Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Lord of the Rings Online: Epic Storyline Content Getting Solo Mode

24

Comments

  • astrob0yastrob0y Member Posts: 702

    And here Im hopeing that the trend in AAA mmo´s would sooner or later shift to a game mechanism that would condur player to group and make new friends. Not every new option is a good one.  Oh well, time to dust of my cute hobbit and do the last books solo then, dosent sound to much of a fun ride but I will do it for the lore and to pwn some orcs :)

    And yeah. I know that the trend is moar solo stuff in mmo´s but I dont want anything with that. I want to be apart of a grand team and have a important role in large and smaller battles against the enemy of my avatar.

    I7@4ghz, 5970@ 1 ghz/5ghz, water cooled||Former setups Byggblogg||Byggblogg 2|| Msi Wind u100

  • junzo316junzo316 Member UncommonPosts: 1,712
    Originally posted by Thillian


    Hard to find a group for this and that? Well don't play it's optional. Don't like the crafting? Don't craft, it's optional. Don't like the gating system which forces you to grind to see the content? Well, skip it then, it's optional. Don't like the leveling system? Avoid it, roll a PvMP, because well leveling is optional. Don't like the combat? Don't worry, just ignore it, stay level 1 and dance in the Bree auction hall. Don't like to see mages raiding on goats all around Middle Earth? What's the problem man? Just turn off the graphics, because graphics are optional. Don't like the classes? Don't play any. Just stay on the login window, because logging in, is well .. optional.

     

    Ummm, yeah.....what?

     

    I have no idea what your argument is or why you are against this.  Do you even play the game?  More options give players more ways to play the game.  If they like to play the storyline in a group, then they can.  If they want to play solo, then they can.  I think more MMO's should offer more options to their player base.

  • dhayes68dhayes68 Member UncommonPosts: 1,388
    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by dhayes68

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by dhayes68


    You have to wonder what they were thinking when they made an MMO that is so story-centric and story-driven (especially given the wide familiarity of the story) combined with having parts of the map delivered over time and restricted to the highest levels.  It leads to a very linear progression that stratifies the playerbase.
    I wonder if this solution will accomplish what it is intended too, or will it further dilute the 'community'.
     



    Every book is self contained and optional, you can leave this "path" and skip, complete, rejoin any time you want. You do not, and never have had to do them in order, ever.

    And they were thinking they were going to make an awesome PVE MMO that was story based and episodic. They were right. 

     

    Read my post more clearly and you'll see I'm specifically talking about the story-driven dynamic COMBINED with the parcelling out of the map over time. A strange dynamic I think specific to LoTRO in that they didn't give a whole map, then added to it, but gave only part of a whole map that many are familiar with. And also my point was that the combination of the two would lead to a stratified playerbase.

    I'm not knocking your precioussss game. I was addressing the problem that the devs, obviously, in introucing the proposed solution in the article are aware of as well.

     

     

    Middle earth is a big place, they are simply working their way west.... How else would they do it?

     

    They could do it in a way that doesn't force players into stratified level bands across the game world. So far new lands have been for the highest level players only.  If this trend continues then as the game progresses, some of the parts of the map which should be the most dynamic (like Gondor for example) will be only for the very highest levels.  And by tying the story line to the rollout of new lands it also means as time goes on more and more players will be playing much different parts of the story at the same time which also in a way helps disjoint the player community.

  • MrbloodworthMrbloodworth Member Posts: 5,615
    Originally posted by astrob0y


    And here Im hopeing that the trend in AAA mmo´s would sooner or later shift to a game mechanism that would condur player to group and make new friends. Not every new option is a good one.  Oh well, time to dust of my cute hobbit and do the last books solo then, dosent sound to much of a fun ride but I will do it for the lore and to pwn some orcs :)
    And yeah. I know that the trend is moar solo stuff in mmo´s but I dont want anything with that. I want to be apart of a grand team and have a important role in large and smaller battles against the enemy of my avatar.

    And you still have that option.

    ----------
    "Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me

    "No, your wrong.." - Random user #123

    "Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.

    How are you?" -Me

  • astrob0yastrob0y Member Posts: 702
    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by astrob0y


    And here Im hopeing that the trend in AAA mmo´s would sooner or later shift to a game mechanism that would condur player to group and make new friends. Not every new option is a good one.  Oh well, time to dust of my cute hobbit and do the last books solo then, dosent sound to much of a fun ride but I will do it for the lore and to pwn some orcs :)
    And yeah. I know that the trend is moar solo stuff in mmo´s but I dont want anything with that. I want to be apart of a grand team and have a important role in large and smaller battles against the enemy of my avatar.

