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I mean really, is it that bad?
UbinusCol
Member Posts: 30
Hello fellow MMOers. I have a concern to raise about some of the comments I've read; but first, I want to inform you a little about myself because I feel that this way the feedback I'll get would be more appropriate.
I'm kind of bad MMOer. Not bad in a sense that I don't find MMOs appealing, but bad in the following ways:
1.) I get the whole grass-is-greener thing A TON, whether it's when I start a toon and then get cold feet about it (after which I start another, and maybe another, and maybe another still), or if I read about a game and quite a few people begin to bash it and I lose confidence in it's playability
2.) I like to start fresh a hell of a lot, which kind of goes with the first point, and so I usually delete a lot of the toons that I don't play in a while
3.) As much as I'd like to, I've never become a hardcore, know-it-all gamer with outstanding stats and equipment (unless you count Diablo 2, which I love but will never play again).
So, my concern is with the stuff I've been reading about how LOTRO is an easy MMO, one that's for the "casual" gamer (in other words, someone who's largely incompetent or impatient when it comes to MMOs). Is this really true?
About 3 weeks ago, I started the trial for LOTRO and then subscribed just about a week and a half ago. I'm liking it, but not loving it 
I feel that there's this negative attitude about it in the forums, and that throws off my gameplay.
If you think that this is true, would you recommend EQ2 or WOW instead? I'd like to play an MMO that's intricate, has an optional yet not half-assed storyline, and offers a lot in customization. In other words, I'd like to be proud of the toon that I'd create and then take to the level cap.
But I don't want an excessively difficult MMO (like EVE, which I heard is REALLY intense). This is mostly because I wouldn't play all the time. During the weekdays this summer, I'm expecting to play 2, maximum 3 hours a day. So yea.
Sorry for the length, and thanks for the input.
Comments
That's the way I felt about LoTRO. I liked it, but found it a bit dull. And I grew increasingly bored of it. In my opinion, EQ2 and WoW are both better games.
Not meaning to flame you but I have problems with your post.
For one a "casual" game is not for incompetant players but for players who either have a lot of other things in their life or who don't want to spend time playing video games.
Secondly, if you have problems raising characters to lvl cap I highly doubt that you will be able to do so here. Though it is easy, my guess is that you are a chronic reroller and that in the end that is who you will be. There is nothing wrong with this and a lot of LOTRO players have many alts.
But you are asking us to define something for "you". Also, negative posts where? Sure there are some but it's not overwhelming here or on the main forums. And to add to that, what do you care what other people think? I feel it's high time you made up your own mind. If you don't like the game because it's not for you then that's great that you find out now. But if someone is just badmouthing it based upon some sort of personal vision of what they want, then that's their problem.
And WoW and EQ 2 are very similiar in gameplay with LOTRO except that both WoW and EQ 2 are a bit more "fantastical". But still, both have many quests. Though I can't say that their storelines are overwhelming as far as impressing upon you why you are there.
I think you either need to just play until you don't want to play a game anymore and then move on, or perhaps mmo's aren't for you? I don't know, it seems you derive some enjoyment from it. Just decide upon your reason for playing and play.
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I challege you to read any MMO's forums and not get a negative feeling about the related game. I will save you the time looking and let you know that there are none. The only reason usually people log onto MMO forums is to complain about something or talk smack or just play irrelevent flirty games with their in game buddies. Other than that nobody would be there. So if you're letting the opinions of others sway your opinion too much you will never be happy with any MMO. Rely on your own judgement not other peoples.
Also if you want to keep rerolling toons thats your business, but in this game I just can not fathom how anyone could more than once or twice if its your "main character". Theres way too many deeds and things to do that you will drive yourself insane doing them all over again if you plan to have one maxed out main char. I did reroll once after coming back but never again, I refuse to even make an alt to play.
As for EQ2 and WoW I cant speak for WoW but EQ2 is a very good and similar MMO to LOTRO. EQ2 is a bit harder and a bit deeper on gameplay options and you have more classes and content to choose from since its older, but the story elements dont touch LOTRO's at all. But really you couldnt go wrong with either game, they both have strong points it just depends what your main interests are.
