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What a little Gem

01Neptune0101Neptune01 Member UncommonPosts: 82

 

Just wanted to talk about my experiences of starting LOTRO about 2 weeks ago for the benefit of anyone who is thinking about joining.

I have to say coming to LOTRO was just what I needed. Having come from Aion as my latest escapade I really needed something, quiet, casual, immersive and a nice community. I signed up for the free trail and got underway, starting the game you can see the clear empathise on the storyline and lore of the game. This was just what I happened to be looking for. Other games I play really give me enjoyment reading all the lore and text, if the content is well written and enjoyable, be it offline or online. I love the way I can level my character with the storyline making it interesting as I go.

Looks wise I thought it was well made. I enjoyed the creation of the landscapes, which really drew me in, often unachieved in games I play. Sometimes the graphics can look dated, like the character models, however you get some nice moments with direct X 10 in parts of the game.

The gameplay itself was good, combat is rather standard for RPG's (nothing wrong there) but I found the ways you could spec your avatar interesting with the deeds and traits. The little touches were also nice, from the music system to the player housing and crafting. Personally when I have a session on an MMO I like to level for a bit then return home and wittle around a bit. Be it playing music to people, or rearrganging your abode, theres plenty to do.

The instance I have tried was enjoyable, although would have liked to have seen more between the levels of 1-50. I do like the prospect of 3 man instances however and the skirmish system.

All this basically fits into what I needed from an MMO at this time. I have been playing them for around 10 years now and have had my spell of playing in more of a "hardcore" nature, but now I just need a game which I can play casually to fit around my life, without the pressure to play for obsence abouts of time.

I have only been playing for two weeks (the free trial) so who knows if it will hold my attention in the long run, but the free trial plus the game with 4 weeks play time costs £4. Thats pretty damn good for 6 weeks of play, which i'm sure I will enjoy and you could too.

Just my two cents anyway.

 

 

 

 

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Comments

  • ArchemorousArchemorous Member Posts: 197

    Yeah it really is a gem. I had one of my best moments yesterday, I travelled to Rivendell for the first time. I was as happy as a pig in shit I tell you. Everyone was there, Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf, the whole fellowship. Was awesome. I had no business there because I was too low level, but I had just gotten a skill that allowed me to travel to Rivendell, so I decided to take a look. Wasted a good two hours just looking around talking to npcs.

    image

  • ThillianThillian Member UncommonPosts: 3,156

    Agree with most of what you said. Combat is good, classes are solid, deeds that gives you bonuses and traits you slot and further customize your character are well-made. I like the deeds book with a short description of all deeds adding much to the lore (especially for exploration deeds). I also agree there could be a bit more dungeons between level 1-49.

    REALITY CHECK

  • metalhead980metalhead980 Member Posts: 2,658
    Originally posted by Thillian


    Agree with most of what you said. Combat is good, classes are solid, deeds that gives you bonuses and traits you slot and further customize your character are well-made. I like the deeds book with a short description of all deeds adding much to the lore (especially for exploration deeds). I also agree there could be a bit more dungeons between level 1-49.

     

    I had a hardtime getting into Lotro. The combat animations and running animations bothered me so much.

    It took me around mid level to even ignore them completly.

    While certain dungeons were ok I found most of the leveling dungeons uninspired and as for the classes I never really found one to even be average.

    The melee Dps was plain, tanking was easy and the casters oh god how I wanted to take my own eyes out watching that same animation over and over and over.

    Even the mobs didnt seem to fit the game world.

    I will give it up to Turbine for creating a awesome looking world but I think they should have focused more on class mechanics and animations.

    Lotro is just one of those games for me anyway that just begs for you to uninstall it.

    Too many negatives and only one or two positives won't keep someone like me in game.

    With that said I respect your opinion OP and i'm glad you found a game you enjoy.

    PLaying: EvE, Ryzom

    Waiting For: Earthrise, Perpetuum

  • The user and all related content has been deleted.

    "Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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  • VaedurVaedur Member Posts: 430

    Being a LOTRO player, i would agree. the biggest drawback of this game is the lack of group based instances from 1-49.. the game really shines once you hit moria, and that's a long way to go..

