First impressions of LOTRO

vinceh · May 2007

So I ran out to futureshop, bought my copy of LOTRO for $49.99CAD (that's really expensive in my opinion for a retail copy that doesn't even come with a free month of game-play), and drove home to get started on my adventures in middle-earth!

Before I get into the actual game, I'd like to mention I'm not a Lord of the Rings fan, but I don't hate it either. I've never read the books, but I've seen a movie or two, and I am generally interested in the concept and storyline. I bought this game simply out of curiosity and boredom of other MMOs (EQ2, WoW, blah blah).

Anywho, going back on track, I payed for my first month and logged on and created my first character. I decided to make a Female Elven Lore-Master out of random-sakes, and right off the bat I noticed the female elves are ugly. The facials you put together on the models never seem to work with each other and you always end up getting a face that looks uptight or just plain weird. That didn't bother me too much.

So I log in, and I take a look at the graphics: They're pretty decent. But to me I think they lack the "Lord of the Rings" feel. It's hard to explain, but that's not what concerns me about the graphics. I lag. I just bought my computer less than 2 months ago and it's pretty up to date but somehow when I play the game, I kind of do this lag-back type of thing. I'm not sure whether it's just the crappy models for the female elves or whatever, but the game doesn't feel "smooth" enough unless I have the graphics setting at "Low".

The quests and Instances are fun, they follow a good storyline and some of them are actually worth reading along with the quest (some quests are like, kill 6 of this, gather 10 of that). So I did the intro instances and thought to myself, "Not bad, I'm not bored yet". I gained a few levels and earned some new skills and even got a pet, cool.

At this point (about an hour or so into the game), however, nothing really grabbed on to me. Everything was mediocre.

To me, a good MMO has to be able to grab the user's interests right off the bat, so they will keep playing. I mean, I walk around kind of glitching back and forth sometimes, especially around cliffs and what not, and I'm using my one nuke over and over again, I can't jump around and cast my instant cast spells, and I'm level 7 without a new nuke? I'm going to keep playing this game for a bit, and see if anything outstanding comes to my attention, for this is just my "first impressions" of the game.

Final Verdict:

Good graphics, but laggy and glitchy and some of the models

Quests/Instances are cool, content is reliable

Game-play is repetitive, my cat can probably learn to press 1 over and over again

Community is...non-existent? I saw a few OOC comments made by some 10 year olds, but I was never able to chat with anyone the whole time I was playing, let alone trying to get a group going

Is this game worth my money? I don't know yet, I'm waiting to see if this game lives up to it's hype, so far I must say it's a game for more casual players who are not willing to go hardcore.

-Vin

free2kill · May 2007

you didnt get your first month free?? i think you need to look again bud.....on the back of my game box it states that the first 30 days free....you may have to set up your credit/debit card but they dont take any money until the following month....

vinceh · May 2007

Hey, will you look at that, in this tiny box on the back on the game I see the little fine print, "30 Days of FREE play". Doh *smacks forehead*

Mukluk · May 2007

Hey dude did you get a musical instrument and go play with some peeps, or join a guild

And also whats ure computer specs

Meridion · May 2007

You know that a lore-master isn't supposed to be a nuker, right? Lore-Master is not a dps and not a mage-equivalent class. There are no mages in LotRO, the only nuker (with a little over average DPS) is the hunter. That is because LotROs class system keeps to Tolkien Lore, where there is practically no open magic, only some alchemic tricks....

So if you don't like it, yay, just spent 50 bucks for nothing, how bout informing yourself in advance???

Meridion

Cerion · May 2007

If you prefer playing a nuke class, I would suggest giving the Hunter a try. You'll have a little more variety to start with, but it sort of evens out. Whereas the Loremaster as a Crowd Control specialist starts out slow, but becomes more interesting as you group at higher levels.

