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Lord of the Rings Online: Head Start Begins September 8th
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Lord of the Rings Online is set to go 'free to play' beginning September 10th. Turbine has announced, however, that current/former subscribers and beta testers have the opportunity to get a head start on the new features and content on September 8th and 9th. Players will be able to access the four new servers to reserve their character names if desired.
The head start will happen on the live game servers. Current and former subscribers as well as recent participants in the closed beta may be able to patch up and start playing as early as the 7th, dependent upon server availability. Beta players who did not previously play on the live service will need to download and install the live game client prior to playing, and will log into the live servers using their beta logins, which will be converted to live accounts in time for the beginning of the head start on 09/08/10. The Beta (Bullroarer) game software will not work to access the headstart. To download the live game client go here for the standard version and here for the high res version.
Comments
Did they change the character models yet? I didnt like the old ones.
[Mod Edit]
I believe there was a combat rework, but I dont think they touched models yet.
Nothing has been done to the character models.
Even though they did a combat revamp, do not expect to really notice much difference. Combat flows a little better but for someone that has been playing since closed beta, there really isn't much of a difference etween before revamp and after.
I enjoy it either way, but those that had issues with it before more than likely won't see enough of a difference to change their opinion.
Einherjar_LC says: WTB the true successor to UO or Asheron's Call pst!
While a variety of character animations have changed since original launch, I don't beleive there had been any plan to make changes to the character models, themselves. So, no.
No, but they fixed the hobbit run now they look extra cute when they run
Anyway I am just thinking what to spend th 2.5k Points I will be getting on.
So Far:
Bank Slots
Shared Bankslots
Outfits
March on! - Lets Invade Pekopon
I played in the CB. I played at launch, and also a couple of times since then... each and everytime the game was just dull. And I do not see them making more money by going f2p. Infact, I just see a bunch of empty servers in the coming months that they will have to merge.
My opinion.
Is this game completely relaunching? Will everyone have to start over again?
No.
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
-And on the 8th day, man created God.-
Oh no...No nothing is getting wiped but they are adding 8 new servers (4 NA + 4 EU)
March on! - Lets Invade Pekopon
woohoo sept8 headstart for beta players!
Have fun storming the castle! - Miracle Max
I think you described my game experience back in 2007 perfectly: "dull".
They now changed it from a dull pay to play (P2P) game to a pay to further play game (PF2P)
Did I miss something?
lotro with RvR pvp = ultimate mmo
With all the feedback they've gotten about this, its strange that they've never addressed it. Makes me think their hands might be tied by the IP holders, and what the game is, is about all it can be. Combat can't get any more flashy or violent, avatars can't look any prettier or more brutish, etc, etc, without upsetting whoever has the final say about these things. And I think those are the elements that make the game so pervasively dull for a lot of people.
Going F2P seems to be about appealing to a more indiscriminate audience, who just want something free to play. Those of us hoping all this new hype would breathe new developmental life into the game will likely be just as disappointed as we were three years ago.
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
I don't know, I find it a pretty fun game to play when you aren't in a hardcore mmo state of mind. There are plenty of games like that out there if you are though. LOTRO is one of few games that did F2P correctly in the last little while. At least it actually seems F2P instead of just unlimited free trial *called* F2P. I'll keep playing, and they will make some $ because no doubt at some point I will purchase some features to enhance the game.
I used to be a hardcore mmorpg gamer, for years. Life got super busy with no signs of slowing down... games like this are good for people like me because if I go 6 months not being able to play much because of RL, I don't feel like I am throwing $$ down the drain. The other games are still around if you want them too. This way, you aren't just stuck playing one
Nice
Will you be able to reach the max level, or is it like in nfs world that you would have to pay if you want to go further than a certain level?
You can only get to 50 is you are totally free and you need to buy quest pack or you will be grinding allot.
March on! - Lets Invade Pekopon
Any word yet on an EU Head Start. I have a couple of cheapskate mates who are really looking forward to playing the game but never did when it was P2P, LOTRO is my second favourite MMO but a lack of friends to play with has stopped me playing in the past. Going F2P really takes away that 'forced' feeling of having to play, but at the same time offering a sub allows me to pay up when i'm in heavy playing periods then jump down to F2P when I don't have the time to play often - perfect.
Lotro is a bit of a slow burner . I found it dull at first untill I got into it . Its the only mmo outside of Warcraft I've played for over two years . If you go into it expecting another WoW you ll have a bad time . If you go into it with an open mind and stick with it and accept it for what it is you'll find plenty to enjoy . I think the fact that it isn't immediate like WoW keeps the more immature people away . Still now its going free to play people will be able to judge for themselves . I started playing it as a stop gap when i gave up WoW but there hav'nt been any mmos worth playing released in the last two years so i ve stuck with LOTRO and its been fun . Its sort ve become my main mmo by default because WoW isn't going back to anymore because theres no challenge in that game any more and the community really is awful these days .
I was in the CB and enjoyed returning to it (I was in the original beta and for about 8 months after release). I'm glad for to the change to f2p as now I'l be able to go back and visit on a regular basis without having to pay. I'm currently also in the EQ2 f2p beta while I'm waiting for the LOTRO release.
I now have about a half-dozen f2p games that I can rotate between when I want to play something different, so unless something really amazing comes out as p2p only, I don't expect to be subscribing to anything in the near future.
One of the nice additions in this LOTRO release is Lua scripting (I wrote over a dozen Lua addons for WoW when I played it). However, the initial API for LOTRO is very limited, so I'm hoping to see regular enhancements added to make it more useful.
I definitely coming back for the new launching server.
Everyone gets to start again !! Which is nice !!
and now more motivation for me to roll Guardian !!! xD
I'm excited about this too. I own all the expansions so I'll be a premium member right off the bat. The first thing I am going to find out when it gets going is how much it would cost me to get me as close to VIP as I can without subbing. If I can't, well maybe I'll just sub again. Or if they keep the lifetime sub up, I might go that route. Either way, free LoTRO = teh winz.
insanex
I'm a founding member (not a life-timer), and I can sub month to month for $9.99 which = 500 tp a month... the sub gets down to $9 and some change for the multi month commitment
I don’t get what you are trying to say?
Anyway sub is $14.99 a month but if you buy Multi-Month then it goes down to $9.99 a month.
March on! - Lets Invade Pekopon
No, what I am saying is that if you are a founding member you can get the multi month price one month at a time instead of having to sub in multi month blocks.