lord of the rings online ... beta?

thanto

I just got an email invite from fileplanet for the Lord of the Rings Online Beta that is apparently going on now.  As in, right now, this year, 2010.

http://www.fileplanet.com/promotions/lotro-beta/

Is Fileplanet just ridiculously slow?  Or why the hell is LOTRO having a beta after being in release status for years?

miagisan

they are introducing a hybrid pay system, hence the beta

 

http://www.lotro.com/news/709-announcing-the-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-move-to-free-to-play-

kaiser3282

You must have missed the memo (well the thousands of them over the past few months). LOTRO is going F2P, and theyre doing a beta of the F2P version / model before it goes live.

thanto

I saw that they're going F2P, but I don't see how a change in the payment model necessitates a beta.  What exactly needs to be tested?  All of the core gameplay is already in.  The only change is some cash shop items.

miagisan

still gotta test if the payment system, in game system, item system works and if the items are over powering or what not.

Swanea

When I got the beta thingy from TUrbine, it said my account must be active to play the beta....<.<.

kaiser3282

There might be very little to test for subscribers, as much of the game will remain the same to them. But for the F2P people, they need to make extensive changes to things because of the limits they are putting on F2P such as not being able to access certain quests / content. Also, havent been in it myself so perhaps someone else knows better, but i would assume they will be revamping quite a bit of content, especially in the starter / lowbie areas for the F2P people.

Philby

Originally posted by Swanea

When I got the beta thingy from TUrbine, it said my account must be active to play the beta....<.<.

A friend of mine was beta testing the game and had only played the trial once. He did play DDO and had purchased some things in the item shop so maybe that is why he got in?