CognetoJoe · May 2007

I'm a hunter, and love it

I'm a roll a guardian soon though

Meridion · May 2007

Bard is the wet dream of any heal-class-player btw. You can solo as a healer, you can heal as a melee class, aaand, you finally don't have to play a stupid mystical spiritual leader class. No more Priest, Shaman, Fury, Cleric, Monk, whatever... Finally SOMEONE realized that healers are not automatically mystical long-haired pot smoking voodoo healers or sparkling white robe wearing altruists. FINALLY someone lets me play a non divine-magic healer... That's one of so many great advantaged in LotRO. Story-Tellers have finally come home *yay*

Meridion

Sovrath · May 2007

Originally posted by vinceh

so far I must say it's a game for more casual players who are not willing to go hardcore.

-Vin

Well, that IS it's hype.

It's not a hardcore game. At all. It is a casual player's game.

They did make the elves a bit uptight but they are supposed to be haughty. Though I agree they could have done more with the female elves.

Game picks up in late teens especially when t he epic quests start becoming interesting.

In short though, given what you said in the quote above, this is not your game.

blaam · May 2007

[quote] That is because LotROs class system keeps to Tolkien Lore, where there is practically no open magic, only some alchemic tricks....[/quote]

i dont know where you get that from. may i suggest you to read the book as well as the Silmarion ? there is magic in lotr, its just not as people are used to it.Maybe that what you mean by "no open magic" but the Tolkien lore is filled and actually based on magic.

Sovrath · May 2007

Originally posted by blaam

[quote] That is because LotROs class system keeps to Tolkien Lore, where there is practically no open magic, only some alchemic tricks....[/quote]

i dont know where you get that from. may i suggest you to read the book as well as the Silmarion ? there is magic in lotr, its just not as people are used to it.Maybe that what you mean by "no open magic" but the Tolkien lore is filled and actually based on magic.

That is what he means. not that there is no magic but you don't have people walking down the street with stars and moons on their robes, a small demon on their shoulders and glowing eyes.

Everything is subtle in LOTRO and that bothers some players who want more pyrotechnics.

Meridion · May 2007

Right, that's what I meant, as you actually got that initially, why bother flaming

vinceh · May 2007

That's interesting, how there are no actual "nuking" class in this game. When I first created my LM, I had this picture of me running in the fields and AoEing the crap out of everything like Gandalf did a few times, haha. Too much movies for me. So basically the highest dps class is hunter? Maybe this isn't the game for me, but I'd like to keep playing since I already payed for it and no other games interest me right now. Thanks for the heads up!

-Vin

alderdale · May 2007

Hey Vin I totally agree with you on the weird graphics lag.

And to everyone that wants to ask "Whats your system spec??" Dont bother. This is not a system spec issue as I like Vin have a very high end system. But just to confirm. AMD 64 x 2 5400 CPU 4 gigs of memory with a 6800 GTS card. With graphics turned all the way DOWN to LOW, there is a wierd stuttering that occurs as graphics load as you move through towns or just looking around actually. So one minute the game is running fluid as can be then theres just these random hicups that are just annoying, and to me unacceptable. It has nothing to do with how many players are around as they give you options to deal with this, it has to do with the way the graphics engine handles textures and lighting Im sure. I have 4 gigs of memory and the game refuses to use more than 1.1. It prefers to instead constantly load game data and purge depending on where your looking which I believe is the cause of this problem. If the game utilized availabe memeory better I think this problem would go away for people with high end systems.

Allot of people wont noice I suppose if they have lower end systems cause their seeing allot of performance lag in generally but people with high end systems will notice the game jerking around allot as you move.

Talyn · May 2007

Originally posted by vinceh
That's interesting, how there are no actual "nuking" class in this game.
So basically the highest dps class is hunter?

Read the class descriptions when you roll a character. The "nuker" class is the Hunter, it even says so. DPS possibly would be the Champion's territory?

Meridion · May 2007

Gandalf acually does WAY more "melee damage" in the Books than magic. Well, anyways... classes

Champion = DPS /Offtank if needed

Hunter = Nuker, assist DPS, Support Crowd Control

Captain = Buffer, Support Crowd Control

Rogue = Debuffer, assist DPS

Guardian = Tank

Lore-Master = Crowd Control, gimmick support

Minstrel = Healer, Support Buffer

As you can see, there is no distance DPS class which makes group playing refreshingly more like a battle and less like a "tank front, DPS range, healers ultrarange" 3-wave-formation...

