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Should I try this game??? Help appreciated...
pdavey
Member Posts: 51
My story: I have played pretty much every popular MMORPG made as well as some that never really registered on the radar. There have been three that really stood out in terms of the amount of time that I and my friends have dedicated to playing (EQ1, DAOC and WOW). We are currently playing WOW due to the expansion, but after quickly gearing out two characters I'm struggling to find enjoyment. I lvled and geared out the second character to keep my interest in the game. I'm pretty sure I'm at the end though as well as most of my friends as it's just too easy and quick to gear out characters and see the entire expansion. Before we went back to WOW for the expansion we played and quickly grew tired of WAR and AOC. There's just NOTHING left! I'm a gamer and (as well as my friends) and when we hit these stages where we can't find fun in a game we get really bored.
My background on LOTR is that I (and my friends) bought it and played on opening day. However, we found it difficult to level past roughly 30. At the time, though, there was no such thing as an end game. Due to this and nothing great to look forward to we became bored of it. We enjoyed it for about a month or two and then gave up after reading all the posts that there's nothing to look forward to at higher level. Since then it has been a long time coming for the game and honestly I (or my friends) haven't kept up with it. I just looked into it b/c it's rated high on this site and was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences to me and my friends and can offer an opinion on whether it might be worth it or not???
Is there an end game worth playing for? Does it take some time to work through? As an example, my second char I geared out in WOW's expanion took me about 3 days between buying BOE gear and running heroics for the rest.
Also, I was going to DL and try out the trial account but was interested in trying out one of the expansion classes. Can I try the class out with the trial or does it take a buddy key? If it does take a buddy key does anyone have an extra lying around you're not using? I don't need it and will just check the trial out to if I get positive comments regarding my issue, but it would definitely help me if I could try a class I'm planning on playing.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Comments
Nope, its gone the way of WoW kinda...much easier and all the set gear with a competent group, say you bring your experienced friends with you could get all the gear once at lvl 60 in a few days also. With friends you can easily cap yourself at 60 in a few short weeks or less! LOTRO will also never have an end game cause of the way its set up, at least until we get to the Mordor expansion and even then they could still add on lots of other stuff if the Tolkien family permits it and its in the lore books somewhere!
Also nope, you gotta buy it; too play the new classes and access the Mines of Moria!
Sounds to me like you're looking for something really tough and time consuming with a great story and an endless end-game that would take you longer than 3 days to complete!
I suggest Final Fantasy XI, yes its 7 yrs old this spring, and with some simple regedit modifying{does not mess with the game or cheat, just increases the BG textures} you can make it look really good. On to the end-game which is incredibly deep and if you really tried to do it all and get the rewards from it, I'm not joking it would take you several years! Not saying each event takes that long, but if you tried to do it all thats avail once you get to lvl 75 it would.
If you stuck with certain events like Dynamis which is a 64-man raid and there are like 6 or 8 different ones to do, maybe more which drops the 2nd set of end-game gear it'd take in upwards of 3-5 months to gear yourself out! Thats for only one job too, and there are 20 different jobs you can play at anytime with the same toon!
Another example, obtaining a Relic Weapon literally take in upwards of 2 years to make 1 for 1 person and thats 64 players doing Dynamis every week and giving all the Relic materials to that 1 person! The last census that Square released and of the 2-3millions characters reported over the past 7 years only I think it was 1874 have ever gotten one...hehe
Give it a try, but give it longer than a few hours; more like several days or weeks as its very different that what you've played before! FFXI 14-day trial!
I agree, FFXI would be a good choice for the "hardcore" gamers. Lineage 2 might also be worth looking into. They both require quite a committment to get fully geared up.
Playing - FFXIV, ESO
Played - FFXI, WoW, Lineage 2, Guild Wars, Aion, SWToR, LotRO, GW2, TERA, Rift, ArcheAge, TSW
It's hard to explain what I'm talking about I suppose. I'm married and just about all of my friends that play are married and/or have kids. We are actually casual gamers (not raiders), BUT the problem with WOW was I, as a casual gamer, was able to completely gear my druid out in 2-3 days in order to heal anything in the game! This is what I'm talking about... I geared my DK out, but it took longer because it was right after the expansion was released; however, after most people had the gear and most of the things I needed for the druid were available on the auction house and the few things I needed I spent about 8-10 runs through 30 minute long dungeons to achieve...it just left me with nothing to really desire to obtain.
