Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
It should do well, at least at first
tkobo
Member Posts: 465
Ive avoided this game .Ive had no faith in turbine after their horrendous performances of AC2 and DDO.
That said, i have to also say that LotRs is nowhere near as bad.In addition its actually better then the common mmo offering.
Not much, but better none the less.
I found the game VERY stable, although my anti-virus hates the game, and i cant run the 2 together without degredation of the games performance.
I found the combat the same as most other mmos.Although a little more lacking in the attack types than a few of them.Yes im gonna say it, the combat is WoW/EQ/AC with less options.
Bugs i didnt notice alot,but the few i did i was very dissapointed with ?Like, I had to laugh when i saw that with all their experience at MMOs (as bad as some of that has been) they couldnt manage to get the pets to stay with their master characters ,when the characters take an unusal path.Like when a char jumps off a ridge or hill.I couldnt beleive how many times i had to resummon my pet, simply becuase it couldnt stay with me as i traveled.I was reminded of the warlock pet issue in WoW(I can already see the continuing barrage of patches to increase and decreae the pets speed,in an attempt to allow the pet to compensate for paths it wont take, while not having the pet become a missile in combat).And wondered why we couldnt simply "put the pet away" in some fashion while we traveled, like SWG let you.I mean cant i put the raven on my shoulder as i travel ?Not to mention, its a damn bird, why cant it simply fly after me when i jump ?
Now the pet issue is really more of that,an issue,more than it is a bug.But still.To me it wasnt acceptable the first three or so mmos that failed to make this work(CoV amazed me by having a class that was based entirely on pets, and yet you had to continually resummon them).It sure as heck isnt now, with such a "new" MMO.
Travel and world are very nice.Very little id point out that i didnt like.I found the ability to go down a slop and into the rivers and swim along them, off the beaten path so to speak , very well done.I didnt run into the old "you cant get there from here" type of sillyness ive come to expect in an MMO.
Quests,more of the same. BUT with a better more fitted story and feel.Again the quest objectives themselves were just more of the same BUT the way the were done story wise AND the way they were made to fit the world setting I just have to say its not that bad.It fact id say ,the way they made an npc part of the quest on occassion, and made him not die at the drop of a hat, was indeed well done.
Overall, i did grow bored fast.It only took me one day of play,one long session,to wonder "why isnt there more","why am i not entralled"
I wont be buying it.I do however expect a reasonable amount of people to do so.Although i also expect a large amount of those people to be annoyed by the "goup only" content that seemed to pop up and that ive heard talked about as ever increasing after level 20.i see the "forced grouping" issue, present in these quests, as very likely to take a toll on the retention rate.
So i would NOT reccomend the games purchase,BUT i can see why alot of people will reccomend, and even buy the game.Especially those who have a warm spot for Tolkien.
The game simply isnt quite as bad as those that have come before it.From what ive seen.
Comments
If you have experienced the lore, the story of the hobbits. Frodos adventure. From either the movies and maybe worse also from the books. What is left to be explored in the game. Is it for sentimental value or are there other aspects that makes one want to play the game.
I'm not referring to that the game has really good graphic, running smooth, the combat is nice etc etc.
What does this game give to those that actually knows the Tolkiens Middle Earth?
I'm so broke. I can't even pay attention.
"You have the right not to be killed"
If you have experienced the lore, the story of the hobbits. Frodos adventure. From either the movies and maybe worse also from the books. What is left to be explored in the game. Is it for sentimental value or are there other aspects that makes one want to play the game.
I'm not referring to that the game has really good graphic, running smooth, the combat is nice etc etc.
What does this game give to those that actually knows the Tolkiens Middle Earth?
Good question.
As somebody who read all of the Tolkien books , several times. ( but not considering myself to be a rabid fanatical fan)
I can say that the game brings the feeling of living breathing fantasy world of middle earth quite much to life.
As it is possible for a video game.
Actually i never played any RPG , online or single player - that has such vibrant , detailed and living world.
Comparing to LOTRO level of detail (not graphic but worldly detail) even TES Oblivion is put to shame.
I dont know if it means something to you. But to me it does qite much. I really feel the world is alive and immersion is there.
"Before this battle is over all the world will know that few...stood against many." - King Leonidas
How do you figure?