M1sf1t · May 2007

These are the roles each class plays in order of what they can do from the best to worst.

Guardian = Main Tank / Melee DPS

** Only true MT class in the game **

Champion = AOE Melee Nuker / Melee DPS / Off Tank

Hunter = Single target Range Nuker / Range DPS

** Champions and Hunters are the top tier dps classes **

Burglar = Debuffer / Crowd Control / Melee DPS

Lore Master = Crowd Control / Debuffer / Magic and Pet DPS / Healer

Capitan = Buffer / Off Tank / Melee and Pet DPS / Healer

** Burglar is a the primary debuffer in the game. Captains are the primary buffers. Lore Masters are the best Crowd Controling class in the game. **

Minstril = Healer / Buffer / Melee DPS

** The minstril is the only true healer type in the game and the best healer.**

M1sf1t · May 2007

Originally posted by vinceh
That's interesting, how there are no actual "nuking" class in this game. When I first created my LM, I had this picture of me running in the fields and AoEing the crap out of everything like Gandalf did a few times, haha. Too much movies for me. So basically the highest dps class is hunter? Maybe this isn't the game for me, but I'd like to keep playing since I already payed for it and no other games interest me right now. Thanks for the heads up!
-Vin

Are you being sarcastic ? Gandalf never ever went around nuking stuff. Any magic he did use was mostly very limited or discrete.

vinceh · May 2007

Originally posted by M1sf1t

Originally posted by vinceh

That's interesting, how there are no actual "nuking" class in this game. When I first created my LM, I had this picture of me running in the fields and AoEing the crap out of everything like Gandalf did a few times, haha. Too much movies for me. So basically the highest dps class is hunter? Maybe this isn't the game for me, but I'd like to keep playing since I already payed for it and no other games interest me right now. Thanks for the heads up!
-Vin

Are you being sarcastic ? Gandalf never ever went around nuking stuff. Any magic he did use was mostly very limited or discrete.

I remember Gandalf pulling a magic nuke or two in the movies if I'm not mistaken. That is if you call a big blinding light that owns everything a AoE nuke.

But anyways, an update for my gaming experience on LOTRO.

I decided to make a Champion to see what it's like to playing a different class. So I made my Race of Man Champion and logged in. Does anyone else dislike the way the models do a half-glitch thingy when we jump? It's like we jump..but never do a smooth landing, you kind of just reappear on the ground (reminds me of Family Guy). I put out a lot more dps than I do with the LM, which bothers me. I can wear better armour than the LM, I have more HP then the LM, I have more dps-output than the LM, I just don't have debuffs and a crappy pet. I'm thinking the LMs role in this game comes in the later levels where the mobs actually take time to kill? I'm liking my Champion though, I can take on 2 white mobs at a time no problem and have little downtime. I will keep you guys updated if this thread continues. Thanks!

-Vin

vinceh · May 2007

Originally posted by alderdale

Hey Vin I totally agree with you on the weird graphics lag.
And to everyone that wants to ask "Whats your system spec??" Dont bother. This is not a system spec issue as I like Vin have a very high end system. But just to confirm. AMD 64 x 2 5400 CPU 4 gigs of memory with a 6800 GTS card. With graphics turned all the way DOWN to LOW, there is a wierd stuttering that occurs as graphics load as you move through towns or just looking around actually. So one minute the game is running fluid as can be then theres just these random hicups that are just annoying, and to me unacceptable. It has nothing to do with how many players are around as they give you options to deal with this, it has to do with the way the graphics engine handles textures and lighting Im sure. I have 4 gigs of memory and the game refuses to use more than 1.1. It prefers to instead constantly load game data and purge depending on where your looking which I believe is the cause of this problem. If the game utilized availabe memeory better I think this problem would go away for people with high end systems.
Allot of people wont noice I suppose if they have lower end systems cause their seeing allot of performance lag in generally but people with high end systems will notice the game jerking around allot as you move.