I'm not interested in large raids...I'm casual, but just interested in fun gameplay where once I hit max level I can't get completely geared out in a few days. FFXI seems a bit too hardcore for me. Old school EQ (which we all loved, but only because it was the thing and no other worthy games were out) is not the type of game I'm looking for. I like to be able to play solo and/or hop on and get something done in 30min. I had a lot of fun with WOTLK, but I just got tired of it b/c there's nothing really left for me to feel challenged by. I do not think it was a waste, but I don't see the point anymore.
I hope I explained myself more in this post. My friends are pretty much on the same wavelength here. We like casual games, but requre something to play for.
Ah, then FFXI wouldn't be for any of you! While it does cater a bit more to the solo/casual crowd than it used too, you really gotta dedicate a minimum of 2hrs each time you log in if you plan to advance! The raids I talked about are a once a week occourance and the relic weapons you'd prolly never get, but was just using that as an example of what some of the hardest core end-game stuff was like.
There are other sets of gear you can get and not just the Artifact II gear, and heck even the Artifact I set from 52-60 is good even at lvl 75. Just basically explaining that if you wanna gear yourself out in the best and it take longer than 3 days you really have to have some dedication!
Still you should at least give the game a try...its free and you don't have to input a CC either. Just a somewhat long DL and update you gotta wait through!
LOTRO on the other-hand, caters specifically to the casual crowd and even more so at end-game. The instances are now very short and sweet and you can get a ton done in 30 min solo, and even more with friends in that time! Might as well give it a go...
I played FFXI for a while, I still roll back now and then. It's a fun game...It's great for people who love grinding. Everything in the game is a grind....Seriously, everything. That is what kept me going in it. You gotta really work to whatever it is you want, so it takes time.
PLAYING: NOTHING!!!
PLAYED:FFXI, LotRO, AoC, WAR, DDO, Megaten, Wurm, Rohan, Mabinogi, RoM
WAITING FOR: Dust 514
...and the best part about it, when you do earn that next piece of gear or that next level or whatever you get this superb OMG that so great feeling! You actually feel proud of what you accomplished cause it wasn't a cake walk.
Most major boss fights and events for just about everything you can't just walk into them and click the I-Win-Button. Many of them are lvl-capped so you can't bring your High Level friends in the destroy it for you, and most if not close to all require lots of planning, preparation, and a well balanced group of jobs that know what they're doing! There is a death penalty and if ya all die and nobody has re-raise on or a job with raise isn't still up then its usually a very long trek back that can take awhile. In upwards of an hr or more!!!
Sounds crazy but its just so dern fun...I love the challenge and the in your face beat down! lol
There is also no OMG low on MP or HP and pop a potion[s] either. There are some in the game but they're expensive to make and acquire!
LotrO isnt much about rushing to end game and "gear up" so you will probably be bored if thats what you want to do. But if "gearing up" includes gettin a Legendary Item of the first age with good legacies and level it to 50 then it will take you a LONG time to "max out" your character.
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
Out of curosity does a purchase of the mines of moria expansion come with a free game trial period?
Must one submit a credit card for this?
Id like to try lotro but i dont want to pay to try it. ( i have a gift cert so i could pick up the expansion for 'free').
Trial does not include Moria stuff or the 2 new classes. Lotro is much more about a fantastic immersion into the lore behind the game. Especially with the moria expansion you get lots of stories and events that is simply unmatched in any other game. There are 15 books (major story lines) in Vol I before Moria and then there are 6 or so books once you start Moria. I played FFXI and its one great thing is its difficulty.
You say that you want short easy stuff because you and your friends are busy, so you aren't going to find a game where it takes you more than a few weeks of steady play to accomplish all the 'easy' and solo attainable gear. The end game stuff in LOTRO is mostly short runs on easy or difficult mode to get some of the best gear, then you can get a bigger group and run Vile Maw. But if you take the time to do every book story from 10-60, and run the level 50 dungeons before the expansion, then you will have loads upon loads of stuff to do while leveling. If your only goal is to get to 60 as fast as you can and skip everything else and obtain the best gear, then you will accomplish obtaining that gear with in a few weeks of hitting 60.