    And you still have that option.

    That I dont like at all. I know that Ive that option tyvm.

     

    edit: I dont fully understand your point now when I read it again. What option do you point at. To play a game, make a grand team, solo, not play, pwn orcs? 

    I7@4ghz, 5970@ 1 ghz/5ghz, water cooled||Former setups Byggblogg||Byggblogg 2|| Msi Wind u100

  • ThillianThillian Member UncommonPosts: 3,156

    Solution to the problem that people have hard time finding a group for the content is not to make everything soloable. The solution is to motivate people to "help" others or to give them bigger pool of players to group up with (cross-server LFG system).

    But that's too many man hours for too little profit, let's just make it all soloable, and pull out another paid expansion.

    REALITY CHECK

  • MrbloodworthMrbloodworth Member Posts: 5,615
    Originally posted by dhayes68

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by dhayes68

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by dhayes68


    You have to wonder what they were thinking when they made an MMO that is so story-centric and story-driven (especially given the wide familiarity of the story) combined with having parts of the map delivered over time and restricted to the highest levels.  It leads to a very linear progression that stratifies the playerbase.
    I wonder if this solution will accomplish what it is intended too, or will it further dilute the 'community'.
     



    Every book is self contained and optional, you can leave this "path" and skip, complete, rejoin any time you want. You do not, and never have had to do them in order, ever.

    And they were thinking they were going to make an awesome PVE MMO that was story based and episodic. They were right. 

     

    Read my post more clearly and you'll see I'm specifically talking about the story-driven dynamic COMBINED with the parcelling out of the map over time. A strange dynamic I think specific to LoTRO in that they didn't give a whole map, then added to it, but gave only part of a whole map that many are familiar with. And also my point was that the combination of the two would lead to a stratified playerbase.

    I'm not knocking your precioussss game. I was addressing the problem that the devs, obviously, in introucing the proposed solution in the article are aware of as well.

     

     

    Middle earth is a big place, they are simply working their way west.... How else would they do it?

     

    They could do it in a way that doesn't force players into stratified level bands across the game world. So far new lands have been for the highest level players only.  If this trend continues then as the game progresses, some of the parts of the map which should be the most dynamic (like Gondor for example) will be only for the very highest levels.  And by tying the story line to the rollout of new lands it also means as time goes on more and more players will be playing much different parts of the story at the same time which also in a way helps disjoint the player community.

     

    Not all of the new zones have been only for high level. Infact most of the new content in SOM is for 30 - 65.

    ----------
    "Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me

    "No, your wrong.." - Random user #123

    "Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.

    How are you?" -Me

  • MrbloodworthMrbloodworth Member Posts: 5,615
    Originally posted by astrob0y

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by astrob0y


    And here Im hopeing that the trend in AAA mmo´s would sooner or later shift to a game mechanism that would condur player to group and make new friends. Not every new option is a good one.  Oh well, time to dust of my cute hobbit and do the last books solo then, dosent sound to much of a fun ride but I will do it for the lore and to pwn some orcs :)
    And yeah. I know that the trend is moar solo stuff in mmo´s but I dont want anything with that. I want to be apart of a grand team and have a important role in large and smaller battles against the enemy of my avatar.

    And you still have that option.

    That I dont like at all. I know that Ive that option tyvm.

     

    edit: I dont fully understand your point now when I read it again. What option do you point at. To play a game, make a grand team, solo, not play, pwn orcs? 

    You just said you wanted to group, what is stopping you from being social, making some friends, and doing the content in a group? Like everything you said in your post?

    The answer is nothing.

    Oh, right! I'm sorry, you want others to be forced to play with you. I see.

     

    ----------
    "Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me

    "No, your wrong.." - Random user #123

    "Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.

    How are you?" -Me

  • AstralglideAstralglide Member UncommonPosts: 686

     Great idea. One of the main problems that I had with this game is never being able to do story quests because I could never find a party.

    A witty saying proves nothing.
    -Voltaire

  • ThillianThillian Member UncommonPosts: 3,156
    Originally posted by junzo316


    Me ignoring you is non-optional, now...
     



     

    Obviously it's not if you replied to me 5 minutes after that.

    My post was a reaction towards the other guy who said that "well don't play epic books, it's optional".