Thanks alder. You get used to it after a while, but if I didn't get the random "hiccups" as alder calls them, I think my gaming experience would rise dramatically since I am big fan of "OooOoo, look at these nice smooth graphics!". This graphics engine sucks, which is a shame too, because you'd think a game like this (where a big part of it's customers are generally LOTR fans) would put more effort on developing a decent graphics engine to try to duplicate the imagery you get when you read the books or even when you watch the the movies.

-Vin

dand3 · May 2007

Originally posted by vinceh

Originally posted by alderdale

Hey Vin I totally agree with you on the weird graphics lag.
And to everyone that wants to ask "Whats your system spec??" Dont bother. This is not a system spec issue as I like Vin have a very high end system. But just to confirm. AMD 64 x 2 5400 CPU 4 gigs of memory with a 6800 GTS card. With graphics turned all the way DOWN to LOW, there is a wierd stuttering that occurs as graphics load as you move through towns or just looking around actually. So one minute the game is running fluid as can be then theres just these random hicups that are just annoying, and to me unacceptable. It has nothing to do with how many players are around as they give you options to deal with this, it has to do with the way the graphics engine handles textures and lighting Im sure. I have 4 gigs of memory and the game refuses to use more than 1.1. It prefers to instead constantly load game data and purge depending on where your looking which I believe is the cause of this problem. If the game utilized availabe memeory better I think this problem would go away for people with high end systems.
Allot of people wont noice I suppose if they have lower end systems cause their seeing allot of performance lag in generally but people with high end systems will notice the game jerking around allot as you move.

Thanks alder. You get used to it after a while, but if I didn't get the random "hiccups" as alder calls them, I think my gaming experience would rise dramatically since I am big fan of "OooOoo, look at these nice smooth graphics!". This graphics engine sucks, which is a shame too, because you'd think a game like this (where a big part of it's customers are generally LOTR fans) would put more effort on developing a decent graphics engine to try to duplicate the imagery you get when you read the books or even when you watch the the movies.

-Vin

Something's wrong somewhere. I play almost hitch free if I turn off names in cities; my settings are typically very high, with shadows turned off, but max draw distance. All I have is a 2.6GHz Pentium 4, 2G RAM, and a 7800GS AGP card, ~= to a 7600GT. 1280 X 960. XP on Raptor, LotRO on older 7800 RPM drive. One of the distinctive things about LotRO is that it is very forgiving of older machines. Perhaps something as simple as a defrag? Often hitching is caused by the time taken to pull many files off the Hard Drive.

You might find this worth discussing in the tech forums.

M1sf1t · May 2007

Originally posted by vinceh
Originally posted by M1sf1t

Originally posted by vinceh
That's interesting, how there are no actual "nuking" class in this game. When I first created my LM, I had this picture of me running in the fields and AoEing the crap out of everything like Gandalf did a few times, haha. Too much movies for me. So basically the highest dps class is hunter? Maybe this isn't the game for me, but I'd like to keep playing since I already payed for it and no other games interest me right now. Thanks for the heads up!
-Vin
Are you being sarcastic ? Gandalf never ever went around nuking stuff. Any magic he did use was mostly very limited or discrete.
I remember Gandalf pulling a magic nuke or two in the movies if I'm not mistaken. That is if you call a big blinding light that owns everything a AoE nuke.

This game is based on the books not the movies. Your post automagically ( yeah that's sarcasm ) proves my point. Gandalf's movie "nukes" are Peter Jackson's special effects and his rewriting of LOTR to suite his own vision apart from Tolkien's original work and vision.

Also 2 flashy spell effects in the books/movies that spans many months ( if not years ) does not = WoW's mad hopping "ZOMG ARCAN3z EXPL0ZION LoLz".