The npc's are static, mobs are pretty much the same, there's not much in the way of random wildlife, squirrels, rabbits, what have you. You don't see a pack of wolves take down a boar, or deer, etc. Don't recall seeing any weather effects, trees don't sway in the breeze, etc.
It's pretty enough, and the water is very reflective, but is the world alive? Not so much.
To me, this is not something as corny as a dream come true but a very definate plus regarding choice of MMO for me.
EQ1 and EQ2 have their own lore and I coped with that and grew to enjoy it. However the thing that put me off EQ1 was that is was looking dated in some areas and also the huge timesinks to get to a raiding level for the endgames really didn't do it for me. Plus I started late. EQ2 was great, it was pretty cool looking and the gameplay was there but I still felt like I was doing a job. Not least because I was GL of a 140 member guild at the time. I got burned out.
SWG, well that's a lore most people are familiar with so I enjoyed it. But the gameplay altered too much and well, the rest has been written a million times.
I guess what I'm saying is that this particular game has caught my own personal interest and I am anxious to try it out for myself and make my own decision as to whether it's good or not. The lore and whole adherence to that has piqued my interest. No other game on the market recently has done that . I also plan on taking it at a more relaxed pace. The gameplay, from what has been written, looks like it has been designed with subtlety. Something that I admire. It doesn't adhere to the archetype classes so that's looking interesting. Whether it works or not will also be interesting and I have great faith that if it doesn't, despite being 4 months in beta, then changes will be made to make gameplay work while staying within the IP.
Essentially - I look forward to playing in middle-earth and seeing how they've done it. If it's done well by my own standards then it's a winner. If not, I'll look elsewhere. But so far I'm happy with what I'm reading. Ask me when the pre-order's go live and I'll eat hat if necessary.
How do you figure?
The npc's are static, mobs are pretty much the same, there's not much in the way of random wildlife, squirrels, rabbits, what have you. You don't see a pack of wolves take down a boar, or deer, etc. Don't recall seeing any weather effects, trees don't sway in the breeze, etc.
It's pretty enough, and the water is very reflective, but is the world alive? Not so much.
There are npc's that arnt static as well. They walk about the area anyway. Orc patrol their camps, wolves howl when you attack and call other wolves in the area to attack. There is wildlife all over..deer squirrell ect...i know because i always stop and kill them.(elves cant though) There are flocks of birds taking off in the distance. Constelations in the sky at night that you can recognize. Weather was in beta there for a while, you could see the lighting flash as the rain fell. Grass and bushes sway in the wind. The marshes are clear sky at dawn but get foggy as the sun rises to where you cant see very much of the distance. Npc's remember my name and greet me every time i pass. YOu see fish swimming about in the rivers.
Thats just what i remember in the 30 seconds i thought about it. You sure you gave it a fair look?
See you in the dream..
The Fires from heaven, now as cold as ice. A rapid ascension tolls a heavy price.
How do you figure?
The npc's are static, mobs are pretty much the same, there's not much in the way of random wildlife, squirrels, rabbits, what have you. You don't see a pack of wolves take down a boar, or deer, etc. Don't recall seeing any weather effects, trees don't sway in the breeze, etc.
It's pretty enough, and the water is very reflective, but is the world alive? Not so much.
I value your points as any here Cold. But i have to disagree.
There are roaming NPC's in both Combe and bree from what i have seen plus the dynamic movement of major NPC's in the world space as you progrees with the games main story line.
Blacksmiths, tradesmen, Tavern goers all have certain animations from what i have witnessed. Some NPC's are static granted but certainly not all.
Wildlife does exist in alot of areas, i have seen birds flying in flights in the distance, rabbits, foxes etc are all there albeit agreed i havent seen any of the fauna wildlife interact with each other but they are certainly there.
Weather effects are certainly present in the european beta. It was raining in Bree the other night...not only does it rain but the rain blows in different directions as it comes down, and it also reacts with static water and bounces of the floor and off character models.
Trees also do sway and move gently although granted not in accordance with weather patterns however they most certainly do move. I have seen this again around Archett, Combe, and Bree.
I would have to disagree to say that the world is one of the most alive and vibrant i have seen.
Best Regards
Mag
See you in the dream..
