lack of info on the web!
I'm former WoW junkie. Started about 4 years ago. A little bit before the Dire Maul patch. I've played many classes (a hunter and rogue in vanilla, shaman and paladin in BC, shaman and DK in Wrath) to their respective max levels and raided both casually and hardcore.
I love raiding, I love instancing, I love soloing. I like BG's, despire Arenas, not much into PvP in any sense really. Group and solo play are both very important to me. Unfortunately, life intruded on my gaming. I had to stop hardcore raiding and I found raiding in Wrath to be, quiet honestly, lame. The casual side in Wrath seemed to get boring a lot quicker than before. Maybe I'm just brunt out on WoW. Don't get me wrong, I still love the game but when the point comes that there isn't a reason to log in anymore, I don't see why I should keep an active subscription. Major patches and expansions you can bet I'll still check out.
So, why did I come to LotRO? Well, I tried it during one of the first free trial periods. It was fun. I couldn't exactly find anything wrong with it but I didn't see any spetacular. I stayed with WoW. Now that my WoW "career" died down, I still needed something to pass the time. I tried AoC, didn't like it, was probably my settings but it looked terrible and ran terribly. It happened to be another trial weekend so I came back to try LOTR now that the expansion was out. Again, it was fun. I don't think much has changed since I first tried it but it is my pace now.
Now that I've played it for about a month, I see a few things that stand out. I like the story quests/instances. I think the deed system is pretty neat. I like the trait system even a little better than WoW's talent system. I like the crafting interface but I don't really like the vocation system. Crafting guilds are a nice touch. My highest is 38 so I might be missing something but the reputation system seems to be very slow progressing. I might drop mounts to level 30. That seems to be about the level when you are traveling across the zone for quests. I love that I can hide my ugly leveling gear also with a costume. If WoW had that I'd always wear my Skyshatter <3
I will say, the game is GORGEOUS. I turned my settings to Ultra-high and took a screenshot that I used for my wallpaper. I've had a few people see it and swear that if it weren't for my wife's and my toon in front of it that it was a painting.
Overall, I find LOTRO to be more casual and laid back. Which isn't a bad thing. It's a game, not a competition or job.
#194
Jul 16 2009 at 4:52 PM
1 post
Intro: Well,When i started playing lotro on my first character i didnt like thim much, i didnt think that thre was a perfect class for me, but, i was reading through my manual and found the perfect class for me, i leveled him throught quests unlike some other MMO's that make you go through a horrible horrible grind to get to the cap level witch takes FOREVER.
Pros: After many years Turbine created the MMO that would make me say I love this game! This is a incredible MMO that was well made perfectly balanced and goes on track with the events that took place with the book.
I recomend people who are looking for a fair MMO to play on to go to www.Lotro.com to try out the game and witness what i am talking about.
Cons: Listen EVERY MMO has its on bugs, but, turbine fixes the problem ASAP. If you ever file a tiket Their GM responce is as fast as 5 mins and you are actually talking to real people rather that machines like some other MMO's ive played. Take for example when sometime the 21st hall crashes due to a high volume of people (Yes there about 300 people at a time sometimes) turbine is on it to fix it ASAP in like 10 mins.
Sum: If you in the market to play a new MMO I reccomend to play this sublime MMO witch is well balaced and very exciting even after the end game leveling.
Pros: After many years Turbine created the MMO that would make me say I love this game! This is a incredible MMO that was well made perfectly balanced and goes on track with the events that took place with the book.
I recomend people who are looking for a fair MMO to play on to go to www.Lotro.com to try out the game and witness what i am talking about.
Cons: Listen EVERY MMO has its on bugs, but, turbine fixes the problem ASAP. If you ever file a tiket Their GM responce is as fast as 5 mins and you are actually talking to real people rather that machines like some other MMO's ive played. Take for example when sometime the 21st hall crashes due to a high volume of people (Yes there about 300 people at a time sometimes) turbine is on it to fix it ASAP in like 10 mins.
Sum: If you in the market to play a new MMO I reccomend to play this sublime MMO witch is well balaced and very exciting even after the end game leveling.
