Great review, your are saying "I bought the game for my son , and now I am going to write a review without playing it."
Originally posted by bballermc333
Ok I have not played LOTRo yet but I have read alot about it.
You know, I come to expect no less from MMORPG users; blind flames, misinterpretations, assumptions, views from people that have not even tried a game - the level of ignorance here is obscene.
No! Where did I write that I never played the game? Where did I ever write that I got the game for my son, or even that he spends a lot of time on it? All ignorant assumptions, which speak on your character and the worth of your posts. My son plays it occasionally, but I got the game for myself. I played it for several months, but now the only one to play it is my son.
And, to the guy that has not even played the game before, I started playing in beta! Why don't you try playing the game before judging someone else's review of it, for crying out loud. You are basing everything off of what you have read rather than first-hand experience?
LOTRO just wore out quickly for me. For me, player competition is always more interesting and fun than endless NPC content and, for the most part, there is very little benefit to interacting with others in LOTRO except for completing quests. Endless amounts of players rush by you without returning a single greeting.
Players are not grouping with the need to trust each other in higher level quests, they are merely grouping because the quests require multiple players to handle without extreme difficulty. When there is no freedom for betrayal, there is no chance for trust. LOTRO is a highly controlled environment, chock full of NPC content to keep you busy.
None of what I said was a blind flame, I stated that it was all from what I have read on the game, you are the first person i've seen to state that the game is a "Solo" questing/leveling game, and every other reveiw I have read on it has said that you group ALOT. You were in beta, cool dude, betas usually are not as good as the release game. The thing that set me off was the fact that you say your a Vet, the only thing I see you talk about that can be evidence that you know what your talking about is that you mention Asheron's Call considering that it is one of the most underrated MMORPGS of all time. Besides the point you have Roma Victor in your sig which is one of the worst made MMORPGs of all time. So its hard to say what you do or dont know. I highly doubt your 5 year old was able solo quests in LOTRo without your help or the help of people IG though.
I never stated my son soloed any quests, I merely stated that he plays it; that's another assumption on your part.
I am a veteran of MMOG games because I have been playing them since they existed.
As for your opinion that Roma Victor is one of the worst MMOGs ever, that is only evidence of more unfounded speculation, either that or you do not have very much knowledge of MMOGs in general. Roma Victor is one of the most advanced and complex MMOGs to date right down to its historical authenticity. The only other MMOG I would consider comparing it to is EVE Online. Yes, it does have bugs and lag, but the game design is excellent. Either way, if you don't like Roma Victor, I'm sure you will be quite happy with LOTRO.
Make sure to buy a founder's key and use it before May 24th and get possibly a lifetime of entertainment for $199; hopefully, they keep upgrading the technology every year. They are selling on ebay for as low as $4.00.
Ok I have not played LOTRo yet but I have read alot about it. First off your post is completly onesided, showing bad points of the game that are not even really true.
Well actually they ARE true - at least up to about 25 or 30. After that it supposedly gets a lot better, but I am not that far along yet.
For someone that has not played, you seem to have some strong opinions about the game. Most of the wrong,but...
He is absolutely correct when he says that there is almost no player interaction though. You don't have an MMO, you have 300,000 people soloing in an MMO playground. But even with that, it is still better than WOW...
Aside from a few quest completions, there is NO reason to ever group in this game until you hit the 30's. The xp from killing mobs sucks, the only way to level up in a reasonable time is to do every quest possible. I would guess that 90% of the xp comes just from quests.
There is no such thing as dungeon plowing except to get to the boss mob so everyone can get their quest up date. As soon as that is done, the group is gone.
The game is fun to play, has great scenery, and tons of quests. Some things are done very well. But some things, like the awful auction system, are not.
I have serious doubts about the long term playability of this game. In EQ2 I could make 5 alts, and level every one up to 50 or so and never hit the same zones or areas twice. But LOTRO is much much smaller - if you make any alts, by level 15 they will probably all be doing exactly what your previous character did, and the same quests, the same mobs.
The expansion due out in June might help, but at this point this is a pretty decent but small and limited game. Perfect for casual play, but I don't expect it will draw a lot of excitement from heavy duty players. At this time there is no end game, pretty much when you hit 50, that is it (and yest, there are some 50's already).
