Lore Not Lol? A beta tester's indepth (meaning very long) analysis

mutantmagnet

While scouring the net for reviews from beta testers I cam e across tis very lengthy article that examines how well Turbine followed Tolkien's writings.

So if you are the type of person who wanted to get into the game primarily because you wanted to play something that was as reasonably as close to Tolken's vision as possible then you should read this and form your own opinion on how much the revisions woud bother you.

http://lotro.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=81;mid=1171571512155323779;num=12;page=1

Jackdog

a most remarkable post , but what about the people who are just looking for a solid game to pass a few hours with. Quite frankluy I could give a damn whether Bilbo ever killed a Level 3 Boar Piglet for 19 exp -1,009/1,700 + slab of boar meat. All I am looking for is a bug free game to entertain me. I also think that the OP of the post you linked  needs to take off his tin foil beanie and step outside for some fresh air.

Kemenlith

Originally posted by mutantmagnet


While scouring the net for reviews from beta testers I cam e across tis very lengthy article that examines how well Turbine followed Tolkien's writings.
So if you are the type of person who wanted to get into the game primarily because you wanted to play something that was as reasonably as close to Tolken's vision as possible then you should read this and form your own opinion on how much the revisions woud bother you.
http://lotro.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=81;mid=1171571512155323779;num=12;page=1

Alright... If you can make a perfect game then do so. Unfortunately Turbine nor anyone else working on LOTRO is God, so what do you expect? They will stray from the lore, but obviously they have kept it close enough to please Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R.'s son. Look at the movies, they didn't stick perfectly to the lore. They skipped the entire end of the trilogy and killed Saruman off while he was still at Orthanc!

Harafnir

OK.. and this is a perfect example why Tolkien fans are the laughing stock even within nerd communities, galantly surpassing Trekkies as the biggest fools of humankind. My god... The game is happening on the wrong date.. It will be the wrong date for 4-5 years in a row!  Awful!

Nopex

Turbine:



AC2 - A waste of time and money.  An absolutel piece of crap with only graphics for the time going for it.



D & D Online - Complete failure and an utter waste of a potentially MASSIVE online MMO licence.



LOTRO - On the same track. Compressed game world with WOW gameplay with only graphics going for it.



If the guys MAKING the games at Turbine had the same skills as the people buying up licences they'd be onto a winner.  As it turns out they haven't got a game making brain between them and its a shame to see two EPIC names in fantasy gaming history flushed down the MMO toilet by a company who couldn't dare to do something original.



Playing as evil enemies through a long distance portal viewing system?  What the fuck? Where are they getting this crap from?

Kemenlith

Originally posted by Nopex

Turbine:



AC2 - A waste of time and money.  An absolutel piece of crap with only graphics for the time going for it.



D & D Online - Complete failure and an utter waste of a potentially MASSIVE online MMO licence.



LOTRO - On the same track. Compressed game world with WOW gameplay with only graphics going for it.



If the guys MAKING the games at Turbine had the same skills as the people buying up licences they'd be onto a winner.  As it turns out they haven't got a game making brain between them and its a shame to see two EPIC names in fantasy gaming history flushed down the MMO toilet by a company who couldn't dare to do something original.



Playing as evil enemies through a long distance portal viewing system?  What the fuck? Where are they getting this crap from?

It is not nearly as bad as you play it to be. Have you even played it?

Nopex

The fact here is tht Turbine have been given the opportunity to make two absolutely EPIC MMO's.



D&D and LOTRO don't deserve to be some half assed shitty attempt at online geming.  They are grand beyond any other fantasy setting created.  Even if lore is not your thing the worlds are rich in war and epic adventure.



Neither of these games have lived up to what they absolultely deserve to be, which is a damn shame for a casual gamer and enjoyer of the books, right up to the lore fanatics like the OP.



Turbine, personally I think (graphically aside which in an MMO counts for about 10% of it's lasting appeal) are one of the most uninspired, talentless MMO creaters out there and how they get given these things is beyond me.

Mars505

So what your saying is that every mmo made is shit ?

