LOTRO very disappointed so far - dumbed down wow version with a little more asian type bloomy graphi

ladyattis

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Originally posted by Vhaln
Yep, this one will be very disappointing for a lot of the serious Tolkien fans and MMO vets.

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I was concerned about the lore being left intact considering how much Tolkien wrote down, but never published for the books. I knew Turbine had to be jumping the shark ever they renamed the game from Middle Earth Online to Lord of the Rings Online. It's sad really, cause Tolkien literally wrote up a world, all they had to do was art direction and a combat system, nothing else. Easiest IP to translate, but NOooooo, gotta change crap for nub idiot humans that couldn't read Beowulf or any other English lit piece if it was translated by a kid out of hicksville USA. >_<

-- Bridget

nethervoid

Originally posted by solareus

until you have done the 2 key  great borrows instance with a group , you aren't going to get any feeling of scope. If you played thru lvls 1-10 , Then I can see where you can think this is a dumbed down game. The great barrows instance is awsome lol , I really don't see how you can not play thru that and not get a really rewarding feeling after accomplishing it.  Yes I agree that this is a step game , a good filler till the A grade titles come along , but for the most part , this is NOT for hardcore gamers. This is a family styled mmo that will cater to the causal gamer. Bugs ? I've had only bugs that hamper a quest , that is about it. Think thru my entire beta cycle from last year the only bugs I've come across was 1 quest . I played for a while last year too.Compared to vanguard in the bug realm,  LoTRo feels like its been live for 1 year.



Top it all off , the game runs stellar on most machines with high graphics. The artist who did the LoTRo seems to have gone for a water color painting kind of look, which is awsome imho.



If your acknowledging this game has nothing to do with the movies , then you are 100% correct. This is based on the books , which have a deep history between the races. Everyone is entitled to thier opinion but again we see a total lack of why , what and wheres in the OP.

I remember one of the VG devs posting about the first ten levels of a game needing to be insanely easy because they found that in EQ1 a BUNCH of people quit within the first ten levels because it was "too hard".

What they fail to realize is how many people quit within the first ten levels because it's "too easy".

I would think most people play the first ten levels, and they assume, as they should, that the next 40 or 50 will be of the same or nearly the same difficulty.  Devs!  Please scale your difficulty with less of a curve!  Make it harder up front and somewhat harder later; not dreadfully easy to start and a 'regular' amount of difficulty later.  Don't bore us within the first ten levels.

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mehhem

Originally posted by Brabus

I wont get into the bugs (there are still many, but I know its still in beta), but somethings wont change.  Im a rather big tolkin fan, and am a long time gamer (beta tested realm and UO, been active mmorpg-player since then).  But this game has almost nothing to do with lord of the rings except for the name, similar like DDO.  They just exploited the name to lure fans.  Also, leveling, adventure, locations are designed to be very fast-food like, sometimes even shallower than WOW. 

I'm the same way.  I can't find anything to do with LoTR except for hobbitts and the freaking rings above quest givers heads.



edit: typo

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mehhem

Originally posted by Deathstrike2


What is it with the people on this board?  We seem to feel the need to stomp on one game to make ours look better.  What does LoTR have to do with Vanguard?  Other than being 2 new MMOs, absolutely nothing.  I think we all need to understand that it's okay to like two or more MMOs at the same time!  For example, I play Vanguard and I'm in LoTR beta.  Both are great games in their own way!  And here's a dirty little secret...I LIKE WOW too!  If you limit your MMO tastes to just one game or type of game, you are really going to miss out in the coming months.

I totally agree.  Sure an large part of an mmo is subjective as far as liking it, but I try and give objective reasons why I don't like it. 



I do think players should play more than one mmo.  Currently I play Vanguard and CoX.  Vanguard when I want to think a bit, diplomacy and crafting are different than other games I've seen and I play CoX when I just want to kick back and grind grind grind.  Others may feel like Vanguard is a grind, and that CoX is not, but thats how I feel. 



I don't like LotRO for a few reasons.

