It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Let me start off by saying the game world looks beautiful, and overall the graphics are very nice. Gameplay is fairly fun, and crafting is kind of neat. I'm not a diehard LoTR fan, but I am a fan, enjoying the books and movies, so I like the idea of playing a game set in Middle Earth. I haven't played the game for very long, only seeing a couple characters up to around level 12, so I surely haven't see all there is to offer yet.
My problem/concern is with a lack of the Spectacular so far. I play computer games to see my characters do incredible things. Although Middle Earth is a cool setting, it's also a very tame setting when it comes to magic and incredible feats. This is reflected in the small amount of classes available, the lack of magic, and the lack of grand special effects (that I've encountered so far at least).
I'm worried that since the Middle Earth setting generally restricts really cool effects and stuff to just a select few main characters (Gandalf, Sauron, etc.), and everyone else is just ordinary people with various talents, that I'll never fully feel like my character can do really cool things. I'm worried that at higher levels I'll be doing the same simple attack animations with weapons that look nearly identical to my level 1 animations and weapons.
Can anyone that has seen some higher level content explain what combat is like later on? Do characters eventually start to look a little bit powerful and/or unique, or are they limited to "normal" looking equipment of just better stats? Does combat become more exciting visually, or do characters just do the same animations with more damage? Do Loremasters ever start to have cool looking spell effects, or are they limited to just chucking some burning herbs at enemies?
Although I like the game, I'm just not sure how long it would hold my interest if there's a significant lack of the Spectacular that you see in every other MMORPG. So can anyone that's experienced higher level content soothe any of my fears, or confirm them? I'm teetering on the decision to do the lifetime subscription.. hehe. Thanks!
Comments
Okay, I know you're not a die-hard fan or anything but did you see random magical people shooting fireballs out of their butts in the movies? Newp. If they did the whole War of the Ring would have gone a lot simpler.
Even Gandalf rarely used his powers, because he wasn't really... supposed to.. when the maiar were sent to guide the peoples of Middle Earth they were told to follow some certain guidelines. The common lamen in middle-earth has no real knowledge of magic besides the dark stuff that happens from Angmar, Minas Morgul, Mordor etc. and perhaps the tricky elves. Just be lucky that there's a lore master class, in my opinion that even pushes the boundries a little bit. The reason why I've never played WoW is because there are mages and crap like that, I'm definately not too much into magic and I love Tolkiens world of restricted magic, (moreover the magic of will and determination) and there being very few wizards. Trust me, if everyone was going around doing feats of magic in your daily life would you deem it as spectacular? Or would you call something spectacular when it's a one-in-a-million occurance such as seeing the power of a wizard such as Saruman.
That's correct but having said that,then later on 6 string Fellow maneuvres (conjunctions) can get pretty impressive.
It's pretty complex and you need some training with your group to make the correct maneuvres.
I'm both happy and sad that middle earth is so low on spells because it makes combat more interesting with spells flying all over,but on the other hand i'm happy about it because then it does not lag up my PC
___________________________________________
Thanks for your input, Irocz350. I mentioned in my original post that I understood Middle Earth is a low-magic setting and that since I've read the books and such I know that everybody doesn't have fireballs flying out of their rear ends. Nor would I expect that in a game based on Middle Earth. However, since it's a visual game I would hope that combat wouldn't look boring. Since I've only seen up to level 12 (so far combat looks pretty boring compared to other games) I was wondering if at higher levels combat starts to look more visually appealing. It's a game, not a book, so I'd think Turbine could put SOME artistic emellishments into their product to make it appealing to the eye. Again, I don't expect nuclear explosions, but SOME neat looking effects would be nice.
Virtuella, thank you, that's the sort of input I was looking for. A bit more constructive. I've attempted to find screenshots or videos of combat, but anything I see tends to be just a character standing in a battle pose. Now I have noticed various screenshots showing special effects caused by the monsters. That's promising at least.
Has anyone played a Loremaster to higher levels and is able to share with us how their spells look later on? I hope they get cooler looking than that first little fire spell they get. Looks like he's packing a snowball or something and chucking a pebble at them. Yes yes, Irocz350, I know nobody in the books were shooting balls of flame from their rears.