Kemenlith

Originally posted by Nopex

The fact here is tht Turbine have been given the opportunity to make two absolutely EPIC MMO's.



D&D and LOTRO don't deserve to be some half assed shitty attempt at online geming.  They are grand beyond any other fantasy setting created.  Even if lore is not your thing the worlds are rich in war and epic adventure.



Neither of these games have lived up to what they absolultely deserve to be, which is a damn shame for a casual gamer and enjoyer of the books, right up to the lore fanatics like the OP.



Turbine, personally I think (graphically aside which in an MMO counts for about 10% of it's lasting appeal) are one of the most uninspired, talentless MMO creaters out there and how they get given these things is beyond me.

I am an absolute Lord of the Rings fanatic, and I believe it is a great game. I don't know what you saw, and I pity the fact that you missed the fun in game.



The only gripe I have is all of the OOC chatter, and those who party and bust. I hope Turbine releases RP servers, because thats where I'm gonna go.

Khalathwyr

Originally posted by Nopex

The fact here is tht Turbine have been given the opportunity to make two absolutely EPIC MMO's.



D&D and LOTRO don't deserve to be some half assed shitty attempt at online geming.  They are grand beyond any other fantasy setting created.  Even if lore is not your thing the worlds are rich in war and epic adventure.



Neither of these games have lived up to what they absolultely deserve to be, which is a damn shame for a casual gamer and enjoyer of the books, right up to the lore fanatics like the OP.



Turbine, personally I think (graphically aside which in an MMO counts for about 10% of it's lasting appeal) are one of the most uninspired, talentless MMO creaters out there and how they get given these things is beyond me.

Well, I know for damn sure you didn't play AC1, as that game was one of the most creative settings to ever grace MMOs, and it was a Turbine original. Either way, we get you don't like Turbine or any of the their games, thanks for sharing, hope you find something that measures up to your standards.

Rabidaskal

The level of detail and fanatisicm in that linked thread is absolutely insane

Mars505

Wonder if that guy sent letters to the people who made the cartoons , LOL

Xpheyel

Sorry Nopex, I don't know what you were looking for (evil races or something?) but I guess LOTRO doesn't deliver it. At any rate, the biggest problem with DDO at launch as far as I know was that it didn't contain enough content (the 'Value' ranking here at MMORPG.com) also it obviously stuck real time combat onto a turn-based system which doesn't go over well with me. At any rate, I never played DDO. I did test LOTRO though and I greatly enjoyed it. Controlling the monsters is meant, essentially, to be a way to let people get to play the evil side while limiting them to one area and certain activities.

While it may seem Tolkien freakiness to a lot of people, I think that is probably a better compromise than you give them credit for. While I'm not anywhere near as lore-sensitive as the fellow in the link, I don't want to see Bree Town crawling with player-Orcs and Haradrim on a regular basis.

Also, I felt like LOTRO had plenty of content and it wasn't instanced anything like DDO was (which is another reason I didn't like the idea). It also doesn't have the AC1 expectation that AC2 had and disappointed. The game pretty much meets everything the developers have said about it, plus they got mounts put in.

-

On topic, that whole thing is kind of irksome to read. It has some relatively applicable points but in other respects he's wrong. Either his attention to detail lapsed, he didn't get far enough into the game, or he's deliberately misrepresenting what Turbine did.

A big one in there is "creation of new nazgul" which is a complete farce, no "new nazgul" are made. They expanded on what Gandalf said about the the Morgul knife to Frodo and thats it. The new guys look kind of like Nazgul and have the neat, creepy robes but are much weaker than actual Nazgul and can basically be killed by players. This happens to a character early on, and way off in Angmar you encounter a "Cargul" (that was the name in Beta 1) that is the same idea. It isn't a freaking Nazgul in the first place.

Another one that frosts my cake is complaining about the Nazgul interfering with respect to the Barrow Downs after Frodo & Co. have left it. I don't know why it is so utterly implausible for the Nazgul and their servants (the Gaunt Men under Ivar the Bloodhand) to stir up trouble in Frodo's path to try to catch him. But apparently it is. Seemed kind of logical to me.