    Btw, doesn't one of the moderator over at AoC EU forums have the same avatar picture as you?

    REALITY CHECK

  • MrbloodworthMrbloodworth Member Posts: 5,615
    Originally posted by Thillian


    Solution to the problem that people have hard time finding a group for the content is not to make everything soloable. The solution is to motivate people to "help" others or to give them bigger pool of players to group up with (cross-server LFG system).
    But that's too many man hours for too little profit, let's just make it all soloable, and pull out another paid expansion.

     

    Right! why didn't they think of that?!?!

    Its not like skirmishes are group based content that can be entered through a new GUI window that you can join from anywhere in the world or anything.

    That would be silly.

     

     

     

     

    ----------
    "Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me

    "No, your wrong.." - Random user #123

    "Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.

    How are you?" -Me

  • quitmoaningquitmoaning Member Posts: 31
    Originally posted by Thillian

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by Thillian


    These were the last bits of group content in Lotro.

     

    No, it wasn't, and also, they are still there.

     

    Its options they are giving people.

    Why do you hate fun?

     

     



     

    It was nearly impossible before to find a group to do these. Now it's gonna be fully impossible.

    Group content is more fun than solo content.

    Until they make a mentoring system or cross-server LFG for instances, there's still gonna be problem with finding a group in a game oriented for end-game.



     

    You assume then that LOTRO  contains absolutely no players who enjoy grping?

    Is there a problem with having additonal modes added to any MMO to ensure that all playstyles are catered for.

    I've been back and forth with LOTRO and to be quite frank it's never been impossible to find book grp's, I suspect that those who tell us it's "Impossible" just aren't really trying, or perhaps prefer to be asked rather than do the asking.

     

  • junzo316junzo316 Member UncommonPosts: 1,712
    Originally posted by Thillian

    Originally posted by junzo316


    Me ignoring you is non-optional, now...
     



     

    Obviously it's not if you replied to me 5 minutes after that.

    My post was a reaction towards the other guy who said that "well don't play epic books, it's optional".

    Btw, doesn't one of the moderator over at AoC EU forums have the same avatar picture as you?

     

    Lol...no idea.  Have never played AoC.  Maybe he has the same Avatar as me.  =)

  • Kungaloosh1Kungaloosh1 Member Posts: 260

    Grouping outside of kins in lotro seems to be kind of a pain to me. Most people only group to do quests and it is rough because rarely do people have all their quests lined up so you constantly have an influx and outflux of group member movement.

    I personally can't really stand grouping in lotro because it trivializes everything you come across. I like the challenge of going it alone or with a single partner. I get the chance to use the moves i want and the strategy i want.

    Making it possible to solo the earlier books in my opinion is a fantastic idea.

  • astrob0yastrob0y Member Posts: 702
    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by astrob0y

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by astrob0y


    And here Im hopeing that the trend in AAA mmo´s would sooner or later shift to a game mechanism that would condur player to group and make new friends. Not every new option is a good one.  Oh well, time to dust of my cute hobbit and do the last books solo then, dosent sound to much of a fun ride but I will do it for the lore and to pwn some orcs :)
    And yeah. I know that the trend is moar solo stuff in mmo´s but I dont want anything with that. I want to be apart of a grand team and have a important role in large and smaller battles against the enemy of my avatar.

    And you still have that option.

    That I dont like at all. I know that Ive that option tyvm.

     

    edit: I dont fully understand your point now when I read it again. What option do you point at. To play a game, make a grand team, solo, not play, pwn orcs? 

    You just said you wanted to group, what is stopping you from being social, making some friends, and doing the content in a group? Like everything you said in your post?

    The answer is nothing.

     

    So your first answer was pointless or just agreed with something I didnt wrote? Im getting quite confused here. So I put my words in a diffrent way. I want more group mechanisms in my mmo, that is why I like them. I see why Turbine are doing what they do with their game and I dont like it. 

     

    I7@4ghz, 5970@ 1 ghz/5ghz, water cooled||Former setups Byggblogg||Byggblogg 2|| Msi Wind u100

  • MrbloodworthMrbloodworth Member Posts: 5,615
    Originally posted by astrob0y

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by astrob0y

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by astrob0y


    And here Im hopeing that the trend in AAA mmo´s would sooner or later shift to a game mechanism that would condur player to group and make new friends. Not every new option is a good one.  Oh well, time to dust of my cute hobbit and do the last books solo then, dosent sound to much of a fun ride but I will do it for the lore and to pwn some orcs :)
    And yeah. I know that the trend is moar solo stuff in mmo´s but I dont want anything with that. I want to be apart of a grand team and have a important role in large and smaller battles against the enemy of my avatar.