As the previous poster stated, you're putting too much stock into the negative posts. I'm sure you've read plenty of positive ones as well but those don't seem to impact you as much.
Make your own decision about LotRO. Since you're already subscribed, I'd give it a go for a bit longer. There are some great aspects to the game and many love it. My husband and I played for four months. He didn't like it from the start but stayed on because I really wanted to stick with it for awhile. I loved the whole setting and lore, but ultimately it wasn't our style of game play.
No one can really tell you which game to choose. We all have our personal favorites. EQ2 and WoW are both good choices if LotRo doesn't work out for you. Sometimes a guild makes all the difference in your experience. I'd say find one in LotRo if you haven't already, and experience the game a little longer.
DB
Denial makes one look a lot dumber than he/she actually is.
I wouldn't let forum opinions affect my gameplay. I'd only be disenfranchising myself. I would argue that if you let the negative opinions (which will always exist) drive your desire to play or not, you're essentially doing this to yourself. You'll be a much happier MMO player if you play the game because you like it, not because other people like it.
Also, casual is by no means incompetent or impatient. I'm a casual gamer and neither of those. It simply means my game time on the whole is less than those that are "hardcore" and as such approach the content differently - typically this involves soloing more because group content requires a greater time commitment. In any case, these are relative terms anyway, and don't really mean much. It's more of a continuum of time investment.
Check out my LOTRO Blog: www.middleearthadventurer.blogspot.com
Yea, I have heard these comments so often. I know someone who plays LOTRO everynight and claims that it is a hold your hand game and not as tough as the other games she plays. That is fine, then you have the choice. Still it is interesting that she is actually online every single night so LOTRO must have something going for it.
I think it is challenging enough, and there is a lot to do with new books coming out all the time. Okay so i do have alts but i still find plenty to do with the crafing levels and supporting new players in my kinship.
That is one thing I like about LOTRO is the friendly atmosphere. You need to get into fellowships at least and joining a kin is helpful but not necessary. So if you are a solo player then you can do that. I started out soloing and thinking no way would i bother with a kin but then i helped someone create a kin and havent looked back.
there is always hope
Thanks for the input, people. Just to clarify, the definition of "casual" gamer that I posted at the beginning was NOT my own; rather, it's the definition that some of the more derisive posts seemed to imply. I would say that I'm a casual player myself anyway, though not incompetent or inexperienced.
The thing I want the most is to be challenged to a reasonable extent by the MMO I settle on. I'm level 22, and at this point I see some lack in that respect. However, I understand that the game will theoretically become more challenging as I learn more skills and fight harder enemies.
It is in THIS respect that many players with the experience of playing EQ2 and/or WOW say LOTRO is nevertheless weak, even at the high-level points. I guess I have nothing else to do but hold it out and see if I find gameplay challenging enough by that point. Or just keep playing until I get bored.
But I do agree that I let other people's opinions guide my conceptions too much in this case.
LOTRO can be challenging, but you sort of have to seek out the challenges. With LOTRO, Turbine tries to cater to as many playstyles as possible, so a lot of the content isn't really all that hard.
~~~ Currently Playing ~~~
LOTRO- Guardian Wrymstrum & Lore-master Stabler on Nimrodel.
Conan- Zoltar <Angels of Death> Guardian on Stormrage.
I too, sometimes wish I was a more 'hardcore' player, but my short attention span means that I am always jumping from game to game (at the moment I am running three subscriptions at the same time, as well as playing free2plays!), and so I very rarely get level cap (only game I managed it so far has been WoW).
I used to worry about a game if I had read a lot of negative posts about it, until I began to get more confident in my own abilities and judgement, and realised that every single game, no matter how good or bad it is, is always going to have its lovers, and haters. I have played some really bad MMO's, that I could not imagine playing for over an hour, and have been amazed that some of the players in those games have played them for thousands of hours! Even the games I really like, I cannot find that amount of dedication - if that is what it is.