1 It reminds me too much of WoW and for this If I wanted to play this type of game, I'd just play WoW.

2 While I beta tested it, I didn't really enjoy the combat.  It was not interesting.

3 The graphics are on par with WoW and WoW came out 2 years ago.  I don't want 2 years old graphics.  I want cutting edge.  Thats why I game with a PC instead of a console. 

mehhem

Originally posted by solareus

Originally posted by mehhem

Originally posted by Brabus

I wont get into the bugs (there are still many, but I know its still in beta), but somethings wont change.  Im a rather big tolkin fan, and am a long time gamer (beta tested realm and UO, been active mmorpg-player since then).  But this game has almost nothing to do with lord of the rings except for the name, similar like DDO.  They just exploited the name to lure fans.  Also, leveling, adventure, locations are designed to be very fast-food like, sometimes even shallower than WOW. 

I'm the same way.  I can't find anything to do with LoTR except for hobbitts and the freakings above quest givers heads. What books did you read ? I've read every book in the world. I'm a savant.

nethervoid

Originally posted by solareus

Frankly I thought the first 10 introductory levels where well scripted and thought out. The major difference between these levels and Vanguards levels , is in LoTRO you have a continuing flow , that takes you from town to town. Vanguard lacked direction , though it is suppose to give people the freedom to create their own direction path it leaves way to much of an over whelming feel in the first 10 lvls, leaving newer mmo players with a really a huge void . I can seriously see people playing for months in Vanguard with out having a clear direction or goal with in the game.



With LoTRO the void is filled with different types of quests and some really well written instances. This gives the adventure a sense of purpose and after completing each quest some sense of accomplishment.



What is neat about the game and what  makes me smile is to see people in there lil fellowships running to their next adventures and just having fun. A lot of positive chat in the game as well as an all around positive atitude between the devs and community, something Sigil lacked dearly.

Actually the first 10 levels of VG are extremely linear.  Just like WoW.  Course I only played a human in the Khal area, but it was exactly how WoW has their content set up.

You start in a small village killing some critter who is a nuisance.  Then when you hit a certain level an NPC gives you a quest to go see 'Joe' in the next area of town or small town.  'Joe' is in need of someone of your talent.  Then you get done with 'Joe's' stuff, and Joe sends you to Caleb in the main town (Khal in the VG example).  Caleb needs someone of your calibur to handle this other problem the whole army seems not to be able to help with.

Hand-holding in the extreme.  When the VG boards lit up about how bad and sucky that was, that's when a Dev made that comment about how they lost so many people when EQ went gold, due to how 'hard' the first ten levels are as a newb in that game.

Personally, the first ten levels is what got me hooked on EQ.  I had to figure out how to level.  I couldn't reliably find my way to the next town, which was a LOT of the fun.  In today's games, it seems like the other way around.  I dare you to figure out how NOT to level.  I dare you to try NOT to be able to find the next town.

Az2002ro

Originally posted by mehhem

Originally posted by Deathstrike2


What is it with the people on this board?  We seem to feel the need to stomp on one game to make ours look better.  What does LoTR have to do with Vanguard?  Other than being 2 new MMOs, absolutely nothing.  I think we all need to understand that it's okay to like two or more MMOs at the same time!  For example, I play Vanguard and I'm in LoTR beta.  Both are great games in their own way!  And here's a dirty little secret...I LIKE WOW too!  If you limit your MMO tastes to just one game or type of game, you are really going to miss out in the coming months.

I totally agree.  People on these forums are just too subjective.  Sure an large part of an mmo is subjective as far as liking it, but I try and give objective reasons why I don't like it. 



I do think players should play more than one mmo.  Currently I play Vanguard and CoX.  Vanguard when I want to think a bit, diplomacy and crafting are different than other games I've seen and I play CoX when I just want to kick back and grind grind grind.  Others may feel like Vanguard is a grind, and that CoX is not, but thats how I feel. 



Objectively I don't like LotRO for a few reasons.

1 It reminds me too much of WoW and for this If I wanted to play this type of game, I'd just play WoW.

2 While I beta tested it, I didn't really enjoy the combat.  It was not interesting.

3 The graphics are on par with WoW and WoW came out 2 years ago.  I don't want 2 years old graphics.  I want cutting edge.  Thats why I game with a PC instead of a console. 

Im hoping you decide to explain your thinking here, because without it, you have lost a TON of credibility. 

To say LOTRO graphics are equivilant to WoWs is crazy.  Same style? NO.  Same quality? NO.   LOTRO graphics are far better than CoX, so using these graphic claims as a reason to play it, yet saying you play CoX on a regular basis, makes no sense. 