None of what I said was a blind flame, I stated that it was all from what I have read on the game, you are the first person i've seen to state that the game is a "Solo" questing/leveling game, and every other reveiw I have read on it has said that you group ALOT.
Well, after 3+ weeks, I have not been in a group yet, and I see very few groups except temporary ones to kill one specific mob, and those usually last 5 to 15 min max.
I don't agree with most of the original posters views, however he/she is entitled to have them. I've only been playing a week but already I've found it very entertaining and enjoyable, I am however very much a casual player who has gone to this game with 6 or so friends from other games, so I have a ready made Kinship (guild) and people to talk to straight away.
I haven't grouped with any of my Kinship however I have been invited to and enjoyed grouping with people most nights. As a Burglar and still low level I've been surprised how many higher level people are happy to help me out, in some cases people twice my level. All of my groups have lasted for at least 30mins - 1 hour with the average being around 2 hours. Yes people come and go in the groups but the fact is I remain grouped, remain chatting to people and continue having fun - isn't that the purpose of a MMORPG?
I play on the English RP server, community is fantastic and a real boon to the game, long may it continue.
I haven't enjoyed playing a game as much as this since I first logged into Ultima Online 10 years ago! (and yes I've played all the common MMORPGs as well DAOC, WOW, Horizons etc.)
I do agree that the game will need regular updates but isn't that the case with all MMORPGs? The only exception really being DAOC which seems to have gotten worse with each update!
I think everyone can agree that LOTRO is a basic run of the mill casual kids/first timer MMO.
Its not meant as an insult to say these things, its just fact. If you like playing a simple casual MMO like this, then fine have fun, but don't call people like the OP trolls for stating the truth.
i agree with the op as well. it's a kids game. it's so simple it's like playing a single player off line game. they need to make a new category for games like this...morpg leave out the massive or wait better yet orpg.
Less than a month to get to max level, with no end game content?
The only people who will play this game long term are online dabblers.
Now playing: VG (after a long break from MMORPGS) Played for more than a month: Darkfall online, Vanguard SOH, Everquest, Horizons, WoW, SWG, Everquest II, Eve
Just want to say that don't assume all "veteran" MMO players have the same taste as you
That's a fair statement, and from reading my short review, most people should come to the realization that I prefer player competition over completing NPC content.
But see, thats why your "review" doesn't work. LotR never, ever said it was going to be "competitive" or PvP based. Not once since Turbine got ahold of it in 2003 did they say anything about it being what you want. LotR's was ALWAYS from day 1 planned on being a content driven game. So...if thats you main gripe about it, then YOU picked the wrong game.
You "reviewed" for what it isn't not what it is. Sort of like saying you don't like a car because it doesn't fly or bashing on Lineage 2 because the PvE is boring.
Part of being an MMO player is having sense enough to know what type of game a new title is. Generally you find that on the game's homepage.
I've been playing the game since closed beta and I'm a "mmo vet" as well, and I also find the OP's review to be of little substance.
Player interaction is what you make of it. If you decide to play solo, that's what you get. If you look to make some new friends and form/join some fellowships, you will be able to do so. Obviously the OP (and some of the posters) need an MMO that will hold their hands so that they can make friends. *sob*
If you're into roleplaying, I have only experienced one other MMO where there was as much or more roleplaying, and that was on one of the RP servers in DAOC. There is so much roleplaying here that it is often games within a game. Again, something the OP didn't bother to try out.
PVP is currently limited, but unless the OP was in beta for a long time, he more than likely never faced another player in combat because of the level requirements to get involved in PVP. Additionally, PVP content/areas is something they will add in future updates.
Combat is most similar to combat in WoW or DAOC where some skills can be triggered at any time and some are reactive skills and so forth... with the addition of Fellowship skills which offer a HUGE amount of possibilities. Just look at the combo chart. One more thing that the OP failed to mention, or he just didn't know any better.
The OP's 5 year old could probably give a better review of this game than he did.
Love some of the other comments here though.
I can get at least 3 characters to max level in WoW in a month and some are complaining about one character at max level in LOTRO... that's hilarious.
As far as staying power, we shall see, but I doubt I would count on any of the "expert" opinions here though.