I, personally, found the scenario very plausible and perfect for a game setting. Fighting the Nazgul is not on the menu. I know that, it makes sense. Fighting evil things they set in motion seems like an excellent compromise to me.

Aurelyn

The Question:

Have you played LoTro?



The Answer:



Originally posted by Nopex

The fact here is tht Turbine have been given the opportunity to make two absolutely EPIC MMO's.



D&D and LOTRO don't deserve to be some half assed shitty attempt at online geming.  They are grand beyond any other fantasy setting created.  Even if lore is not your thing the worlds are rich in war and epic adventure.



Neither of these games have lived up to what they absolultely deserve to be, which is a damn shame for a casual gamer and enjoyer of the books, right up to the lore fanatics like the OP.



Turbine, personally I think (graphically aside which in an MMO counts for about 10% of it's lasting appeal) are one of the most uninspired, talentless MMO creaters out there and how they get given these things is beyond me.

The Translation:

No, I haven't.



Conclusion:

Be kinda cool if people spoke about things they knew... Whether what they say is good or bad doesn't matter... Just as long as they have done the prerequisite task of actually experiencing what they are commenting on.

Eol-

Its a very good game and will be very successful. Turbine has done a good job balancing the lore versus making it a fun, playable game. I am a huge Tolkien fan and I just laugh at some of the few Tolkien-fans who rip the game because it isnt realistic enough. They said the same thing about the movies, and look how that worked out

Gweyr

Lets be honest, if Turbine was going to follow Lore to the letter, there would be no Hobbit Adventurers beside the one in the Fellowship during the time they set the game. If you can except Hobbits leaving the Shrire to go adventuring, you should be able to except any other changes to Lore Turbine has done. Its like the millions (well, it would be if they had the subscriptions) of Jedis in SWG during a time when the only Jedi was Luke. Lore is these games are so flawed you either ignore it or not play.

Stevon

Originally posted by Nopex

The fact here is tht Turbine have been given the opportunity to make two absolutely EPIC MMO's.



D&D and LOTRO don't deserve to be some half assed shitty attempt at online geming.  They are grand beyond any other fantasy setting created.  Even if lore is not your thing the worlds are rich in war and epic adventure.



Neither of these games have lived up to what they absolultely deserve to be, which is a damn shame for a casual gamer and enjoyer of the books, right up to the lore fanatics like the OP.



Turbine, personally I think (graphically aside which in an MMO counts for about 10% of it's lasting appeal) are one of the most uninspired, talentless MMO creaters out there and how they get given these things is beyond me.

I rofl'd.  Come on.  If you are going to flame bait at least make some personal attacks as well.  This flame bait is only mediocre at best.

Btw what character will you be playing in game?  I'd be willing to bet, considering how good the game is, that you'll be playing but won't tell anyone.  Come on, admit it!

mutantmagnet

---

Originally posted by Jackdog
a most remarkable post , but what about the people who are just looking for a solid game to pass a few hours with. Quite frankluy I could give a damn whether Bilbo ever killed a Level 3 Boar Piglet for 19 exp -1,009/1,700 + slab of boar meat. All I am looking for is a bug free game to entertain me. I also think that the OP of the post you linked  needs to take off his tin foil beanie and step outside for some fresh air.

---

Well of the reviews I read this one fits the bill

http://www.ardapost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=774

Mars505

Originally posted by mutantmagnet


 

Originally posted by Jackdog

a most remarkable post , but what about the people who are just looking for a solid game to pass a few hours with. Quite frankluy I could give a damn whether Bilbo ever killed a Level 3 Boar Piglet for 19 exp -1,009/1,700 + slab of boar meat. All I am looking for is a bug free game to entertain me. I also think that the OP of the post you linked  needs to take off his tin foil beanie and step outside for some fresh air.

Well of the reviews I read this one fits the bill

http://www.ardapost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=774

Again with the WoW comparison's, play it as LotRO. Then come write a review, until then it is all biased with oout objective angles .



Just becuase someone say "it's just like WoW"  to me , that means zero That is like me saying "I rubbed your girls feet last night"