LOTRO graphics are comparible to EQII.  They are comparable to VG on Balanced.  And the water effects in LOTRO outdue VG by a mile.  Maybe its my x1300 512m graphics card, but the water in VG looks like watered down milk.  with no reflections.  Somehow, they put reflection on everything other object in the game, but left it off the water.  Maybe there is a Reverse Reflection option I forgot to check in the UI Settings menu.

mehhem

Originally posted by Az2002ro

Originally posted by mehhem

Originally posted by Deathstrike2


What is it with the people on this board?  We seem to feel the need to stomp on one game to make ours look better.  What does LoTR have to do with Vanguard?  Other than being 2 new MMOs, absolutely nothing.  I think we all need to understand that it's okay to like two or more MMOs at the same time!  For example, I play Vanguard and I'm in LoTR beta.  Both are great games in their own way!  And here's a dirty little secret...I LIKE WOW too!  If you limit your MMO tastes to just one game or type of game, you are really going to miss out in the coming months.

I totally agree.  People on these forums are just too subjective.  Sure an large part of an mmo is subjective as far as liking it, but I try and give objective reasons why I don't like it. 



I do think players should play more than one mmo.  Currently I play Vanguard and CoX.  Vanguard when I want to think a bit, diplomacy and crafting are different than other games I've seen and I play CoX when I just want to kick back and grind grind grind.  Others may feel like Vanguard is a grind, and that CoX is not, but thats how I feel. 



Objectively I don't like LotRO for a few reasons.

1 It reminds me too much of WoW and for this If I wanted to play this type of game, I'd just play WoW.

2 While I beta tested it, I didn't really enjoy the combat.  It was not interesting.

3 The graphics are on par with WoW and WoW came out 2 years ago.  I don't want 2 years old graphics.  I want cutting edge.  Thats why I game with a PC instead of a console. 

Im hoping you decide to explain your thinking here, because without it, you have lost a TON of credibility. 

To say LOTRO graphics are equivilant to WoWs is crazy.  Same style? NO.  Same quality? NO.   LOTRO graphics are far better than CoX, so using these graphic claims as a reason to play it, yet saying you play CoX on a regular basis, makes no sense. 

LOTRO graphics are comparible to EQII.  They are comparable to VG on Balanced.  And the water effects in LOTRO outdue VG by a mile.  Maybe its my x1300 512m graphics card, but the water in VG looks like watered down milk.  with no reflections.  Somehow, they put reflection on everything other object in the game, but left it off the water.  Maybe there is a Reverse Reflection option I forgot to check in the UI Settings menu.

The quality of graphics between LotRO and WoW are the same.  Not the same style yes, but quality yea its the same.  You said LotRO graphics are comparable to EQ2 graphics, well guess what EQ2 is 2 years old!  Hence my comment about 2 years old graphics.



The water effects in VG are awesome on my 8800.  Maybe you use subpar hardward and thats why you need to play these games that have subpar graphics.

nebulez

Just shut up and play the game..... or dont who cares what you think or what i do for that matter

You all look like a bunch of english housewives having a cup of tea and talk about stuff wich has no purpose.

nethervoid

Originally posted by nebulez


Just shut up and play the game..... or dont who cares what you think or what i do for that matter
You all look like a bunch of english housewives having a cup of tea and talk about stuff wich has no purpose.

I'd play that game.

EHHTO (English Housewives Having Tea Online) is going to be sick, but it's for hardcore players only, thank God...and Lipton.

Rubycat

Through out beta testing LOTR online, my only problem is the "same ol, same ol" feeling...  I wouldnt say its a WoW clone, more like a Generic MMO clone..



I think its becomming kind of a problem, its all fine and dandy to go with things that work (and the game runs pretty good and does what it does solidly), but, just how many mmorpgs do we need that sorta feel the same.



Im more than likely not going to buy the game, I really want to play something that does things different from the "get quest (kill x ammount of "animal/mob here",  go collect item.. get reward"..

-I still love Turbine for making Asherons call, it was favorite game by far at the time, but they just havent made a game like it since-

beezee

Originally posted by mehhem

Originally posted by Deathstrike2


What is it with the people on this board?  We seem to feel the need to stomp on one game to make ours look better.  What does LoTR have to do with Vanguard?  Other than being 2 new MMOs, absolutely nothing.  I think we all need to understand that it's okay to like two or more MMOs at the same time!  For example, I play Vanguard and I'm in LoTR beta.  Both are great games in their own way!  And here's a dirty little secret...I LIKE WOW too!  If you limit your MMO tastes to just one game or type of game, you are really going to miss out in the coming months.