There is loads to do in LOTRO. However i dont think its suited for hardcore player.
If you are grinding type, and you grind games fast ... LOTRO would not be your cup of tea.
LOTRO is a game for people that like to stop and smell the roses (read:enjoy the quests and world)
When I read the OP, being married and all, then I read out of him that he only plays a couple hours a day. And maybe not even every day either.
In that case, you will have lots of fun in LOTRO and it will take more then long enough to max level a character.
Even more so, when trying to complete all the currently available Epic questlines (books), grind out the suitable deeds for your class.
And when you like crafting... well then you got months worth of gameplay in that as well to max it out.
You got now also crafting guilds, to farm reputation and get access to nice recipes.
You can grind out reputation from different factions to gain nice rewards, like special horse mounts, items, etc.
And you got Monsterplay (PVP) wich is really fun too. Wich is a very viable endgame. Also comes with rank gaining to unlock rewards, like armor sets and items.
Add to that, that Turbine launches a new content update (each time with a new Epic questline) about every 2-3 months.
And not to forget, as other people said. With the new legendary item advancement system you got plenty to do on that part as well.
Cheers
I can see how it could be difficult figuring out whether a game would be good for someone or not. Perhaps I have a better approach... I'll just ask some questions concerning the game's content that will hopefully help me decide for myself.
1) Level progression: I'm sure it mainly consists of questing, but how are the dungeon crawls throughout the levels? Is it a normal occurance for people to run dungeons at certain points for gear and/or experience?
2) How many dungeons are there along the way to reaching max lvl, how many at max lvl and how many people were they designed for?
3) How is the dungeon loot system? Do bosses drop certain items from their loot table with some being more rare than others? Is it worthwhile to run the dungeons (even while leveling) in order to obtain the gear?
4) How long does it take to get through the dungeons?
5) I'm guessing there is more of a cluster of good dungeons upon reaching 50 since that was the previous cap? If so, is it worthwhile for experience, loot and fun reasons to not quest and just run them in order to lvl?
6) Once lvl capped, does it take a bit of running through the end dungeons to get a full set of gear on your character?
7) Is it worth it to craft or are all the items from quests and dungeons better than crafted items?
8) I was looking into playing a warden. Do they get groups easy enough? Can they solo very efficiently? I'm going to try to talk some friends into trying it out, but just in case I wanted to know if this is the class for me.
Unfortunately, I"m not big into lore. I just like a nice enjoyable game to play in order to progress my character. That's why the leveling system, dungeons, crafting and gear are my priority. I enjoy dungeons and quests for the actual fun in doing them, not so much for the story behind them. I'm not a big fan of games where you just quest your way to the top level as I like to run some dungeons along the way. However, if the dungeons are pointless to go to because the experience is horrid and/or the loot isn't worth it then the story won't drive me to check it out.
I appreciate the feedback I have received already and appreciate any further help you can give!
Purchasing Mines of Moria includes the original game "Shadows of Angmar" plus the new expansion of Moria. So, you don't need to buy the "original" plus the expansion.
I am a father of 2, have my own small business, and I play a few hours nightly (time permitting).
I have been playing for about 3 months--steady 2 hours daily (thereabouts). My main character is level 45. I have skipped so many quests and storylines to try and level this person so that I can get IN Moria... I do plan on enjoying more of the lower level quests as time permits on other characters.
Can you level quickly? Not like Guildwars where you can get to level 20 in a day--even if you haven't been all over the map... Reaching to level 11 is doable in a few hours, but then the exp required to level starts to grow. moving from lvl 43 to 44 takes somewhere around 140,000 exp. Each quest giving somewhere around 4k or so (at that level).
I don't think you can get to level 60 in any "short" period of time. Armor, weapons, etc. have level limits, so you can't have a level 4 character running around with all of the "end-game" rewards. Know what I mean? This is one of the things I like--having played GW for years, I get tired that you can start a new character and give him almost anything (even if he had to maximize characteristics to use it efficiently). LOTRO won't even let you equip the sword if you don't meet the required level. Slows down the "leveling" Not sure how other MMORPGs handle that issue though.