    But personally, I"m pretty casual, and the pace was right.. i'm 57 on my main and getting into the group stuff now, and am having a blast still as i was before i reached the expansion, jsut more of a blast now.

  • FeragFerag Member Posts: 23

     I haven't gone through the low level content in a while, but there are a few group instances and (atleast when i went though) a whole bunch of group quests.  The books are a good source of them, and at around 17 or so you can go into the Great Barrows. Once you get into the Lone Lands (this was just redone with SoM so i don't if its still accurate) you have a bunch of small group quests and Weathertop (mid 20's), which is a fellowship one - its not a dungeon by any means but it can keep you busy until the higher 20's Then there is GA, a lot of people skip Garth Agarwen because its difficult at the level you go through but its pretty good instance(high 20s).  After that you head over to Estilden and there isnt much by way of dungeons until Fornost (high 30's - low 40's).  I have to disagree with Lotro not shining until Moria, the level 50 content is exceptional. I'm going to list em all by difficulty/area.

    Angmar instances:

    Urugarth (6man)

    Carn Dum (6man)

    Barad Gularan (6man)

    The Rift of Narz Gashu (12man)

     

    Misty Mountains:

    Helegrod (24man)

     

    Anuminas:

    Glingant (6man)

    Ost Elendil (6man)

    Haudh Valandil (6man)

     

    The Level 50 content was amazing, roughly half of the epic story line was for lvl 50's in SoA (book 7-15) and the difficulty scaled very well between them.  It is really to bad that most of this content is passed over now  by people who just want to get to the end game, all of those instances are fun and challenging if you do them in the order of their difficulty (angmar 6mans-> anuminas 6mans-> helegrod-> rift)

  • SenadinaSenadina Member UncommonPosts: 896

    I really, really enjoyed my time In LOTRO. If any MMO could hold my attention longer than 6 months anymore, I would still be playing. Logging into the game always felt like putting on a comfy pair of slippers. I just felt at home there, loved the landscapes, and the storyline.

    I tried to get my friends to play, but their big complaint was not feeling "heroic" enough. They didn't want to be farmers, they wanted to conjure big magic or something. Personally, I liked feeling like a real person in the world by farming, music making, housing etc... To each his own.

    Playing Aion atm, waiting for TOR, don't think I will return to LOTRO soon, but maybe someday. It really is a little gem of a game.

    image
  • VaedurVaedur Member Posts: 430
    Originally posted by Ferag


     I haven't gone through the low level content in a while, but there are a few group instances and (atleast when i went though) a whole bunch of group quests.  The books are a good source of them, and at around 17 or so you can go into the Great Barrows. Once you get into the Lone Lands (this was just redone with SoM so i don't if its still accurate) you have a bunch of small group quests and Weathertop (mid 20's), which is a fellowship one - its not a dungeon by any means but it can keep you busy until the higher 20's Then there is GA, a lot of people skip Garth Agarwen because its difficult at the level you go through but its pretty good instance(high 20s).  After that you head over to Estilden and there isnt much by way of dungeons until Fornost (high 30's - low 40's).  I have to disagree with Lotro not shining until Moria, the level 50 content is exceptional. I'm going to list em all by difficulty/area.
    Angmar instances:
    Urugarth (6man)
    Carn Dum (6man)
    Barad Gularan (6man)
    The Rift of Narz Gashu (12man)
     
    Misty Mountains:
    Helegrod (24man)
     
    Anuminas:
    Glingant (6man)
    Ost Elendil (6man)
    Haudh Valandil (6man)
     
    The Level 50 content was amazing, roughly half of the epic story line was for lvl 50's in SoA (book 7-15) and the difficulty scaled very well between them.  It is really to bad that most of this content is passed over now  by people who just want to get to the end game, all of those instances are fun and challenging if you do them in the order of their difficulty (angmar 6mans-> anuminas 6mans-> helegrod-> rift)

     

    Seems like noone wants to do those things anymroe tho :(  i think the game could benifit from as much rebalancing as expansion.. lol.. i personally liked the game alot pre-moria.. but love it in moria .. if that makes sense.. the only two mmo's to hold my attention this long were asheron's call  during it's prime, and wow pre-bc....

  • FeragFerag Member Posts: 23

     Well we know they do have some kind of scaling tech, since they use it for the skirmishes.. hopefully they find a way to scale all that content to your current level.