Please, don't bother commenting on a game if you only "read about it", "played it in beta" or "have a friend that plays it" because you only look like an imbecile.
I can get at least 3 characters to max level in WoW in a month and some are complaining about one character at max level in LOTRO... that's hilarious.
I call BS on this statement.. there is no way in hell you can get 3 characters to lvl 70 in a months time.. unless you are botting.. 1 character sure.. and maybe another halfway...
Not saying WoW is hard.. but lets not start talking out our butts...
LotR never, ever said it was going to be "competitive" or PvP based. Not once since Turbine got ahold of it in 2003 did they say anything about it being what you want. LotR's was ALWAYS from day 1 planned on being a content driven game. So...if thats you main gripe about it, then YOU picked the wrong game.
No I didn't. Believe it or not, I also enjoy crafting and PvM and I really like the Lord of the Rings franchise. I give every new MMOG that catches my interest a fair try, whether it's competitive or content based.
However, from my experience, ultimately nothing in the long-run compares to directly competing with other real players, whether that competition is political, economical, or combative. And there is no better game suited to take advantage of multiplayer competition than an MMOG. In order for players to seek interaction there needs be incentives to interacting or disadvantages to not interacting. In a highly protective environment there is little disadvantage to not interacting, in fact, in many cases a player can often gain more faster if they dont "waste time" interacting in such an environment. I did challenge other players to duel often, but these were frequently declined. I found LOTRO to be lacking in player interaction outside of grouping to complete NPC quests, and groups of friends external from the game, maybe it can be improved?
I've only been playing a week but already I've found it very entertaining and enjoyable, I am however very much a casual player who has gone to this game with 6 or so friends from other games, so I have a ready made Kinship (guild) and people to talk to straight away.
As a Burglar...
I had fun playing the game too, even for several months, but as I wrote earlier, with little player competition and interatction it wore out.
One of my characters is also a burglar, but what is the point of a burglar that cant burgle?
Burglar can pick pocket villain npcs. As far as "competition, that comes with Monster play , and if you give it a chance you may find it very competitive, specially if you are pvmping in full raid raid parties. Shoot, there are guys who just Monster play .
I can get at least 3 characters to max level in WoW in a month and some are complaining about one character at max level in LOTRO... that's hilarious.
I call BS on this statement.. there is no way in hell you can get 3 characters to lvl 70 in a months time.. unless you are botting.. 1 character sure.. and maybe another halfway...
Not saying WoW is hard.. but lets not start talking out our butts...
I was thinking pre-Burning Crusade, since I quit before it was released. I have no knowledge of the post-Burning Crusade game.
There were not many surprises with LOTRO, it is a highly polished fantasy MMOG aimed at the mass-market, it was apparently designed to compete with the likes of World of Warcraft, capturing the attention of the lowest common denominator in the PC games market. The reason I wanted to try the game is because of the franchise and it's legendary history.
LOTRO is mostly about completing NPC quests and experiencing loads of NPC content, a fine online RPG first and foremost. However, as a result, what I found to be seriously lacking is player interaction and competition, some of the aspects I find most important and advantageous for an MMOG. Player vs Player content is very limited. When players do interact it is usually only because they need something; something to complete an NPC quest or help in completing NPC quests. It's a leveling game where the most powerful characters are not necessarily the best skilled or strategic players, but the ones that have completed the most quests and leveled up the highest. Combat involves standing near something and merely clicking on buttons and items until it's dead.
LOTRO is a great game for kids or first-time online RPG players, my five year old plays this game. It's very linear, quest driven, and solo-player oriented. The game is definitely not a competitive massively multiplayer experience, even when compared to MMOGs of the past like, Ultima Online, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot and Star Wars Galaxies. However, it should do a good job at attracting and retaining the masses interested in dabbling in an online game. Just like WoW, it will need constant updates and expansions to hold a player's interest for the long-term.
One of the best things about the game is the founder's key. For $199 you can buy a lifetime account, with no subscription fee, that's a good deal for a highly polished MMOG, as I have no doubt the game will be around for many years
Your viewpoint is very jaded and off the mark.
