Lotr Mmorpg

[fastcart]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Those interested can see the count down to the opening for non-pre-order accounts at:
http://www.lotro.com/worldtour

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Well, I take back any negative things I may have said in this thread. I have been trying out the beta all afternoon, and I'm having a blast. The graphics are really nice, and the gameplay is pretty smooth. My Minstrel is kickass! But I can't wait to try the other classes as well.

I really like the way this game does a lot of things. Yes, the UI looks a lot like WoW's, but let's face it. That's a really handy layout.

I think I'm going to pre-order, if for no other reason than to get the lifetime discount on the monthly fee.

[neighbortaru]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

what server you on murphie?
i just started playing tonight. rolled up a loremaster on gladan (sp)

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

I'm on Landroval. That's the name of one of the eagles who rescued Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom.

I would have preferred to be on Elendimir or Nimrodel, but I knew some folks who were playing on Landroval, so that's where I went.

[fastcart]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Sorry I wasn't on yesterday when non-pre-order players could start. I'll be on tonight tho.

[DakAttack]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

I didn't like the game much. The graphics were too much(little) for me. It was World of Warcraft sans style.

I couldn't even find a place for the PvPM or leave the beginning area. World Tour my ass.

[neighbortaru]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

they've improved the graphics since the closed beta. i'm happy to say the game looks beautiful. the avatars still look very plasticy though i suppose that is the result of the design decision they made to have the faces move while idle (pointless imho).

I would have preferred to be on Elendimir or Nimrodel, but I knew some folks who were playing on Landroval, so that's where I went.

the penny arcadians?

Sorry I wasn't on yesterday when non-pre-order players could start. I'll be on tonight tho.

ok i'll try to catch you later tonight.

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Yep. The Penny Arcadians. Don't know if I'm going to stick with them (a bit of an odd lot), but for the beta I don't mind.

[Rostum]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Well, I take back any negative things I may have said in this thread. I have been trying out the beta all afternoon, and I'm having a blast. The graphics are really nice, and the gameplay is pretty smooth. My Minstrel is kickass! But I can't wait to try the other classes as well.
I really like the way this game does a lot of things. Yes, the UI looks a lot like WoW's, but let's face it. That's a really handy layout.
I think I'm going to pre-order, if for no other reason than to get the lifetime discount on the monthly fee.

Yeah, it is pretty cool, I agree. I think it still plays a lot like WoW, but I never said that's a bad thing -- I think it's actually improved a bit, but I'm not that interested in how a lot of the classes play out on LotRO, but Dwarf Paladin was awesome when I played it.

I think WoW's UI is pretty much a set standard now, because it works so well. Though more newer MMORPG's that are coming out later in the year or next year seem to be improving a lot on it.

The pre-order thing is pretty cool, you end up paying $10/month instead of $15/month. But kind of sucks because I can't preorder it right now, because of too many things happening in real life and trying to save my money. =(

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

I went to Gamestop yesterday and for $5 I was able to pre-order and get the pre-order key. So if you can spare $5, I'd suggest giving it a try. The long term savings will more than outweigh the loss.

The thing about the UI is...where would people rather they put things? Character info in the upper right, map in the upper left, abilities along the bottom, chat and quest info off to the sides. That makes sense. Should Turbine put things in entirely random positions just because a few other games did something similar before?

I personally don't think there is anything wrong with playing a little like WoW does. WoW is hardly original, and it does have very smooth gameplay. That ease of control plus the things that makes LOTRO unique are what are really keeping my interest so far.

[FinnDS]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

There is nothing wrong with LotR:O's UI, afterall, the UI model most MMORPGs use these days are like this, because years have proven that it's a nice and effective UI, so most MMORPGs I have played used this.

LotR:O did disappoint me, I must admit. I can't say much for the graphics, the HUD is not really that nice to look at, graphics are bland, story is abit meh, nothing exciting, though I must say I absolutely loved going around in Hobbiton as a hobbit doing quests. I might get it at a later date, when I can see what kind of reception the game gets.

Oh, and this will not beat World of Warcraft (atleast that is my opinion). The game does not really offer much new that WoW hasn't done better, besides better lore.

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Who cares if it beats WoW or not? Why does everyone assume that should be every MMO's goal? I enjoy it more than WoW, personally, but someone else may disagree. That's why we have the option to play the game we prefer.

It's like magic, I swear.

[Eohmer]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Oh, and this will not beat World of Warcraft (atleast that is my opinion). The game does not really offer much new that WoW hasn't done better, besides better lore.

Who said Turbine made this game to beat out WoW? It's just a new game that people can play, that's all. If you like it, cool. If you don't, oh well.

I started playing it this weekend. I have mixed feelings about it, but I think I'll continue to play to get a better feel for it.

I started playing it because I'm a fan of the series. I started FFXI because I like the series. I can't say the same for WoW, which is why I don't play that.

Murph, I think I joined your server. Maybe I'll see ya around.

[FinnDS]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

I tried to Spam URLs. I am completely retarded. People like me should know better than to try and Troll these forums. I should be tared, feathered, and beaten with the moron stick. I am utterly incompetent.

(This is what I get for linking IGN? Isn't that a bit harsh?)

What I am saying - IGN said in their beta impressions that the game was shaping up to be a WoW-beater. Games will always be compared when they are in the same genre, but with the great success WoW has I don't see it being beat. I hope that it gets a great start though.

[Shinoe]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

I've been playing LOTRO since March 30th, when Pre order's were able to get into Open Beta (befor the general populace, which can get it since April 6th).

Playing FFXI for 4+ years, off and on....
and being entirely sick of World of Warcraft (account got banned for "exploiting". 2 weeks and 2 emails sent to call them idiots later, i get my account back...."their mistake"...)...

i've been waiting for a change.