  • BesCirgaBesCirga Member Posts: 806
    Originally posted by metalhead980

    Originally posted by Thillian


    Agree with most of what you said. Combat is good, classes are solid, deeds that gives you bonuses and traits you slot and further customize your character are well-made. I like the deeds book with a short description of all deeds adding much to the lore (especially for exploration deeds). I also agree there could be a bit more dungeons between level 1-49.

     

    I had a hardtime getting into Lotro. The combat animations and running animations bothered me so much.

    It took me around mid level to even ignore them completly.

    While certain dungeons were ok I found most of the leveling dungeons uninspired and as for the classes I never really found one to even be average.

    The melee Dps was plain, tanking was easy and the casters oh god how I wanted to take my own eyes out watching that same animation over and over and over.

    Even the mobs didnt seem to fit the game world.

    I will give it up to Turbine for creating a awesome looking world but I think they should have focused more on class mechanics and animations.

    Lotro is just one of those games for me anyway that just begs for you to uninstall it.

    Too many negatives and only one or two positives won't keep someone like me in game.

    With that said I respect your opinion OP and i'm glad you found a game you enjoy.



     

    I disagree completely about the classes in lotro. I actually have a hard time accepting other classes in different games becuase they are too super-mario-hero-style, in my view. Classes in Lotro on the other hand are more "simple and toned down", i like that :) (I dont mean simple by simple-to-play) 

    Also, by playing the new classes, you can see that Turbine have taken a step forward in creating some great animation for Warden and the "class that shall not be mentioned".

    The lack of dungeons 1-49 is a problem, but there are a couple to do still. My favorites are; Garth Agarwen, Carn Dum, Goblin Town & Fornost. 

    To the OP: You play for the very same reasons I do, and its a great game to furfill a casual's mmo needs :)  

  • GetalifeGetalife Member CommonPosts: 786
    Originally posted by solareus


    Greatr read :). A little tip, when ever you make a great post on the positive, there will always be a trail of posts on "negatives" the best thing to do is just put them on block, because they are trolls :).
    See you in Mirkwoods :D

     

    You really need to understand the meaning of word IRONY. Hahahah you are such an amazing source of unintentional jokes.

  • RyukanRyukan Member UncommonPosts: 858

    Nice to see someone come to LotRO from another, seemingly more popular game and stay to enjoy LotRO. I have played since beta and have enjoyed the crap outta LotRO. I am not too fond of the end game stuff being the standard 'raid for more gear' type thing, but then again it is no different in most standard, casual MMO's; you have to go to the more PvP, hardcore niche MMO's to move away from that gameplay model...and there's usually way too many asshats in those games.  I find it a bit funny that you have come to LotRO from Aion, whereas I was getting burnt out on LotRO so I tooka couple month break in which I tried out Aion and all Aion did was make me realize how much more I like LotRO. Really enjoying the Mirkwood expansion right now (although it technically is nothing more than another update with a lvl cap increase tacked on to warrant a price tag) and looking forward to the next expansion of Rohan and beyond.

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


     Well we know they do have some kind of scaling tech, since they use it for the skirmishes.. hopefully they find a way to scale all that content to your current level.



     

    In my opinion, scaling content is a huge step against the roleplaying part in the game. The feeling you're improving in contrast  to the world and to the content should be dominant in any kind of RPG game. If you take it away with scaled content, it becomes an FPS - always constant difficulty is a plague.

    REALITY CHECK

  • The user and all related content has been deleted.

    "Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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  • avalon1000avalon1000 Member UncommonPosts: 791
    Originally posted by solareus


    Can't wait to start getting into the castle, since I'm lvl 65 now ;)

     

    Br careful in there! 

     

    LOTRO is a gem and as one poster stated it is like my "home" in the mmo world.  I go out and play other MMO's but always return to LOTRO because there isn't much out there that is better (if any at all). 

  • SanguinelustSanguinelust Member UncommonPosts: 812

    There does need to be more dungeons 1-49 but the game is pretty awesome. I just got into Moria and it's great! I had been suffering from the grindies after I hit about 48 it just felt hard to get anywhere the quests were all over the place but my persistence paid off. Now I'm 52 and in Moria and very excited about playing again.