#195
Jul 16 2009 at 4:54 PM
1 post
I have played this game for about 2 years now and still love it. I have 5 lvl 60 toons, and two 20's that i mess around on. This was the first MMO i have ever played. I have tried others since, WoW, AoC, WH:AoR. Nothing comes close to this game in its scale, story and depth. It was a real challenge for to start playing the game since i did not have a PC to play on at the time.I got the game for my birthday because i loved the books, and movies so much. I couldnt even play for months due to the computer issue. Now, I have always been a Mac user and had to go through boot camping my machine and all that hassle. But i wouldnt trade the hassle for what i have enjoyed in this time for another experience. (make a mac client!) That is one of the biggest things that i really dislike is Turbine's choice in platforms(or lack of). I would like to have other native clients, much like blizzard does. I work at a store that would have about 20 or so more clients playing if it had just a mac client. I think this game is moving in a very positive direction by making content harder, and by catering to all types of players. Im sure many people will comment on the PvMP aspect of the game, which is both good and bad. I like actually playing against characters that have a brain and not a pattern (like an NPC). I think there should definitely be more areas for PvMP, o different server, and more scenarios fo it. The Ettenmoors is getting a little stale. More options means more people!
All in all I love the game and the atmosphere created by Turbine. Keep up the good work, and keep us entertained! I will be playing this game for a long time to come.
All in all I love the game and the atmosphere created by Turbine. Keep up the good work, and keep us entertained! I will be playing this game for a long time to come.
#196
Jul 16 2009 at 4:57 PM
1 post
I LOVE LOTRO!! I read the books and was wanting to play a video game like it but nothing cut it, so i finally downloaded the 10 day trial and am loving it! I just need to get the retail version to enjoy everything lol :P
#197
Jul 16 2009 at 5:01 PM
1 post
LotRO has been nothing but a sublime experience. I've played Perfect World International, Age Of Conan and World Of Warcraft. If pvp isn't very important to you, lotro will be the game that will satisfy your MMO cravings. It has the best crafting system of any game i've seen. The best community, full of mature respectful people. Remember this game is primarily PVE so the 'hardcore' pvp players are playing other games. Being that most people in the 'pvp' scene are egotistical @$$hats, lotro is blessed by their absence. It has everything a MMO needs, quality content, steady updates, solid support, respectful community, end game raids, epic story and social activities like the music system, festivals and what not. The game has numerous free trial opportunities that give everyone the chance to form their own opinion of the game, but IMHO, LotRO is a winner.
#198
Jul 16 2009 at 5:12 PM
1 post
I just started playing this week with the 10-day free trial. So far, I am really enjoying it. I haven't started interacting with other players much - but the number and variety of quests is good. The graphics are pretty good - although a little sluggish on my system.
I'm hoping that the game has a little more balance of accomplishment/punishment than WoW does. Everquest had a pretty good balance (maybe a little too much skewed towards punishment =)
I'm hoping that the game has a little more balance of accomplishment/punishment than WoW does. Everquest had a pretty good balance (maybe a little too much skewed towards punishment =)
#199
Jul 16 2009 at 5:12 PM
6 posts
Hello.
I've been playing LOTRO for a few days now and
when I first logged in, I was floored by how gorgeous everything looked!
The trees, the characters, the towns had such amazing details. Lets not forget
the stylish hobbit homes I only read about 15 years ago. But now I get to actually
see them with my own eyes, thru the computer. This is where Bilbo & Frodo walked
and lived! I couldn't believe my luck! Stories from Tolkien finally coming to life!
The Crafting is very intricate and there's lots to do! How can you ever get bored with it?
The Bad: I like to start out a game very weak. Eg. wooden stick & simple clothes.
Next advancement: Wooden sword & cloth armor or low quality leather.
Level advancement: I enjoy leveling very slowly. I wish it took longer to level =)
I dislike it when I'm the only person in an area. Eg. Off in the wilderness doing a quest.
Its fun when I see someone come by and I can wave and we already have something
in common. We're in the same area perhaps doing the same quest.
Someone said the creatures are mundane. There's only so many spiders and
insects you can kill. I saw an undead today. Awesome! I got hit by one of its powers
and it made me reel with the effects! My vision became cloudy. I felt my spirit leaving
my body for a few seconds through the game mechanics, incredible!
I hate having my inventory full. I wish LOTRO didn't have a lot of little junky items
you have to discard to make space.
I've been playing LOTRO for a few days now and
when I first logged in, I was floored by how gorgeous everything looked!
The trees, the characters, the towns had such amazing details. Lets not forget
the stylish hobbit homes I only read about 15 years ago. But now I get to actually
see them with my own eyes, thru the computer. This is where Bilbo & Frodo walked
and lived! I couldn't believe my luck! Stories from Tolkien finally coming to life!
The Crafting is very intricate and there's lots to do! How can you ever get bored with it?
The Bad: I like to start out a game very weak. Eg. wooden stick & simple clothes.
Next advancement: Wooden sword & cloth armor or low quality leather.