    And you still have that option.

    That I dont like at all. I know that Ive that option tyvm.

     

    edit: I dont fully understand your point now when I read it again. What option do you point at. To play a game, make a grand team, solo, not play, pwn orcs? 

    You just said you wanted to group, what is stopping you from being social, making some friends, and doing the content in a group? Like everything you said in your post?

    The answer is nothing.

     

    So your first answer was pointless or just agreed with something I didnt wrote? Im getting quite confused here. So I put my words in a diffrent way. I want more group mechanisms in my mmo, that is why I like them. I see why Turbine are doing what they do with their game and I dont like it. 

     

    You still have the option to do everything in your post, even more so now with skirmishes.

    ----------
    "Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me

    "No, your wrong.." - Random user #123

    "Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.

    How are you?" -Me

  • Skooma2Skooma2 Member UncommonPosts: 697

    The only way to not have new areas only open to highest level players would be for each area to have its own low level, mid-level, and high level areas.  Each of these areas would also have to have their own epic quest lines.  (You could not, under this system, have a Gondorian man have to start outside of Archer, a town he would never have heard of).  Each area would also have to have the same types of appropriately levelled resource nodes.  In other words, each area would have to the "content density" of the original areas.

    Now, let us consider what areas the game is expected to provided.  So far, we have Eriador, which has a dozen or so large map areas.  So, the devs would have to create Gondor and Rohan with at least that many areas.  Also, if the devs want to, they could expand the game world to include Northern Mirkwood and points east (Iron Hills, Erebor, Lake-Town).

    So, to give everyone the same access to all areas would require Turbine to essentially construct and go public with 3 or 4 entire MMOs at the same time.  That is ridiculous.

    Hedonismbot: Your latest performance was as delectable as dipping my bottom over and over into a bath of the silkiest oils and creams.

  • RobsolfRobsolf Member RarePosts: 4,607
    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Hyperbole, And missing the point.



    Those jerks at Turbine are gating me from the Grand Stair.  I pay for the game just like everyone else, so I think my 10th level character should be able to do any of the instances I want!  Why does a level 60 have access to more of the game than I do?  We both pay the same money!!!

    Also, why does Turbine make my character have to use a weapon when I fight?  There goes Turbine again, forcing their will on me...

    Not only that, why do they make me log in in order to play my character?  Now it's exposed... just another linear gameplay WoW copy... Log in... Select a server, select a character, wait for a load screen.  JUST LIKE WOW. 

    So tired of the linear gameplay.  Why can't I start at level 60 and work my way to level 1?  Forced progressive play... feh!!!  Why won't they let me play the game the way I want to play it????//????/?????/?/???

    They're Nazi's I tell ya!  Nazi's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!1!!!!!1!!!!11!!!!!!!!

  • MrbloodworthMrbloodworth Member Posts: 5,615
    Originally posted by Robsolf

    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Hyperbole, And missing the point.



    Those jerks at Turbine are gating me from the Grand Stair.  I pay for the game just like everyone else, so I think my 10th level character should be able to do any of the instances I want!  Why does a level 60 have access to more of the game than I do?  We both pay the same money!!!

    Also, why does Turbine make my character have to use a weapon when I fight?  There goes Turbine again, forcing their will on me...

    Not only that, why do they make me log in in order to play my character?  Now it's exposed... just another linear gameplay WoW copy... Log in... Select a server, select a character, wait for a load screen.  JUST LIKE WOW. 

    So tired of the linear gameplay.  Why can't I start at level 60 and work my way to level 1?  Forced progressive play... feh!!!  Why won't they let me play the game the way I want to play it????//????/?????/?/???

    They're Nazi's I tell ya!  Nazi's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!1!!!!!1!!!!11!!!!!!!!

     

    The jerks!

    ----------
    "Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me

    "No, your wrong.." - Random user #123

    "Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.

    How are you?" -Me

  • ThillianThillian Member UncommonPosts: 3,156

    Yeh but only, if its optional.