It's a great game, in that it's fun, the lore and storyline for it is far more in depth than anything WoW, Vanguard: SoH (Which flopped and ran out of money...twice), EQ, AC 1&2, and Final Fantasy can offer. It's a "High Fantasy" game that revolves around the storyline of the War of the Ring.


Graphics - I can not stand the graphics in EQ, AC, etc. FFXI was my first MMO i ever played that had "real" graphics (meaning to say, its not a cartoon like wow, but somewhat modeled off of real humans and err..midgets...). the Graphics in LOTRO are done well enough that i don't mind. Granted, im not running the Hi-Res pack at Ultra anymore..my video card couldn't handle it, but if your video card is capable of it, everything is extremely gratifying to the eyes. I would say, character wise.... FFXI > LOTRO > WOW. Equipment variety, while not immediately apparent in FFXI, gets more detailed as you go on. LOTRO i'm not sure about as there is a lv 15 cap at the moment, for beta, but you get what i'm saying.

Storyline - Set just after Frodo & Friends leave the shire on their quest. Your job in the storyline is to take on the Witch King of Angmarr...who i thought dies towards the end of the epic, but i could be wrong. You start off quite smalll as a noob, and gradually build up the storyline and whatnot. I would say...the storyline beats FFXI and WOW, definitely. I say it beats FFXI Because, without an LS willing to spend hours of time to help you progress (unless you're already 75 and have a few friends doing them too), there is no way to progress the storyline in FFXI. Missions = hard to do past rank 6, unless you're 65-75. That's not "bad", mind you, but...it's easier to progress and become immersed in LOTRO's story. WoW had a storyline...but in-game, doing quests and whatnot, it's so scattered and not very well written, unless you go read the books and whatnot. WoW is basically an MMO Hack n Slash game, which is what blizzard is good at. I've played it for 2 years, and unless you're in one of those "hard2thecore" raiding guilds, only thing to do is farm, or PvP. My opinion: LOTR > FFXI > WOW.

Environment - The amount of detail, even running this game on Medium (before i got my new Video Card), the environment is stunning. WoW Had some interactibility with its environment, but not much. FFXI didn't really have any, other than for synthesis material farming (H.E.L.M.). FFXI has great graphics, even 5 years later. The UI is a bit out of date, but overall it's still very good considering that it has been ported to 3 platforms across 3 continents (4 now? Europe, America, China, Australia?). LOTRO > FFXI > WOW (cartoons are for kids, lol).

Music - While WoW has some good music as you travel throughout the land, its repeats often and really gets on one's nerves. FFXI has some great music as well in certain areas (Sanctuary of Z'taih, anyone?). LotRO's music, in my mind, beats FFXI only in the fact that it's so fluid. It makes you feel as if you really were in the Epic itself. LOTRO > FFXI > WOW

Player vs Player - While Ballista is fun, having to wait weeks to do it in a specific bracket is a pain. On top of that, the rewards for it are non existant, other than titles (unless this has been updated? i'm not sure). WoW PVP Was the king. That's what made the game so successful. LOTRO PvP is innovative, to say the least, but still will not out-shine WoW's pvp, simple because of the variety of the pvp that is in WoW. The game was based around it, ever since the Battlegrounds came out, and it has definitely been successful. However, PvMP is extremely fun ^^ WoW > Lotro > FFXI.

Combat & Encounters - The thing with wow that you could walk up and smack something as you run was fun. Free flowing movement with nothing hampering you at all was great. FFXI is still a pain in the butt because there is no "jump" key (it's not that big of a deal but would certainly be helpful in spots), and pathing is skewed at points. Combat is great in the fact that it's group based, but having to draw your weapon and put it away, standing still while doing so, leaves one dying often when running from fatal encounters. LotRO is like WoW in the fact that it's fluid. You draw your weapon, yes, but it doesn't take you three seconds of standing still to do so. WoW > LotRO > FFXI.

Overall, i say that if you want player vs player combat and whatnot, go with WoW. if you like team work and being forced to get together to accomplish great feats, go with FFXI. If you like a mix of the two and something new, i'd go with LOTRO.

As some have said, its not "the greatest game ever". Idiots who spread these kinds of things need to be shot. Look at the LOTRO forums and it won't take long to find the "wow vs lotro" threads. They make me sick. two completely different games. It's like comparing FFXI to WoW.

The point i'm trying to make is, don't bash a game unless you've tried it, and if you have tried it, give an unbiased opinion of it so as not to ruin it for someone else. I got it, told friends about it and got them to leave WoW and FFXi for a week to give it a try. i'd say about 70% said they were going to keep playing it, and the other 30% said they weren't going to (could only pay for 1 MMO, so sticking with WoW/FFXI, or just didn't want to play two, or just didnt like the game).

To each his (or her) own.

It's a fun game, and i recommend to those that want to try something new to play in between LS runs and whatnot, go download the Open beta and try it. it's good unitl april 24th, at which point your characters get wiped unless you pre order the game and "update" your "open beta" account to a "pre order" account. Pre ordering, if you like it, nets you a $9.99 subscription price rather than something else (which i don't think they've released yet. It could be $14.99, not sure though), +3 agility ring and a +2% health regen cloak.

If you do decide to play it though, at least play it until you hit level 15 and get through to Chapter 2 in the storyline. (You're quests are divided into categories. "Quest - xxx" where xxx is the town it's from, "Crafting", etc...but there's a"Epic - Chapter 1", etc, which is the main storyline. Do those quests and get part of the storyline.). Those that knock it and hardly get past the first town after the newbie area need not post, as its pointless since you havent played anything good in the game.


Cheers all ^^ PM me if you have any questions or want some screens of the game.