My daughter, now 7, has played and can play your precious EQ1. Is it hard? No. Its time. Is DAoC hard? No. Its time (the more realm points you have the better you are, skill?) She has given EQ2 a spin, liked WoW alot but me and the wife just couldn't bear the solo/raid constant seesaw. Solo/small group not allowed epics without 324 hours doing 1 task. lol
You complain as if skill is involved with the games you listed. SWG? Get real. Asherons Call is the ONLY game that has required skill because they used real-time physics for projectiles. It wasn't target/shoot for a hit. You had to aim and lead targets. (For ranged/magic at least).
LOTRO is NOT what you described. Long-term? Try playing the game first, then, after eating your foot, try to understand the game ramps up in difficulty, going from WoW (1-20) to EQ (30+). Majority of the quests high-end are group (Fellowship). So this 'peachy keen kids game' isn't what you think it is... oddly enough.
None of what I said was a blind flame, I stated that it was all from what I have read on the game, you are the first person i've seen to state that the game is a "Solo" questing/leveling game, and every other reveiw I have read on it has said that you group ALOT.
Well, after 3+ weeks, I have not been in a group yet, and I see very few groups except temporary ones to kill one specific mob, and those usually last 5 to 15 min max.
You havent been in a group yet? However they usually last 5-15 max? You sure about that..or is that what you...heard? And there are only temporary ones? Seriously...this is a grouping game with the option to solo a large part of the first half of the levels. And groups generally do more than just one quest together. Damn near every group you join members will ask if anyone in the group wants to do whatever quest after. Thats just the way it is.
You CHOOSE to not group. I group pretty much the entire time I play...with complete strangers. Spent 2 hours in the great barrows last night with a group. This game does not FORCE you to do anything. There is a choice almost everywhere. If you choose not to do something, its not the games fault for not making you do it. And contrary to some post I've seen, finding groups in this game is so easy. Especially if you start them yourself.
TO the OP:
not really getting the whole vet's view. And why you decided not to interact or compete with others when given the option to do either. I would suggest..just my opinion here..but give the game another try this time interacting and competing with others..not because you have to, but because thats what you enjoy doing. You might be surprised at the result. I know i was.
See you in the dream.. The Fires from heaven, now as cold as ice. A rapid ascension tolls a heavy price.
Firstly, all characters are made as part of the "Free Peoples" of Middle Earth against Sauron, etc.
Secondly, once your character hits Lv 10, you can gain access to Fell Scrying Pools scattered about the game. From there, you could generate a Lv 50 monster that can be used in PVP.
I haven't tried that aspect yet since I'm still busy working on my character's own levels (Lv 15 so far) before devoting time to a monster.
"I have only two out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold." (First Lieutenant Clifton B. Cates, US Marine Corps, Soissons, 19 July 1918)
The OP pretty much sums up the game nicely. I think everyone can agree that LOTRO is a basic run of the mill casual kids/first timer MMO. Its not meant as an insult to say these things, its just fact. If you like playing a simple casual MMO like this, then fine have fun, but don't call people like the OP trolls for stating the truth.
Actually, despite my issues with the game I think you are way off the mark. There is more to this game than meets the eye in many ways.
As far as being a "kiddy game" - I think you have it confused with WOW. It *IS* a lot more casual than some games - but it also has more depth than WOW. Not near as much as EQ2 or EQ, but those games are much older.
The game does have other issues, but when I see supposed WOW "veterans" being totally lost as to what to do, that tells me something. Not sure what....
Well, after 3+ weeks, I have not been in a group yet, and I see very few groups except temporary ones to kill one specific mob, and those usually last 5 to 15 min max.
You havent been in a group yet? However they usually last 5-15 max? You sure about that..or is that what you...heard? And there are only temporary ones?
No that is NOT what I 'heard".
I am 21 now and have yet to be in a group that lasted more than 10 to 15 minutes. Form group to kill boss mob for quest, kill mob, group over.
Now there might be a reason for "real" groups at higher levels, but with the almost total lack of any reason to group prior to that, I wonder what kind of group skills most people will have.
Yes, there is PVP but there is a bit of a twist. Firstly, all characters are made as part of the "Free Peoples" of Middle Earth against Sauron, etc. Secondly, once your character hits Lv 10, you can gain access to Fell Scrying Pools scattered about the game. From there, you could generate a Lv 50 monster that can be used in PVP. I haven't tried that aspect yet since I'm still busy working on my character's own levels (Lv 15 so far) before devoting time to a monster.