    REALITY CHECK

  • GaryMGaryM Member Posts: 244

    It's obvious from the upcoming Skirmish system and other developer notes that the future direction of LOTRO is scalable content, from solo player up to 12-man groups. Turbine has already stated that the upcoming Book 9 will be scalable this same way. The upcoming solo-only "super-buff" for the earlier book quests is just a band-aid so that they don't have to revisit the early content just yet, IMO.

  • astrob0yastrob0y Member Posts: 702
    Originally posted by Skooma2


    The only way to not have new areas only open to highest level players would be for each area to have its own low level, mid-level, and high level areas.

    That is not the only way :) A option I would like is that I had the option to create a avatar at max level. That is a option that is good for players, but not so good for Turbine.

    I7@4ghz, 5970@ 1 ghz/5ghz, water cooled||Former setups Byggblogg||Byggblogg 2|| Msi Wind u100

  • jaxsundanejaxsundane Member Posts: 2,776
    Originally posted by dhayes68


    You have to wonder what they were thinking when they made an MMO that is so story-centric and story-driven (especially given the wide familiarity of the story) combined with having parts of the map delivered over time and restricted to the highest levels.  It leads to a very linear progression that stratifies the playerbase.
    I wonder if this solution will accomplish what it is intended too, or will it further dilute the 'community'.
     



     

    I don't think I'm dumb but this reads like one of those posts where you are trying to sound super smart but not really saying anything.....

    but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....

  • ElikalElikal Member UncommonPosts: 7,912

    I don't want to overly dramatize it, but if there are crucial moments in which developments at large are changing, it is this. Sorta like D-Day for Europe, this is a bit of a water margin for MMOs. Why? Simple: we have seen a huge rise in Soloability, and story is still a relatively fresh and new element in MMOs, and - at least until SWTOR hits - something not yet fully developed. An element in its infancy.

    Now what we see is, by and large that more and more people want to decide by themselves whether they want to solo or group in a MMO, something that so far was pre-set by the quests and mobs. This might be a turning point. A first step, in which at the end MMOs generally leave the choice in quests. This is so vital, because story will be the mayor innovative factor in MMOs in the coming decade. The one thing which differs old gen MMOs of "kill 20 of X" from really Role Playing MMOs.

    This decision is both logical and regrettable. it is regrettable, because experiencing a story in a group is way more fun and excitement than alone. What is the heroic, triumph, what is the tragedy worth, when no one is there to share the moment with you? I think it cheapens those moments, when you have no one to remember it together. On the other hand, it is logical. I have tried to play the stories VERY meticiously in LOTRO, for one because I liked them a lot, and they are what makes LOTRO other than so many MMOs. The book quests. Its what attaches me to my char, and why in LOTRO unlike other MMOs I have only one really played out char. I am one hero in Middle Earth, feeling connected by the book stories. However, in the later days I too had GREAT difficulties to find people for the book quests, especially the more difficult and demanding ones, those which take a long time and much work. So I came to a point in Book 2 where I was forced to wait or skip. So it is, alas, a necessity, which will make it even more difficult to find people for book quests, because as experience shows, what CAN be soloed WILL be soloed by most. Its a bad circle.

     

    For good or ill, I think this is the margin of a paradigm change.

    People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert

  • eric_w66eric_w66 Member UncommonPosts: 1,006

    I left LOTRO early on because of this issue. In the beginning, there weren't many solo quests once you hit 30, and finding groups at the times I played was insanely hard. Not only that, you had to find groups that were  willing to go back and redo 3 steps they'd already done to get to Step #4 which half the group wanted to get to Step #5 which the other half really wanted to do, or have a kinship that was full of willing and helpful people who didn't mind repeating content 5000 times.

    This "forced grouping" cost LOTRO at least 1 subscriber (me). I'm sure it cost them many thousands in reality. Because I played a Hunter, I was even at a bigger disadvantage as being a non-desired class.

    And you had all the problems of groups, and then some. Person A would leave because he got the mission he needed, and didn't want to continue, person B selected to replace him was 30 minutes on foot away... and disconnects 25 minutes later, person C chosen to replace B doesn't want to do that quest, but rather needs the previous 3 quests....

    So this change is an awesome one for the average gamer who has a life outside of the game. To those who think everything must be paid for by waiting 10 hours in LFF for each mission, a big /rude to you. You can still play the game that way. I no longer would have to (and yes, it is tempting me to resub for LOTRO, because I did enjoy the game outside of the silly grouping requirements). And the game is Lord of the Ring (the ONE SOLO ;) ring).. not Fellowship All The Time.

     

Sign In or Register to comment.