There are many "kids" playing LOTRO (on the Elem. server). I like it because my kids like playing, and I don't feel as if I have to constantly watch due to "immature" statements being made on the "regional" channel. Guild Wars is aggravating in that respect in my opinion...
I'd find someone local who has it--ask at the local computer game store. Perhaps you can see/meet someone who plays to get an idea for yourself.
I like the story myself, but I don't think you have to like the story to enjoy the individual quests/dungeons. Loot provided by winning it (number of looting systems) is generally better than what you can craft (to start). Crafting high-level items does provide you with nice items. Some of the quests around level 40 have taken me 1 to 1.5 hours (Tomb of Elendil, for example). Arg, the turtle. Of course, there were only three of us.
It all depends on what you are looking for and the people you meet along the way. But, to each their own.
Of course, what you may be looking for may not have been developed yet... Perhaps you could better describe what you are looking for with some specific examples/stories? That way some "new" programmer can get started on the "next big thing."
Good luck.
Counsel
"Justice may be blind, but I am not."
1) Level progression: I have not repeated quests unless I was helping someone I knew. So I haven't "re-run" instances to get gear. There is a large variety of gear, and the questing isn't the only place you get gear. Level progression is done through completing individual quests (find this, kill that, etc.) or by completing deeds (killing x number of y or completing x number of quests in y area, etc.). You don't get exp for quests that are too low for you (9 levels below your current level).
2) How many dungeons are there along the way? Not really dungeons per se. You have wide open areas where you quest. There are instances and dungeons, and I would suggest you head over to one of the wiki sites or database sites that deal with LOTRO to get that data.
3) How is the dungeon loot system? The fellowship leader gets to determine how looting works--free-for-all (basically a "first-come-first-serve), roll (highest "die" roll wins, etc.. "Bosses" may drop stuff and their stuff may be "rarer" than other stuff, but rewards for completing quests involving "bosses" generally is better than rewards for quests not involving bosses. You have to do quests to advance, so you will be getting the gear anyway...
4) Time for each quest/instance varies. Some are 5 minutes, some are hours.
5)There are wide areas for each 10 levels or so. The main areas seem divided by 0-10, 10-20, etc. with two main map areas for each group. Moria, of course, is for those above level 50--includes 2 regions and Moria.
6) I don't know whether there is an "end" series of armor. There are many choices, and the armor you pick may vary from what others use. I don't like those games where the best is always found at the end.
7)I find it is worth crafting. Unless you have a kinship that is willing to craft for you... Crafting does allow you to sell stuff (increase your cash) and to develop your character. That is a personal choice.
8) I was looking into playing a warden. Do they get groups easy enough? Can they solo very efficiently? Most people get a group easily. However, I will say there are LOTS of hunters
and (now) wardens. I do not find that you can "SOLO" in LOTRO as you can in Guild Wars to get loot. The game is more even and doesn't seem made to allow that to happen. That said, you can go out and "solo" bosses--however, they generally don't drop that "uber-rare" item that you can then sell, etc.
Again, I'd find someone who has it and watch. Hit the gameshop and see if they can let you play--some have acocunts to help sell product... The "trial" may be available now... If so, give it a shot. Just realize that picking a server is important...
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
Thanks for the great responses! However, with the responses has come an additional question b/c I'm a little confused.
Are all of the dungeons quest-based or are there some that are just there for a crawl-through?
The bigger instances like Great barrows, Garth Agarwen and so on are there for crawl through but have quests to complete inside them. There are also some public dungeons like Sarnur that doesnt have any quests but still are alot of fun to explore.
If you like dungeon crawling then imgagine exploring Moria, the biggest most epic dungeon ever made
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
The bigger instances like Great barrows, Garth Agarwen and so on are there for crawl through but have quests to complete inside them. There are also some public dungeons like Sarnur that doesnt have any quests but still are alot of fun to explore.
If you like dungeon crawling then imgagine exploring Moria, the biggest most epic dungeon ever made
Gobin Town is also fun to explore.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
The bigger instances like Great barrows, Garth Agarwen and so on are there for crawl through but have quests to complete inside them. There are also some public dungeons like Sarnur that doesnt have any quests but still are alot of fun to explore.
If you like dungeon crawling then imgagine exploring Moria, the biggest most epic dungeon ever made
Gobin Town is also fun to explore.
Yup, but there are also a ton of quests in there as well!