  • The user and all related content has been deleted.

    "Freedom is just another name for nothing left to lose" - Janis Joplin
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  • MrbloodworthMrbloodworth Member Posts: 5,615

    Good read OP.

    ----------
    "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

  • misterdurpmisterdurp Member Posts: 157

     I had a hard time liking this game, it could be cause i only did the trial, but the first impressions are usually good for depicting a games potential. First off, and i know ill be hated for this, i saw a lot of similarities between this and WoW, and i dont think WoW is the best mmo ever. Im not saying its a clone, i do believe it borrowed the good stuff from WoW and added its own rich lore/story etc. I found the combat standard, and i had my fair share of it (no i havent played WoW, only the trial) so i wasnt really thrilled, i also think the game is too much PvE oriented.

    This is of course my own opinion, and i fully respect the people who love the game, but they shouldnt avoid meaningful discussions by blocking users, we are on a forum for god sake :)

  • dreamscaperdreamscaper Member UncommonPosts: 1,592
    Originally posted by misterdurp


     I had a hard time liking this game, it could be cause i only did the trial, but the first impressions are usually good for depicting a games potential. First off, and i know ill be hated for this, i saw a lot of similarities between this and WoW, and i dont think WoW is the best mmo ever. Im not saying its a clone, i do believe it borrowed the good stuff from WoW and added its own rich lore/story etc. I found the combat standard, and i had my fair share of it (no i havent played WoW, only the trial) so i wasnt really thrilled, i also think the game is too much PvE oriented.
    This is of course my own opinion, and i fully respect the people who love the game, but they shouldnt avoid meaningful discussions by blocking users, we are on a forum for god sake :)

     

    Seeing posts like this drives me nuts. WoW did not invent the current MMO standards. LotRO's influence comes from EQ1, and to a greater extent, Asherion's Call 1, both of which WoW copied, not the other way around.  WoW took everything that was being done at the time and refined it, but they didn't really do much in the way of innovation when WoW was first released.



    <3

    <3

  • AzarealAzareal Member UncommonPosts: 163
    Originally posted by dreamscaper

    Originally posted by misterdurp


     I had a hard time liking this game, it could be cause i only did the trial, but the first impressions are usually good for depicting a games potential. First off, and i know ill be hated for this, i saw a lot of similarities between this and WoW, and i dont think WoW is the best mmo ever. Im not saying its a clone, i do believe it borrowed the good stuff from WoW and added its own rich lore/story etc. I found the combat standard, and i had my fair share of it (no i havent played WoW, only the trial) so i wasnt really thrilled, i also think the game is too much PvE oriented.
    This is of course my own opinion, and i fully respect the people who love the game, but they shouldnt avoid meaningful discussions by blocking users, we are on a forum for god sake :)

     

    Seeing posts like this drives me nuts. WoW did not invent the current MMO standards. LotRO's influence comes from EQ1, and to a greater extent, Asherion's Call 1, both of which WoW copied, not the other way around.  WoW took everything that was being done at the time and Simplified it, but they didn't really do much in the way of innovation when WoW was first released.



    <3

    Fixed that for ya

  • Flo13Flo13 Member UncommonPosts: 9

    Hey. My first post so dont shoot...and sorry for my bad english. I think is all about age, time to spend and what you really need. After few years of games I found Lotro and is a fresh breath for me. Ok I like a lot pvp and isn't a strong point in Lotro...but I can play sporadic (I have a child so often I'm afk), I can do a fast instance, I can help anyone....bla bla. My point is that everyone must take what is good from a game and what he needs. I read posts from many sites and all about epicfail bla bla (is true that sometime I dont know what those words means and I dont wanna ever find). I like a game, I play....I dont like, I dont play, no need to argue.  For me Lotro is a nice game that I can play anytime with friends or with anyone. So yes is a gem in my opinion with good and bad things.

    PS: Also my opinion, I dont understand why many speaks about avatar and armours look, I spent about 2 mins per days to watch them and only when I look like a clown and I must dye hehe.