To add to this...
You can choose to play a reaver (orc), blackarrow (uruk), warmaster (uruk), spider or warg that all start at level 50, all which are specialized classes and have unique abilities. You can have one of each if you'd like so you can try all of them out. You can also name that character and earn destiny points by quests or PvP kills to purchase new traits and abilities. The character is saved just like your normal character is.
As far as grouping goes, my burglar is 27 and I have no problems getting into and staying in a group to work together to complete quests. *shrug*
Well, after 3+ weeks, I have not been in a group yet, and I see very few groups except temporary ones to kill one specific mob, and those usually last 5 to 15 min max.
You havent been in a group yet? However they usually last 5-15 max? You sure about that..or is that what you...heard? And there are only temporary ones?
No that is NOT what I 'heard".
I am 21 now and have yet to be in a group that lasted more than 10 to 15 minutes. Form group to kill boss mob for quest, kill mob, group over.
Now there might be a reason for "real" groups at higher levels, but with the almost total lack of any reason to group prior to that, I wonder what kind of group skills most people will have.
The fellowship quests will really start to stack up for you now that you are above 20. Last night I was in a pickup group for about 3 hours solid in the great barrow. I have a level 23 minstrel and the rest of the group was all between 21 and 24. I managed to knock out three quests in there and i still have at least 10 fellowship quests in my tracker.
Yes, there is PVP but there is a bit of a twist. Firstly, all characters are made as part of the "Free Peoples" of Middle Earth against Sauron, etc. Secondly, once your character hits Lv 10, you can gain access to Fell Scrying Pools scattered about the game. From there, you could generate a Lv 50 monster that can be used in PVP. I haven't tried that aspect yet since I'm still busy working on my character's own levels (Lv 15 so far) before devoting time to a monster.
To add to this...
You can choose to play a reaver (orc), blackarrow (uruk), warmaster (uruk), spider or warg that all start at level 50, all which are specialized classes and have unique abilities. You can have one of each if you'd like so you can try all of them out. You can also name that character and earn destiny points by quests or PvP kills to purchase new traits and abilities. The character is saved just like your normal character is.
As far as grouping goes, my burglar is 27 and I have no problems getting into and staying in a group to work together to complete quests. *shrug*well that sounds interesting playing as a monster, kinda geting tired of WoW after playing it for since day 1 and having 4 lv caped out toons, problem is I tried finding other MMOs beside wow and for some or other reason kept coming back to WOW, seriously temted about LOTRO, another one that sounds tempting is AOC....so I decided to check forums and see the opinions of pple that are already playing it
Comments
You know, I come to expect no less from MMORPG users; blind flames, misinterpretations, assumptions, views from people that have not even tried a game - the level of ignorance here is obscene.
No! Where did I write that I never played the game? Where did I ever write that I got the game for my son, or even that he spends a lot of time on it? All ignorant assumptions, which speak on your character and the worth of your posts. My son plays it occasionally, but I got the game for myself. I played it for several months, but now the only one to play it is my son.
And, to the guy that has not even played the game before, I started playing in beta! Why don't you try playing the game before judging someone else's review of it, for crying out loud. You are basing everything off of what you have read rather than first-hand experience?
LOTRO just wore out quickly for me. For me, player competition is always more interesting and fun than endless NPC content and, for the most part, there is very little benefit to interacting with others in LOTRO except for completing quests. Endless amounts of players rush by you without returning a single greeting.
Players are not grouping with the need to trust each other in higher level quests, they are merely grouping because the quests require multiple players to handle without extreme difficulty. When there is no freedom for betrayal, there is no chance for trust. LOTRO is a highly controlled environment, chock full of NPC content to keep you busy.
None of what I said was a blind flame, I stated that it was all from what I have read on the game, you are the first person i've seen to state that the game is a "Solo" questing/leveling game, and every other reveiw I have read on it has said that you group ALOT. You were in beta, cool dude, betas usually are not as good as the release game. The thing that set me off was the fact that you say your a Vet, the only thing I see you talk about that can be evidence that you know what your talking about is that you mention Asheron's Call considering that it is one of the most underrated MMORPGS of all time. Besides the point you have Roma Victor in your sig which is one of the worst made MMORPGs of all time. So its hard to say what you do or dont know. I highly doubt your 5 year old was able solo quests in LOTRo without your help or the help of people IG though.Fifthred was the flamer.