LotR managed to solve many of my MMO problems. It has enough substance to keep me going when I am in a 'hardcore' mood, but also has that pick-up and play style that means I can dip in and out, even if I only have an hour or so to spend. Don't worry about it not having substance, because it has. Realise also that this is only the beginning of a great trek. The first expansion will be set in Moria, and I cannot wait to see what that will be like. An underground environment as huge as the above ground! No other expansion on any game has been as ambitous as this I think. It will be very exciting to see how Turbine manage this, and I cannot wait. This is only the first of several expansions, so imagine the fun that you still have to experience. The people who moan about this game, are most of the time, disgruntled pvp'ers. Sure, they often don't mention this, but you can always tell it is them when they mention the imbalance of creeps v freeps. Remember that this game was not meant to be pvp based, and that it was only added on as an extra for players who had achieved max level. Not that pvp won't feature in future. I think that there may be some drastic developements when LotR gets to 'Return of the King' stage, wherein I think there will be proper pvp wars. This is just speculation on my part though.
All in all, this is a great game, I love the graphics, especially the dynamic backgrounds, and how you can see a keep on a mountain-top from miles away, and it gets bigger and more in focus the closer you get.
Great community. People are generally friendly, and want to help, unlike a lot of other MMO's where you can ask a question and not get help, for hours on end. Its also easy to make a party, unlike other games.
Enough content to keep you happy until the expansion comes out, as well as an epic story-line to follow.
Don't get me wrong, I love EQ2, and WoW (I play both as well as LotR), but if you are like me (which I think you are from your post), then LotR will probably suit your play-style moreso than the others.
Incidentally, if you do decide to play, and you are on eu servers, I play as Turkonan, a Hunter on Laurelin -EN-RP server. Perhaps I might see you in-game, if so, give me a shout.
I don't understand how or why people feel that LOTRO is weak in means of challenge.
If you feel you don't have enough of a challenge... just do higher conned quests and mobs. Instead of doing blue/white quests... try the yellow or orange. The same thing goes for mobs. Hit a higher level area and try to kill a few orange mobs. You'll find plenty of challenge there.
And if that's not enough.. try killing elite mobs or doing small fellowship quests solo. Then come back and we can discuss how weak LOTRO really is.
It's all in how you choose to play the game.
_________________________________
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
LOTRO offers you an easy leveling experience to 50, but it also offers you a challenging one. It's essentially how you approach it, what quests you choose to take on at what level, what mobs, etc. So, as you're playing, see how well you can take on green, blue, light blue, white, yellow, orange, red, purple mobs and quests (probably not red and purple). Figure out which ones give you the challenge you're looking for, and then pursue those quests and mobs. You can do this all the way up to 50 if you like.
Check out my LOTRO Blog: www.middleearthadventurer.blogspot.com
WoW is your game. Ignore the anti-WoW 'elites' that lurk around here. WoW is a fun, complex, engaging game with a ton of different options and paths to reach level cap. Once at Level Cap though, it is a PvP game. But, there are so many Races and Classes and Zones, it will keep you happy for years.
Good Hunting.
Now I know WOW has changed since I left a year and a half ago, however I do believe they still have these things called end game, PVE raid instances and at some players spend some time mastering them.
So I don't think its an all PVP at level cap.
By the way, I only play games 2-3 hours a day during the week, more on weekends and consider myself to moderate in my gaming level. I guess I'm casual to someone who does 8+ hours a day, but then those folks are plain crazy and you shouldn't compare yourself to abberant lifestyles.
I think all 3 games you mentioned are similar, just different flavors of the same thing.
I play EVE casually, and its a great game for people w/o a lot of free time to play. Sure, its got a steeper than normal learning curve in the beginning, but once you master it you'll find no more intricate game.
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"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I have to disagree.
You realize the game is a PvE mmorpg with PvP added on as a separate alternative right?
Nothing about that design philosophy has ever deviated, you've just seen them add more content over the years, so as to appease as many different types of players as possible.
Happy players of all types, equals more money for the company, hence the addition of Arenas and Welfare Epics.