Think that is one area that can be chalked up as personal preference, the ability to just look at the screen and see the beauty and hard work someone has done for this game, it just amazing. It very rarely looks like someone just placed random trees here and there , it looks and feels like every tree grew there, every tree belongs where it belongs, again it is just one of those little things that really catches my eye and really just immerses me into the game.
who me ?
Yeah, the world IS quite awesome to look at. It's so good that it MIGHT be enough to make me ignore boring combat visuals. I'm still trying to decide.
But If you play through the beta and just decide on your own, that is the only way
who me ?
Been in the beta since the beginning....
To be honest, I can understand where you are coming from. I think some are reading too much into what you are asking.
However, no it doesn't really get any better. It is pretty much the same and not much spectacular animations nor any other effects to show any diversity. Infact if you really give it a lot of thought, the sound effects itself could add to the combat to make it seem more alive. I think that is really what is missing and would make up for some of the mild effects that are in combat.
If you really pay attention during combat you will notice that most of the sounds you hear are from the hitting/striking. Most sounds are just the sounds of the striking the object. You don't ever really hear any sounds of the life of the critter (example, no buzzing sound from the flying insects) no pain sounds or even death sounds. If you do, it is very rare or mildly placed. (example, the boar death sound and animations). Not only it is the only one that has anything close to what it should be, it is still mild and has no other diversification. It would be much better if it had more animations like other MMO's, like 3 different types of death animations and 3 types of death sounds. Most other combats with life in game doesn't come close as good as the boar. Turbine has a a lot of work to do in this area.
If they just added a LOT more sound during combat, it would bring it to life. However, I do agree if they also added more visual effects to combat it would enhance it dearly. With both happening it would hit it great and bring Eriador to LIFE. However, I feel it is really missing in this department and I am sure this will be one of the major complaints when everyone sits back and gives it a lot of thought of why it seems so dry, empty and just lack of excitement in the long run.
Other than that, LotRo is going to be a great game. But I think I've had enough of it and don't really have a desire to play anymore. I just reformatted my system and I gave it a final thought. Not only to not reinstall it, but also I think I am going to hold off to see if a lot more has changed after release, say like maybe 6 months I suppose. It just feels too dry to me now and believe it or not, I have more desire to go back to VGSoH (strange huh?). But I don't think I will do that either, honestly. I think I am done with MMO's for now, especially ever since UO, AC and EQ it seems no matter what, these MMO's are nothing more than a level grinding hobby to get to the max level with no true means of RPG, but just for the sake of numbers and stats. For now I'm going to go play some more of TESIV, Gothic 3, NwN2 and wait for Crysis & Quakewars. I think I'm done with this MMO crap.
Enjoy and don't let this genre make you feel MMO gaming is a waste of time like I have gotten to.
Man, and in NwN2 I Never have felt like this. MMO's seem too duped these days. It feels too much like a level racing game rather than a role playing game.
I'm out of here...Maybe Heros Journey will bring me back.... Later all. Good luck....
The game has much more eye candy as you level in the game. While it won't have the "spectacular" effects of say, WoW, there are some very interesting effects in higher levels that mobs and characters have. As someone said, the conjunctions in fellowships are quite eye catching.
Some of the armors in higher levels are quite beautiful, along with weapons that have some really neat particle effects.
It all depends on how important flashy effects are to you. For me... the effects are just right... enough eye candy to say "oh cool!", yet not so much that I get a headache after an hour of playing.
My characters actually feel powerful when I play LOTRO... much different than some other MMO's I've played in the past.
_________________________________
JonMichael
Currently: AION, an MMO Beta under NDA
Played: WAR, LOTRO, Hellgate: London, CoX, GW, SotNW, DAOC, EQ2, SWG, WoW, AO, Horizons, Second Life, There, TSO
Beta'd: There, Second Life, EQ2, DAOC:LotM, LOTRO, Tabula Rasa, Gods and Heroes, Hellgate: London, Requiem:Bloodymare, AoC, WAR, DDO, Fallen Earth