    777

  • misterdurpmisterdurp Member Posts: 157
    Originally posted by dreamscaper

    Originally posted by misterdurp


     I had a hard time liking this game, it could be cause i only did the trial, but the first impressions are usually good for depicting a games potential. First off, and i know ill be hated for this, i saw a lot of similarities between this and WoW, and i dont think WoW is the best mmo ever. Im not saying its a clone, i do believe it borrowed the good stuff from WoW and added its own rich lore/story etc. I found the combat standard, and i had my fair share of it (no i havent played WoW, only the trial) so i wasnt really thrilled, i also think the game is too much PvE oriented.
    This is of course my own opinion, and i fully respect the people who love the game, but they shouldnt avoid meaningful discussions by blocking users, we are on a forum for god sake :)

     

    Seeing posts like this drives me nuts. WoW did not invent the current MMO standards. LotRO's influence comes from EQ1, and to a greater extent, Asherion's Call 1, both of which WoW copied, not the other way around.  WoW took everything that was being done at the time and refined it, but they didn't really do much in the way of innovation when WoW was first released.



    <3

    I have played EQ 1, and ofcourse WoW copied certain things from other games, but i think that it set the standard for themepark mmos like LoTRO. I just see more similarities between WoW and Lotro then between Lotro and EQ 1, based on my own (somewhat limited) playtime. 

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

    Originally posted by dreamscaper

    Originally posted by misterdurp


     I had a hard time liking this game, it could be cause i only did the trial, but the first impressions are usually good for depicting a games potential. First off, and i know ill be hated for this, i saw a lot of similarities between this and WoW, and i dont think WoW is the best mmo ever. Im not saying its a clone, i do believe it borrowed the good stuff from WoW and added its own rich lore/story etc. I found the combat standard, and i had my fair share of it (no i havent played WoW, only the trial) so i wasnt really thrilled, i also think the game is too much PvE oriented.
    This is of course my own opinion, and i fully respect the people who love the game, but they shouldnt avoid meaningful discussions by blocking users, we are on a forum for god sake :)

     

    Seeing posts like this drives me nuts. WoW did not invent the current MMO standards. LotRO's influence comes from EQ1, and to a greater extent, Asherion's Call 1, both of which WoW copied, not the other way around.  WoW took everything that was being done at the time and refined it, but they didn't really do much in the way of innovation when WoW was first released.



    <3

    I have played EQ 1, and ofcourse WoW copied certain things from other games, but i think that it set the standard for themepark mmos like LoTRO. I just see more similarities between WoW and Lotro then between Lotro and EQ 1, based on my own (somewhat limited) playtime. 

    LOTRO and AC2. AC2 = The inspiration for most wow systems. It is also irrelevant really. A game is fun if it is fun. However fun is subjective, but is commonly agreed on.

     

    ----------
    "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

  • misterdurpmisterdurp Member Posts: 157
    Originally posted by Mrbloodworth

    Originally posted by misterdurp

    Originally posted by dreamscaper

    Originally posted by misterdurp


     I had a hard time liking this game, it could be cause i only did the trial, but the first impressions are usually good for depicting a games potential. First off, and i know ill be hated for this, i saw a lot of similarities between this and WoW, and i dont think WoW is the best mmo ever. Im not saying its a clone, i do believe it borrowed the good stuff from WoW and added its own rich lore/story etc. I found the combat standard, and i had my fair share of it (no i havent played WoW, only the trial) so i wasnt really thrilled, i also think the game is too much PvE oriented.
    This is of course my own opinion, and i fully respect the people who love the game, but they shouldnt avoid meaningful discussions by blocking users, we are on a forum for god sake :)

     

    Seeing posts like this drives me nuts. WoW did not invent the current MMO standards. LotRO's influence comes from EQ1, and to a greater extent, Asherion's Call 1, both of which WoW copied, not the other way around.  WoW took everything that was being done at the time and refined it, but they didn't really do much in the way of innovation when WoW was first released.



    <3

    I have played EQ 1, and ofcourse WoW copied certain things from other games, but i think that it set the standard for themepark mmos like LoTRO. I just see more similarities between WoW and Lotro then between Lotro and EQ 1, based on my own (somewhat limited) playtime. 

    LOTRO and AC2. AC2 = The inspiration for most wow systems. It is also irrelevant really. A game is fun if it is fun. However fun is subjective, but is commonly agreed on.

     

    100% agreed :)

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