I never stated my son soloed any quests, I merely stated that he plays it; that's another assumption on your part.
I am a veteran of MMOG games because I have been playing them since they existed.
As for your opinion that Roma Victor is one of the worst MMOGs ever, that is only evidence of more unfounded speculation, either that or you do not have very much knowledge of MMOGs in general. Roma Victor is one of the most advanced and complex MMOGs to date right down to its historical authenticity. The only other MMOG I would consider comparing it to is EVE Online. Yes, it does have bugs and lag, but the game design is excellent. Either way, if you don't like Roma Victor, I'm sure you will be quite happy with LOTRO.
Make sure to buy a founder's key and use it before May 24th and get possibly a lifetime of entertainment for $199; hopefully, they keep upgrading the technology every year. They are selling on ebay for as low as $4.00.
Well actually they ARE true - at least up to about 25 or 30. After that it supposedly gets a lot better, but I am not that far along yet.
For someone that has not played, you seem to have some strong opinions about the game. Most of the wrong,but...
He is absolutely correct when he says that there is almost no player interaction though. You don't have an MMO, you have 300,000 people soloing in an MMO playground. But even with that, it is still better than WOW...
Aside from a few quest completions, there is NO reason to ever group in this game until you hit the 30's. The xp from killing mobs sucks, the only way to level up in a reasonable time is to do every quest possible. I would guess that 90% of the xp comes just from quests.
There is no such thing as dungeon plowing except to get to the boss mob so everyone can get their quest up date. As soon as that is done, the group is gone.
The game is fun to play, has great scenery, and tons of quests. Some things are done very well. But some things, like the awful auction system, are not.
I have serious doubts about the long term playability of this game. In EQ2 I could make 5 alts, and level every one up to 50 or so and never hit the same zones or areas twice. But LOTRO is much much smaller - if you make any alts, by level 15 they will probably all be doing exactly what your previous character did, and the same quests, the same mobs.
The expansion due out in June might help, but at this point this is a pretty decent but small and limited game. Perfect for casual play, but I don't expect it will draw a lot of excitement from heavy duty players. At this time there is no end game, pretty much when you hit 50, that is it (and yest, there are some 50's already).
I haven't grouped with any of my Kinship however I have been invited to and enjoyed grouping with people most nights. As a Burglar and still low level I've been surprised how many higher level people are happy to help me out, in some cases people twice my level. All of my groups have lasted for at least 30mins - 1 hour with the average being around 2 hours. Yes people come and go in the groups but the fact is I remain grouped, remain chatting to people and continue having fun - isn't that the purpose of a MMORPG?
I play on the English RP server, community is fantastic and a real boon to the game, long may it continue.
I haven't enjoyed playing a game as much as this since I first logged into Ultima Online 10 years ago! (and yes I've played all the common MMORPGs as well DAOC, WOW, Horizons etc.)
I do agree that the game will need regular updates but isn't that the case with all MMORPGs? The only exception really being DAOC which seems to have gotten worse with each update!
The OP pretty much sums up the game nicely.
I think everyone can agree that LOTRO is a basic run of the mill casual kids/first timer MMO.
Its not meant as an insult to say these things, its just fact. If you like playing a simple casual MMO like this, then fine have fun, but don't call people like the OP trolls for stating the truth.
I agree.
This game has no staying power, like D&D online.
Less than a month to get to max level, with no end game content?
The only people who will play this game long term are online dabblers.
Now playing: VG (after a long break from MMORPGS)
Played for more than a month: Darkfall online, Vanguard SOH, Everquest, Horizons, WoW, SWG, Everquest II, Eve
But see, thats why your "review" doesn't work. LotR never, ever said it was going to be "competitive" or PvP based. Not once since Turbine got ahold of it in 2003 did they say anything about it being what you want. LotR's was ALWAYS from day 1 planned on being a content driven game. So...if thats you main gripe about it, then YOU picked the wrong game.
