So it's comes to this....

Suplyndmnd

First, let me say, i've played the game since it's been released in retail, add to that 3 months of beta and i've played for a total of 5 months.  I add that first for the people who yell "You should play the game noob!!!!!"

I was a fan of this game early on as the lore grabbed me (Which was amazing as i didn't like the books or the movies in the least) but they just did not gear this game toward the right crowd I believe.  What crowd is that?  People who can play a game 5+ hours a day 7 days a week.  I like a game that has more to it then just running around and doing quests.  That's all this game appears, to me, to be.  I mean, it's got hundreds of quests and they're adding more and more all the time.  They use this as a selling point but, enough already.

Another thing (and probably the biggest) is the lack of community.  It's been said on these boards before but it seems like people get into parties just for a fellowship quest and just as its done, they leave.  There's no friendship building outside of a Kinship for the most part and during the day time in the US (monday through friday), it's nearly impossible to find someone on the quest I am to get help with (for fellowship quests).  The server picks up at night, great, but again, it's still hard to find someone on MY quest that I need to do.  This isn't a problem when you got friends in game but those are hard to make here.

The reason I see for this is that so many people make so many different characters you dont see the same names over and over again.  For example, i play FFXI.  Where you can keep 1 character but you just change the job you are.  So you start seeing the same people over and over again and just like in life, you become familiar with who they are.  You start talking to them and you start up a friendship.  This doesn't happen in LOTR:O because you see a person once or twice and that's that.  There's no center focal point for people to gather like Jeuno in FFXI.  Guild Wars is about the only game where they had a bunch of different character names but you could still make friends because you have focal points for gathering.  You have the major towns.  There is none of that here.

I guess the biggest problem to me is that Loremaster is broken.  I've not even heard mention of them acknowledging this so it kinda pisses me off.  I haven't seen that they're working on it, or when it could be fixed by.  Nothing.  Zilch. Zero.  And since I'm not happy with the game, i'm not likely to start it all over again with another job.  I know, most people have probably stopped reading by now and you're all just gonna reply "Shut up noob" but what i speak is true from my point of view.

The game is for the very moderate gamer who just wants to play very casually but with Guild Wars filling that role (minus the monthly fee) you're much better off trying that instead.  Especially since the world is much bigger with the expansions.  Are the graphics as good? No.  But fantastic graphics does not a great game make.  All in all, the game was fun for a couple months after retail, but i've already cancelled my sub and most likely wont be coming back until at least they fix loremaster at which point i'll probably have lost all interest period.

 

*(Please note, if you flame, insult, or make stupid remarks and such, you wont be responded to)

*Edit*

Heh, the whole reason behind the subject which I forgot to mention because of my "rant" was about the free gaming time with referrals.  To me it smells of a failing dining establishment giving out "Buy one get one free" entree's.  It smells bad of desperation even if that's not the reason.  I think it's a bad idea as the lines people are reading between could be this assumption.

Grindalyx

If the game was only good for a couple of months of play you should of figured that out during the few months of beta. I myself started playing in the start of beta one. And am still playing and will continue to play. There is still alot i haven't done cause i like to explore and help my kinship out thru gathering materials for them. Helping with quests and deeds. The game is what you make it. I am not flaming you but just pointing out what came to my mind while i read your rant.

The refer a friend idea is a great one. It isn't the free trail like other games. But a way to give people a chance to invite like minded people into the game. It also gives the inviter something for doing so. Unlike other games who care more about the money than giving people rewards for inviting others to play. It does not come across to me as a desperate attempt to get people to play the game as you see it. All of this of course are my opinions and how i see things.

I never had trouble making friends in the game or finding help with quests. My main is lvl 50 and is well known on the server i play on. I am not one to fill up a friends list. I have a kinship that i focus on since i am the leader and it takes alot of my time in game and out to run it. The game is what you make it. If you are not happy then it is a good thing to move on. Goodluck with the next game you play.