I totally agree.  Sure an large part of an mmo is subjective as far as liking it, but I try and give objective reasons why I don't like it. 



I do think players should play more than one mmo.  Currently I play Vanguard and CoX.  Vanguard when I want to think a bit, diplomacy and crafting are different than other games I've seen and I play CoX when I just want to kick back and grind grind grind.  Others may feel like Vanguard is a grind, and that CoX is not, but thats how I feel. 



I don't like LotRO for a few reasons.

1 It reminds me too much of WoW and for this If I wanted to play this type of game, I'd just play WoW.

2 While I beta tested it, I didn't really enjoy the combat.  It was not interesting.

3 The graphics are on par with WoW and WoW came out 2 years ago.  I don't want 2 years old graphics.  I want cutting edge.  Thats why I game with a PC instead of a console. 





LOL!



He talks about cutting edge graphics and is playing CoX



Your credibility has just been shot in the ass!

MaeEye

I'm sorry, but LOTRO graphics are years ahead of WoW.  The water, the character details, the trees (swaying that is too, more realistic than VG tree sway)...the clouds are clouds this time.  Who ever says lotrO has the same graphic as WoW needs to quit gaming and forums speaking.

mehhem

Vanguard which I play has cutting edge graphics.  CoX on the other hand does not.  You missed my point beezee.

deltior

Lol another critics coming from someone who probably don t play the beta...



Tell me dude, what is the MMORPG you like and I ll know who u are

mehhem

I played the beta.

heartless

Originally posted by MaeEye

I'm sorry, but LOTRO graphics are years ahead of WoW.  The water, the character details, the trees (swaying that is too, more realistic than VG tree sway)...the clouds are clouds this time.  Who ever says lotrO has the same graphic as WoW needs to quit gaming and forums speaking.

 

And yet, WoW overall looks much better than LOTRO. Having cutting edge graphics is not enough if you can't present them in a good way.

Lheo

Lol, thats a good one....LoTRO is years ahead, great game

Quingu

Originally posted by heartless

Originally posted by MaeEye

I'm sorry, but LOTRO graphics are years ahead of WoW.  The water, the character details, the trees (swaying that is too, more realistic than VG tree sway)...the clouds are clouds this time.  Who ever says lotrO has the same graphic as WoW needs to quit gaming and forums speaking.

 

And yet, WoW overall looks much better than LOTRO. Having cutting edge graphics is not enough if you can't present them in a good way.

anyone that says wow as better graphics then other game should buy a new comp and new glasses.



Many things in wow aren't even 3D. and no textures at all in WOW.

heartless

Originally posted by Quingu

Originally posted by heartless

Originally posted by MaeEye

I'm sorry, but LOTRO graphics are years ahead of WoW.  The water, the character details, the trees (swaying that is too, more realistic than VG tree sway)...the clouds are clouds this time.  Who ever says lotrO has the same graphic as WoW needs to quit gaming and forums speaking.

 

And yet, WoW overall looks much better than LOTRO. Having cutting edge graphics is not enough if you can't present them in a good way.

anyone that says wow as better graphics then other game should buy a new comp and new glasses.



Many things in wow aren't even 3D. and no textures at all in WOW.

I would suggest you re-read what I wrote. I'm talking about presentation. WoW may have an outdated engine but it has it's unique look and it does that great. Whether as LOTR has flashy graphics but the models, animations and textures look terrible. What is the point of having detailed facial features of a character when they all look horrible and bland?

Again, the engine itself may be more powerful than WoW's graphics engine but it's obviously not being properly utilized. Then again maybe I just didn't like the way the "artwork" was presented.

It's just my opinion though, as I tend to pay very close attention to details like that.

beezee

Originally posted by mehhem

Vanguard which I play has cutting edge graphics.  CoX on the other hand does not.  You missed my point beezee.

OK,  point taken

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beezee

Unless you're dealing with picture perfect quality graphics, which we're not.  This is all basically "art", and the beauty of art is all in the eye of the beholder.



What you may find ugly is someone else's masterpiece.