You "reviewed" for what it isn't not what it is. Sort of like saying you don't like a car because it doesn't fly or bashing on Lineage 2 because the PvE is boring.
Part of being an MMO player is having sense enough to know what type of game a new title is. Generally you find that on the game's homepage.
Player interaction is what you make of it. If you decide to play solo, that's what you get. If you look to make some new friends and form/join some fellowships, you will be able to do so. Obviously the OP (and some of the posters) need an MMO that will hold their hands so that they can make friends. *sob*
If you're into roleplaying, I have only experienced one other MMO where there was as much or more roleplaying, and that was on one of the RP servers in DAOC. There is so much roleplaying here that it is often games within a game. Again, something the OP didn't bother to try out.
PVP is currently limited, but unless the OP was in beta for a long time, he more than likely never faced another player in combat because of the level requirements to get involved in PVP. Additionally, PVP content/areas is something they will add in future updates.
Combat is most similar to combat in WoW or DAOC where some skills can be triggered at any time and some are reactive skills and so forth... with the addition of Fellowship skills which offer a HUGE amount of possibilities. Just look at the combo chart. One more thing that the OP failed to mention, or he just didn't know any better.
The OP's 5 year old could probably give a better review of this game than he did.
Love some of the other comments here though.
I can get at least 3 characters to max level in WoW in a month and some are complaining about one character at max level in LOTRO... that's hilarious.
As far as staying power, we shall see, but I doubt I would count on any of the "expert" opinions here though.
Please, don't bother commenting on a game if you only "read about it", "played it in beta" or "have a friend that plays it" because you only look like an imbecile.
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I call BS on this statement.. there is no way in hell you can get 3 characters to lvl 70 in a months time.. unless you are botting.. 1 character sure.. and maybe another halfway...
Not saying WoW is hard.. but lets not start talking out our butts...
No I didn't. Believe it or not, I also enjoy crafting and PvM and I really like the Lord of the Rings franchise. I give every new MMOG that catches my interest a fair try, whether it's competitive or content based.
However, from my experience, ultimately nothing in the long-run compares to directly competing with other real players, whether that competition is political, economical, or combative. And there is no better game suited to take advantage of multiplayer competition than an MMOG. In order for players to seek interaction there needs be incentives to interacting or disadvantages to not interacting. In a highly protective environment there is little disadvantage to not interacting, in fact, in many cases a player can often gain more faster if they dont "waste time" interacting in such an environment. I did challenge other players to duel often, but these were frequently declined. I found LOTRO to be lacking in player interaction outside of grouping to complete NPC quests, and groups of friends external from the game, maybe it can be improved?
I had fun playing the game too, even for several months, but as I wrote earlier, with little player competition and interatction it wore out.
One of my characters is also a burglar, but what is the point of a burglar that cant burgle?
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I call BS on this statement.. there is no way in hell you can get 3 characters to lvl 70 in a months time.. unless you are botting.. 1 character sure.. and maybe another halfway...
Not saying WoW is hard.. but lets not start talking out our butts...
I was thinking pre-Burning Crusade, since I quit before it was released. I have no knowledge of the post-Burning Crusade game.My daughter, now 7, has played and can play your precious EQ1. Is it hard? No. Its time. Is DAoC hard? No. Its time (the more realm points you have the better you are, skill?) She has given EQ2 a spin, liked WoW alot but me and the wife just couldn't bear the solo/raid constant seesaw. Solo/small group not allowed epics without 324 hours doing 1 task. lol
You complain as if skill is involved with the games you listed. SWG? Get real. Asherons Call is the ONLY game that has required skill because they used real-time physics for projectiles. It wasn't target/shoot for a hit. You had to aim and lead targets. (For ranged/magic at least).
LOTRO is NOT what you described. Long-term? Try playing the game first, then, after eating your foot, try to understand the game ramps up in difficulty, going from WoW (1-20) to EQ (30+). Majority of the quests high-end are group (Fellowship). So this 'peachy keen kids game' isn't what you think it is... oddly enough.
You havent been in a group yet? However they usually last 5-15 max? You sure about that..or is that what you...heard? And there are only temporary ones? Seriously...this is a grouping game with the option to solo a large part of the first half of the levels. And groups generally do more than just one quest together. Damn near every group you join members will ask if anyone in the group wants to do whatever quest after. Thats just the way it is.