LOTRO offers you an easy leveling experience to 50, but it also offers you a challenging one. It's essentially how you approach it, what quests you choose to take on at what level, what mobs, etc. So, as you're playing, see how well you can take on green, blue, light blue, white, yellow, orange, red, purple mobs and quests (probably not red and purple). Figure out which ones give you the challenge you're looking for, and then pursue those quests and mobs. You can do this all the way up to 50 if you like.
That's what I love about LOTRO. I'm certainly a "casual" gamer. And I enjoy playing solo a lot. This games allows for all of that. I can be as social or solo as I want and enjoy all of it.
As far as alts, I do have several and on different servers. Sometimes I just get stuck, or I want a total change of pace. And it's great fun to try the different races and classes.
a word of advice. play what you want screw what people say
LOTRO is as challenging as any other MMO I've played, and I've played almost all of them. Its all in how you approach it. Usually I'm doing red quests while running two accounts. I find it very challenging, rewarding, and entertaining.
Unlike some other MMO's that challenge you with greatly overpowering and outnumbering you, LOTRO seems to play fair mostly and provides intelligent challenges that do not involve enormous time sinks.
I've found no better PVE experiencein an MMO and I'm tired of PVP in an MMO since they dont work.
LOTRO is the best MMO now and in the forseeable future.
I've calmed down significantly about this over the passed couple of days. At this point, I might try out WOW, I might not - it all depends on what I feel like doing. But I'm still going strong with LOTRO, at least for the moment (crafted a sick halberd for my lvl 23 captain
).
I guess the best thing to do is to relax about the whole thing and admit that, well, it's all about gaming. And gaming is about having fun, not getting neurotic over HOW to game. I think that while there are hardcore gamers out there (and I'm not one of them), I certainly have a tendency to be a HARDCORE LFGAMER/RE-ROLLER. But I've been getting better about that in general, so we'll see.
Lotro the game is fun, I really enjoy it when I play it... the classes however, are snore-worthy. The only class that I was ever able to enjoy long enough to play the game was the healer. Im really hoping the two new classes in Moria will fix that.
I would argue that if you have only played for 3 weeks or so and aren't loving it, then it probably is NOT for you. The first 20 levels of LotRO are simply amazing. It is after that that the fun level begins to drop off and its flaws become more apparent.
I was a Founder. I was paying under $10 a month. I left at level 45 because of some really tedious game design. Dol Dinen just flat out stinks. 4 tiers of quest-groups, each going a little further into the same area, with no sub-area distinction. It was all but impossible to find a group going there who needed the same four quests that you did. And someone inevitably dropped out wen they got the early DD quest that they needed done.
LotRo for me is a near perfect Middle Earth simulation, but a weak game. Others will, I am sure, disagree, but that is my take on it.
You have been unfair to yourself, stopping the game so early. We now have Evendim, Misty mountains east and Forochel, plus hundreds of new quest for all high level ranges. Angmar revamp was also great.
Those flaws had been eliminated a while ago.
DB
Denial makes one look a lot dumber than he/she actually is.
You have been unfair to yourself, stopping the game so early. We now have Evendim, Misty mountains east and Forochel, plus hundreds of new quest for all high level ranges. Angmar revamp was also great.
Those flaws had been eliminated a while ago.
DB
I totally agree.The game practically starts at level 20.
_________________________________
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
Too bad I can't seem to be able to reach 20 without dying ... always something happens ... hehe
I think that what some of you are saying is so true. It sucks to be in a quest and have some members of the team just disappear. No committment. And the game requires some fellowships to get through which is totally understandable give the nature of the Lord of theRings books really. I mean it was all about fellowship.
A good relieable kinship would have helped you guys so much. I have got through some tough and some boring times through having good friends who are supportive, funny and reliable. And i have to say that being level 50 is gr8. I have my horse to get me places and if i am grinding deeds or stuff to earn money which is totally boring! at least most of the creeps are gray and i can just walk right by and just get what ever i am looking for without having to fight creeps i dont need to farm or whatever.
there is always hope