As for Champs vs Lore Masters. At "end game" levels I'll wager good money that you'll see a glut of Champs and Hunters. Where as Minstrels, Lore Masters, Burglars and Captains will always have a spot in a group because of what they bring to a group. Which is either improving and buffing dps or debuffing, CC'ing and negating enemy dps/buffs.

Also a Champ's weak points are their low morale compared to other classes that can tank, dependence on the fervor skill which removes your ability to parry or block attacks, lack of taunting ability if put into a off-tank situation. Which means you have to front load dps damage to gain aggro and that means you'll need to depend on the afore mentioned fervor skill to gain enough fervor to front load your damage.

Lack of buffs, debuffs, CC, limited self healing skill and lowered single target damage when compared to hunters is also a minus.

So yeah you get heavy armor + great AOE damage + okay single target damage and a single self heal but that's about it. There are many situations where you will get hit hard and have no way to mitigate that damage besides the use of armor. This can be very painful in regards to magic based damage used by certain NPC's or when you must build fervor quick and thus have to use the fervor skill but are getting hammered at the same time. In boss fights where a boss hits very hard that fervor skill will get you killed fast if left on and you get the big guy's attention. So yes there are down sides to Champs.

Meridion · May 2007

As a minstrel, I tell you ONE thing. Champions are SO overcrowded the hunter in WoW is a joke. Every 14 year-old kid wants to play a champion... followed by an army of Legolass, Leggolas, Legholas, xXLegolasXx, Legolas93,94,95, - Hunters... (which leaves me able to chose a Legolas81 anytime, now one of my age would chose that name anyways

)

then, there is silence, and a huuuuuuge gap. Then you have Guardians, gap, Loremasters/Captains and on the low end minstrels.

So basically Loremaster is the better choice if you enjoy the class. And as group challenges get more and more complicated, people are no longer storming instances with 2 champs, 2 hunters, a guardian and a minstrel - plainly because its not very efficient and ultimately a healing desaster for the minstrel. So what WILL happen is that the air for champs and hunters will eventually get very thin...

Meridion

labg11 · May 2007

In my humble opinion, being a fan of Tolkien, the game is an amazingly well worked out piece of jewelry.

Let's get started with Tolkien 101.

World building: Fell free to take a map of middle earth and compare it to the game, even tho the game map is somewhat scales down (it must be because of distance/time actually walking from one place to another), the accuracy is amazing, not just topographic, if u read closely the book u'll find places named on the books that are there in the game, not the big boom spots to kill or where the main story evolves, i mean more subtle places, like ruins to the north from the lost kingdom of arnor, rivers, waterfalls, etc. Another thing to point out is the accuracy of the buildings located over the current extension of the map, how hobbit houses vary from one location to another as they go east, how the man kind frotress of the second age were built, the oesternesse style lies around everywhere on those. the roads, the path, hell even the type of trees.

Models (avatars): The race of Elves, depends on their origin place, (u can change that on the lower left corner of the character creation screen) adopt different styles, why??, well because of where they came from, remember the elves are not humans they are the first borns (and hell at least they are not purple like in world of boredom, so dont' get me the models are ugly crap, try to create a character over wow and then talk), they most certainly not have to look like one, DO NOT, and i will stress this many times, find ur source of information on the movies, go to literature. Elves of the continental middle earth came from 3 houses, reffer to the silmarillion to get more info. Now getting to the point avatars are extremely well done according to tolkien vision including the difference of mans of rohan, gondor, bree, the hobbits from different locations etc.

Classes: i almost jump in joy when i realized that this was not another tipical tank/dps/nuke/healer game, hell even the buffs-debuffs, magic, heals, strikes, arrow skills... are extremely well placed, first of all u have to understand that u DO NOT die u loose our morale therefor u retreat to a safer place. Second all the abilities are real in means that u will not find a character that can conjure a giant fireball upon a foe because he just want, or magically do a poison wound out of nowhere, nor fire a magical arrow that will put the mob running up and down. Focus in morale.

Take for example the bard(ministrel) he gives u hope he gives u a will to achieve things u'll not do by yourself he's there to inspire you.