You CHOOSE to not group. I group pretty much the entire time I play...with complete strangers. Spent 2 hours in the great barrows last night with a group. This game does not FORCE you to do anything. There is a choice almost everywhere. If you choose not to do something, its not the games fault for not making you do it. And contrary to some post I've seen, finding groups in this game is so easy. Especially if you start them yourself.
TO the OP:
not really getting the whole vet's view. And why you decided not to interact or compete with others when given the option to do either. I would suggest..just my opinion here..but give the game another try this time interacting and competing with others..not because you have to, but because thats what you enjoy doing. You might be surprised at the result. I know i was.
See you in the dream..
The Fires from heaven, now as cold as ice. A rapid ascension tolls a heavy price.
does LOTR have PVP?
Yes, there is PVP but there is a bit of a twist.
Firstly, all characters are made as part of the "Free Peoples" of Middle Earth against Sauron, etc.
Secondly, once your character hits Lv 10, you can gain access to Fell Scrying Pools scattered about the game. From there, you could generate a Lv 50 monster that can be used in PVP.
I haven't tried that aspect yet since I'm still busy working on my character's own levels (Lv 15 so far) before devoting time to a monster.
"I have only two out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold." (First Lieutenant Clifton B. Cates, US Marine Corps, Soissons, 19 July 1918)
Actually, despite my issues with the game I think you are way off the mark. There is more to this game than meets the eye in many ways.
As far as being a "kiddy game" - I think you have it confused with WOW. It *IS* a lot more casual than some games - but it also has more depth than WOW. Not near as much as EQ2 or EQ, but those games are much older.
The game does have other issues, but when I see supposed WOW "veterans" being totally lost as to what to do, that tells me something. Not sure what....
You havent been in a group yet? However they usually last 5-15 max? You sure about that..or is that what you...heard? And there are only temporary ones?
No that is NOT what I 'heard".
I am 21 now and have yet to be in a group that lasted more than 10 to 15 minutes. Form group to kill boss mob for quest, kill mob, group over.
Now there might be a reason for "real" groups at higher levels, but with the almost total lack of any reason to group prior to that, I wonder what kind of group skills most people will have.
You can choose to play a reaver (orc), blackarrow (uruk), warmaster (uruk), spider or warg that all start at level 50, all which are specialized classes and have unique abilities. You can have one of each if you'd like so you can try all of them out. You can also name that character and earn destiny points by quests or PvP kills to purchase new traits and abilities. The character is saved just like your normal character is.
As far as grouping goes, my burglar is 27 and I have no problems getting into and staying in a group to work together to complete quests. *shrug*
You havent been in a group yet? However they usually last 5-15 max? You sure about that..or is that what you...heard? And there are only temporary ones?
No that is NOT what I 'heard".
I am 21 now and have yet to be in a group that lasted more than 10 to 15 minutes. Form group to kill boss mob for quest, kill mob, group over.
Now there might be a reason for "real" groups at higher levels, but with the almost total lack of any reason to group prior to that, I wonder what kind of group skills most people will have.
The fellowship quests will really start to stack up for you now that you are above 20. Last night I was in a pickup group for about 3 hours solid in the great barrow. I have a level 23 minstrel and the rest of the group was all between 21 and 24. I managed to knock out three quests in there and i still have at least 10 fellowship quests in my tracker.
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You can choose to play a reaver (orc), blackarrow (uruk), warmaster (uruk), spider or warg that all start at level 50, all which are specialized classes and have unique abilities. You can have one of each if you'd like so you can try all of them out. You can also name that character and earn destiny points by quests or PvP kills to purchase new traits and abilities. The character is saved just like your normal character is.
As far as grouping goes, my burglar is 27 and I have no problems getting into and staying in a group to work together to complete quests. *shrug*well that sounds interesting playing as a monster, kinda geting tired of WoW after playing it for since day 1 and having 4 lv caped out toons, problem is I tried finding other MMOs beside wow and for some or other reason kept coming back to WOW, seriously temted about LOTRO, another one that sounds tempting is AOC....so I decided to check forums and see the opinions of pple that are already playing it