The Fires from heaven, now as cold as ice. A rapid ascension tolls a heavy price.
How do you figure?
The npc's are static, mobs are pretty much the same, there's not much in the way of random wildlife, squirrels, rabbits, what have you. You don't see a pack of wolves take down a boar, or deer, etc. Don't recall seeing any weather effects, trees don't sway in the breeze, etc.
It's pretty enough, and the water is very reflective, but is the world alive? Not so much.
LOL
Coldmeat , my buddy
You just exposed the fact that you didnt even seen the game ... lol
And if you actually had luck to play LOTRO , you will see that all this what you claim
Actually happens, and is very much in game, and part of the game.
Even to such extent that it is one of most recognisable elements of LOTRO.
Next time whan you go on bashing a game (and waging your own Vanguard vendetta) at least play it for 30 minutes ,
so you know what you are talking about and do not embarrass yourself.
"Before this battle is over all the world will know that few...stood against many." - King Leonidas
How do you figure?
The npc's are static, mobs are pretty much the same, there's not much in the way of random wildlife, squirrels, rabbits, what have you. You don't see a pack of wolves take down a boar, or deer, etc. Don't recall seeing any weather effects, trees don't sway in the breeze, etc.
It's pretty enough, and the water is very reflective, but is the world alive? Not so much.
Trees Do sway, Grass sways, The weather effects are working, like snow and ran , thunderstorms. You aren't going to have rain and a storm everyday ? The volumetric clouds , in the game as well as environmental dynamics i.e. the swamp near Chetwood can have a variety of different fog densities. Squirrels ,Foxes, Badgers, Deer are all present , and when you run toward a deer , it usually runs away.Where the game is dense is it's world content and over all A.I. is where the game totally shines. There is a dude walking around combe with a hurt hand lol, there is all kinds of little A.I. things happeneing and think they get over looked cause they are that natural to the game world.
And that my friends , is called immersion.
Could be he is being sarcastic ?
who me ?
LoL - Satire at it's best.
Games I've played/tried out:WAR, LOTRO, Tabula Rasa, AoC, EQ1, EQ2, WoW, Vangaurd, FFXI, D&DO, Lineage 2, Saga Of Ryzom, EvE Online, DAoC, Guild Wars,Star Wars Galaxies, Hell Gate London, Auto Assault, Grando Espada ( AKA SoTNW ), Archlord, CoV/H, Star Trek Online, APB, Champions Online, FFXIV, Rift Online, GW2.
Game(s) I Am Currently Playing:
GW2 (+LoL and BF3)
If you have experienced the lore, the story of the hobbits. Frodos adventure. From either the movies and maybe worse also from the books. What is left to be explored in the game. Is it for sentimental value or are there other aspects that makes one want to play the game.
I'm not referring to that the game has really good graphic, running smooth, the combat is nice etc etc.
What does this game give to those that actually knows the Tolkiens Middle Earth?
It's the experience of actually playing and interacting with the setting that is the clincher. Yes, it's a familiar setting -- I knew to take the west road from Bree to the Shire, for example, I knew that when I saw the Bradywine Bridge that Buckland would be coming up on my left and so forth -- I know the setting, which is why it is cool to explore it virtually, for while I have pictured it many times in my own mind when I read the books many years ago, and also have Peter Jackson's visualization of it as well, the experience of actually taking a virtual character into that setting and interacting with it takes that experience to a new level. Far from being "boring because you know the setting", rather it is interesting precisely because I like The Shire, for example, as a "setting", more than a randomly-designed MMO setting, I care about it more, I want to explore it more.
You know, if the rest of the game was even half as good as the tuturial/introduction mission,id buy it and be happy.
But its not.
Instead the game goes from having npcs care so much and be involved so much as to go with you to make sure (as much as they can) things work out right, to the npcs just standing in their allocated spot and and giving some very meager lines of speech,in order to send you off to do something they apparantly couldnt really give a damn about.
The immersion and feeling that what your about to do actually matters,to the npc asking you to do it ,didnt show its head again for me after that in the game.
And thats sad.
And to me, thats where the game world appears quite dead.All the moving trees , grass and woodland creatures wont overcome the indifference of the npcs we are supposed to "interact" with.