The lore master is there to take advantage of the knowledge he uses things around to distract the and harm foes, it is as simple as brains over stregth.

The captain leads and exalt the group when enemies are defeated giving courage to keep on.

The hunter is a precise well oiled machine that will strike foes in key places.

The burglar is a sneaky fellow that strikes in key moments with surprise and also uses things to incapacitate the foes and give benefits to the fellowship.

The guardian is a though bone that will stand the comes and goes of blows based in his thoughness.

The campion is a man of arms, he's just the top of weapon skills, raining down dmg here and there.

So get ur overated concept of other mmorpg out of your brains and consider this is a more realistic way to play a character, ur not raising a god he's just a tiny thing in a world that needs to do his job well when asked. Realize that courage, cunning and skills were the weapons of the free ppl also remember that fear takes a great place among any fellowship in this game (not a mithical debuff that does 400 dps just because).

All this written above fits in tolkien's view and hell he'll be proud i guess if he lived till this day.

Now out of tolkien and digging some echnical aspects of the game. U complained about the engine, sigh... or u need to get a better comp or buy glasses i think i readed somewhere that the engine was the one of call of duty 3 (don't flame me if i'm wrong). Lag, hell yeah over tows, it's a server issue i guess, hope it gets fixed soon, out of the tows, i've never experienced lag and i don't have an uber system (playing in high settings with antisotropic and some changes to view distances, u can say i'm playing in high+ settings).

Ther's some thing about UI that needs improving but so far i haven't been able to find a thing that pissed me off about the game...let' sremember that most of games UI improvements comes from dedicated ppl who makes add ons (cheers to them), so is just a matter of time.

Hope the post enligth a few and get the book and read it not just the lord of the rings, the silmarillion is quite intresting for the players of this game. Take advantage the fact that this is the first mmorpg with a real fundamental history, the middle earth actually is part of a world, the stars above u in the game have names, there are more than just what u can see.

C'ya.

*excuse any mistake and/or typing errors*

vinceh · May 2007

I'm not going to argue with any of you LOTR fans about the lore, and I don't think I've complained about it either (I hope not directly anyways). I've been doing some reading over some other LOTRO forums and found people with graphics glitches tend to have Core 2 Duo (Dual Core) Systems. Now I used to be a big hardware guy, not so much anymore. But to my understanding, I heard Dual Core systems don't tend to run games all that well nowadays. That's why people who have older systems are not complaining (?).

After playing for 2 full days or so, I must say the Quest content is pretty well done. I'm finding myself constantly referring to my log to take a look at what to do next, and I've never actually had to "Grind", which is perfect. This keeps me playing and doesn't allow me to get bored.

However, from my experience so far, I feel this game really lacks community. Maybe I haven't hit the "big towns", but so far there's seldom any occasion where I will actually have a conversation with someone. Sometimes if I think I need a fellowship for a quest, I post in LFF or OOC, and try to find a group there. Only once out of the 15 times I posted got a reply, and by that time I was already finished the quest. Half the time I just show up at the quest "Area" and there's people whacking away at the "boss", and you somehow manage to get the quest completed one way or another.

One other thing I've noticed is the UI. It generally bothers me, how you can't customize certain aspects. True, you can move it around, make the chat box bigger, etc, but I could not find a "scale" button. At one point, I wanted to test the game out in windowed mode, but I was sadly disappointed. The UI seemed to have stayed the same size (not relative to the actual resolution), and my screen just got squishier.

Also, at what point can you actually start customizing your character more than just, "Choose 1 or two traits from finishing deeds"? I can't help but think there are thousands of others who have the exact character as me, with subtle differences that don't even matter. I only look different from the armour I wear.

The minimap is also pretty crappy, no real customization there either; can't zoom in/out, take off certain name floating icons...

Anywho, that's enough ranting for today.

Mordith · May 2007

I thought it was strange that the OP stated that he/she never read the books and saw a movie or two but that the game lacked a lord of the rings feel. /boggle

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