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Anslem
Member CommonPosts: 215
Hey there,
I continually read on the forums that LOTRO has a good community (I forget what server specifically) and am interested in giving it a try.
I know the game is free to play, but are their certain parts you have to buy to enjoy all the game has to offer? Thanks!!
Played: Ultima Online - DaoC - WoW -
Comments
"certain parts you have to buy to enjoy all the game has to offer"
LotRO's f2p is not very friendly to newcomers, there are many restrictions - though mostly all of them can be lifted with a massive grind (you can earn store currency with playing the game)
It's a fairly common advice to simply start playing, until you reach lvl30 (where the restrictions start to kick in), and if you like the game, then buying a 1month subscription. That is unlocking most of the restrictions on your account for good (as in you keep them after the sub expires), except the zones.
For the server question in the other thread: "Is it strictly enforced or are there a handful of folk who don't engage in RP but just enjoy the server?"
Landroval is a nice one, and it's not a "full" rp server since on Turbine's side rp was never a serious issue
Codies made Laurelin an official rp server, and Turbine made Landroval an "rp-encouraged" one. So it's not enforced onto anyone, you can safely go there without engaging into roleplay.
edit: but of course there are great events on Landy and lots of rp stuff with nice folks
I didn't mean not "full" rp as negative thing.
Well be aware that the community is what you can expect from a free mmo, full of annoying kids….
Step in the arena and break the wall down
The community is great. Landroval is my prefference. The reason it is not an RP enforced server is because it was decided by the RP community early on that it would be the unofficial RP server. Turbine never chose that. . they could not come along later when other people had made characters there and suddenly declare that RP is enforced. A lot of people including myself when there because of the mature community. I enjoy when people don't run around name Phat Lootz. . .but I also don't walk my horse through town. It is a nice mix.
I think it is the best F2P model going. Not sure what Meri3k is on about. I have played on other servers as well and still they had a better community than most MMOs. . I mean WoW is P2P and has crap community on many servers. . It is more about who the game appeals to.
Wa min God! Se æx on min heafod is!
Second that. I'm not quite get either that "annoying kids" comment, LotRO has maybe the most mature playerbase in mmo's, it's full with folks above 30-35, and even grandparents are fairly common among them.
Sorry, my mistake then. I've heard that it was decided it won't be an official one, but I thought the decision was made by Turbine. If it was a community decision, I think an /apologize Turbine emote is appropriate.
F2P actually improved the community in the game. It was very stuck up before, no one would ever talk outside of their guilds. Much less group. And then the same people complain about how Turbine has shifted away from grouping, even though it was their own behavior in the first place that caused it.
Not that it's much better now, most the F2P people seem to have left, it's back to the same insular bunch.. I have never played a MMORPG with a worse community, at least in terms of friendliness and openness. True, you don't get all the nonsense you find in other games, but that's because there just isn't much social interaction..
And while the game is technically "free to play", in practice, not so much. You have to start buying quests at level 32 or so (after the Lonelands) and then after 50 you need to buy expansions. Technically it's "free to play" because you can earn turbine points in game to buy those things by doing "deeds", which are sort of like achievements. Some are class based, like use a particular skill 500 or 1000 times, while others are region based - complete X amount of quests in an area, or kill X amount of critters.
The trouble is, those achievements are much, much easier in the starter regions. Like early on, you might only have to kill 30 critters for the first part of the deed (5 points), and then 60 for the second (10 points). But in later regions, it might be 120 for the first part of the deed and 240 for the second. So it's a lot more work, especially as combat gets slower the further you get into the game. Anyway, regions cost I think about 500-600 points to buy, while expansions can be 4000.
So F2P players can easily buy a couple of regions, once they get into expansion pack territory the game can be out of their reach. Especially as you also have to buy the riding skill to use mounts (95 points) and unlock other things.
R.I.P. City of Heroes and my 17 characters there
LOTRO has fewer annoying kids, and annoying people in general, than any other MMO I've played.
Also, if you want more people to chat with on a regular basis, ask someone in-game about joining the Global Looking for Fellowship (GLFF) channel.
Try brandywine or Silverlode (my current server). The game itself is great if your a lotr fan and as some have already said has a pretty nice community compared to other mmo's. Again as some others have said there is some investment for content if your into the game its worth it. I have played on and off since alpha and wouldn't ask for my money or my time back for any reason.
All that being said if you try the game and like it I suggest (This is only my opinion) you wait to find out if Turbine/WB will renew or even have the option to renew its terms of use for the LOTRO IP from the middle earth group. Before you spend a ton of cash getting into the game. There are whispers that after the WB and Tolkien fall out with the movies and other legal issue they may or may not have the option to renew at all. (the renewal comes up in 2014)
As to closing down, this link has the community manager's answer, for what that's worth:
https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?519733-At-what-point-in-2014-does-LOTROs-license-with-Middle-Earth-Enterprises-run-out&highlight=lotro+expire+2014
Yeah, like I said, for what it's worth!
Thanks so much for the tips.
Giving it and Vanguard a try this week between Turkey Day festivities.
Played: Ultima Online - DaoC - WoW -
Hope you enjoy it! LOTRO has the best in game and forum community I have ever been a part of.
What happens when you log off your characters????.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFQhfhnjYMk
Dark Age of Camelot
Just adding another boost for LOTRO and its community. I remember my first day in game and saw real advice being given in the /Advice channel. Then a little while later I saw someone freely give out armor and weapons. Coming from WoW, it was an amazing thing to see.
Apart from a great community, LOTRO also has an epic story, a great method for making you an essential part of that story, some of the very best music in an mmorpg and a truly fabulous environmental art team. I hope you enjoy your time in Middle Earth!