Level advancement: I enjoy leveling very slowly. I wish it took longer to level =)
I dislike it when I'm the only person in an area. Eg. Off in the wilderness doing a quest.
Its fun when I see someone come by and I can wave and we already have something
in common. We're in the same area perhaps doing the same quest.
Someone said the creatures are mundane. There's only so many spiders and
insects you can kill. I saw an undead today. Awesome! I got hit by one of its powers
and it made me reel with the effects! My vision became cloudy. I felt my spirit leaving
my body for a few seconds through the game mechanics, incredible!
I hate having my inventory full. I wish LOTRO didn't have a lot of little junky items
you have to discard to make space.
#200
Jul 16 2009 at 5:15 PM
1 post
I am from Idaho, and have been playing LOTRO for over 2 years. I am a founder, and I think this is a great game. I played EverQuest for 7 years and Diablo and Diablo2 in every mode. This is a great game with killer graphics. The story is cool and I see things in the game arena that click my memory about the part of the book it is from. That is one cool added bonus. The game made me reread the books for the umpteenth time. Playing this game is a great way to unwind after a vicious day. The way you can play with small groups, large raids, or solo is nice and easy. No matter what your mood is, game play and experience advancement can continue. The camraderie of playing with old friends from the game and new players you meet along the way is refreshing. You help and get help back and forth all along the way. Or, if you want to play alone, you can still get the feeling of accomplisment because no matter what level of play, storyline advancement takes place. LOTRO is still as exciting today as it was when I loaded up the beta version 2 years ago. I look forward to playing it for a long time to come. And, this is going to have to end, I have a port spell to quest and it is calling me. Go safe out there and see you on the fields of battle.
Goblet 60 champion
Nockred 48 hunter
Waropressor 38 guardian
Afarwen 9 lore master
Goblet 60 champion
Nockred 48 hunter
Waropressor 38 guardian
Afarwen 9 lore master
#201
Jul 16 2009 at 5:21 PM
1 post
I've had lotro since a month after release, and I love it. I'm a huge lord of the rings fan.
I was dissappointed at first that there was no true magic class, so I rolled a champion as opposed to the loremaster originally. They fixed that though when they added the rune-keeper class. I also like how they added the quest helper because it could sometimes be quite hard to find a quest objective before. I like how the game has awesome lighting. It really helps the graphics out. This game has been out over 2 years now, and the the only mmo with better graphics is Age of Conan. The fact that this game takes place in Middle-Earth is the biggest plus for me. I love to explore and adventure in the greatest fantasy realm of all time.
Still, there are things about this game that I am not satisfied with. To be fair, this might not still be a problem, but I didn't like the raid layout of the pvmp in the ettenmoors. I haven't been there since 50 was the lvl cap, so I don't know if smaller groups dominate now or if you can solo. You should be able to solo in there. Also, I know they are trying to keep to lore, but I think there should be some more classes in there with the ability to do things not exactly following more for the sake of making the game more fun. Lotro needs something like a warlock (wow style) or necromancer. I didn't play wow for even a whole month, but the warlock I played was more fun than any of the classes I've tried in lotro. If it wasn't for the fact that it is lord of the rings, I probably would have stayed with wow because that is what my friends play. One last thing, I think the content updates need to come faster. At this rate it is going to be 5 years before we get to go to Mordor. That is much too long.
I was dissappointed at first that there was no true magic class, so I rolled a champion as opposed to the loremaster originally. They fixed that though when they added the rune-keeper class. I also like how they added the quest helper because it could sometimes be quite hard to find a quest objective before. I like how the game has awesome lighting. It really helps the graphics out. This game has been out over 2 years now, and the the only mmo with better graphics is Age of Conan. The fact that this game takes place in Middle-Earth is the biggest plus for me. I love to explore and adventure in the greatest fantasy realm of all time.
Still, there are things about this game that I am not satisfied with. To be fair, this might not still be a problem, but I didn't like the raid layout of the pvmp in the ettenmoors. I haven't been there since 50 was the lvl cap, so I don't know if smaller groups dominate now or if you can solo. You should be able to solo in there. Also, I know they are trying to keep to lore, but I think there should be some more classes in there with the ability to do things not exactly following more for the sake of making the game more fun. Lotro needs something like a warlock (wow style) or necromancer. I didn't play wow for even a whole month, but the warlock I played was more fun than any of the classes I've tried in lotro. If it wasn't for the fact that it is lord of the rings, I probably would have stayed with wow because that is what my friends play. One last thing, I think the content updates need to come faster. At this rate it is going to be 5 years before we get to go to Mordor. That is much too long.
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