Lotr Mmorpg

[Shinoe]

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.

Murph

Did you read my post on the Lotro forums? haha! I said the same thing there, trying to get the wow vs lotro kiddies to stfu about the two games. (my thread = http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...ighlight=LOTRO). I let my anger get the best of me and posted in angst about the WoW vs Lotro folks...but yea, to quote...

As for all the donkey hats out there who keep saying it's a WoW clone...c'mon...look at other games out there. Sure, Vanguard SOH ran out of money (twice)...go knock on their forums...they have almost the same interface. I'm sure they had no intentions of "copying" WoW.

If you think about it...where is the most likely place to put your toolbar? AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FRIGGIN SCREEN! That's right...who wants to look up at the top of the screen to use something? Not i. Any Developer (Web, like myself, or otherwise) knows that intuitive eye mapping leads to a successful product.

For those that don't understand...where does the eye go first, and where does that lead it? A web site with loads of gifs and pretty colors might *look* cool, but i'll bet you skim over the content fairly fast, and hardly stay to actually navigate the page. The same applies here.
Best place for a toolbar? Bottom center of the screen (it's easier to look down than up).
Best spot for a minimap? Top right or Top left of the screen.
Best spot to check character health? Top or bottom left. But since the bottom is taken by toolbar and character panels, the top left is the only remaining spot. It's easier for the eye to look left than right. So top left, bottom left, bottom center are already taken.
Mini map then goes top right.
Quests go right side of the screen because if you're character stats are on the left, it follows sense to stick party/fellowship icons there as well.

Also, i left out crafing in my above post. I would say that the lotro crafting is innovative enough and it's a nice change from a straight 1-2 profession crafting system. However, crafting does need to be re worked a little bit. It's not bad, but at the same time it does kind of need a little face lift ^^ Then again, it's in beta, and to be enjoyed

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

I'm really enjoying exploring Bree-Lands. I suppose they could be larger, but I still think they are neat. I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time, but I've got two more weeks to get that sorted out.

And Shinoe, I did see your thread. I've been reading/posting (but mostly reading) on their forums a lot over the past few days. Some of the complaints from open beta folks are just ridiculous. It's a wonder the forum mods are able to stay so patient with them.

[Shinoe]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Yea, i think it's because the primary mod, Patience...is um...Patient! Haha!



Overall though, it's a great game. I was trying to find my way to Rivendale last night but at level 11 without a guide...it's impossible.

They're working on improving the crafting, and also there is a sticky under General Discussion posted by Patience about the economy. So many "i'm broke, economy sucks" threads, she ended up consolidating it all so that it's to the betterment of all.

One tip though if you don't already know...don't repair unless you really want to keep that item. Just buy an equivalent and sell the one that's broken. Saves money that way ^^

What server are you on? I'm Ailana on Brandywine

It's a great game, and i can't wait until it goes live so i can do some more PvMP with freeps in the Ettenmoors!

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

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.

I agree with you about the graphics. I want to buy a couple of upgrades for my PC so I can get a better look at middle earth (I crank it up to Hi-Res Ultra for screenshots, but I play at Medium). Very pretty stuff.

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.

The story is so consistently woven into your adventures in LOTRO. It's really nice. Plus, while some of them do require some grouping, most of it can be done solo, at or around the level you get them.

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).

Envrionments are really pretty. I was really impressed when I got to Bree Town finally. And the shire is really lovely. I haven't seen Rivendell yet, but everyone tells me it's very nice.

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

Not to mention the player created music. Every player can learn to use musical instruments, and compose their own music with it. There was a Minstrel playing in town for a couple of hours today, with other characters gathered around to hear him. He was really good.

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.

I haven't tried out the PvMP just yet, but I've heard it's fun. I'll have plenty of opportunities to try it out over the next couple of weeks though.

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.

I actually like combat in all three equally, but I do agree that if you want more fluid combat, then WoW or LOTRO are where it's at. I like being able to take on multiple mobs at once, and move quickly from one to the other.

Thanks for the comparison, Shinoe.

[Shinoe]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Np!

There's a thread on the main forums i think about musical notes and whatnot...
but here are some of mine that i found and came up with..

Imperial March (from Star Wars).
Normally i play this just before a big fight or storyline progression (if you've done "A critical Strike" in bree-town to go kill Jagger Jack in Chetwood, the quest after sends you to actually go find Amdir...but something goes wrong and you get "The Eye" in the little combat circle on your toolbar and that crazy "fear" effect whenever you're in the presence of the enemy....anyway here it is.

hold CTRL while playing on a lute...
3-3-3 1-5-3 1-5-3
7-7-7 -8-5-3 1-53
That's just the intro tho...


and the music from the movies...in the Shire and whenever the hobbits are all buddy-buddy...

1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2
4-5-6-8-7-5-3 4-3-2
repeat.


I can sit around all day playing that. haha.

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

By the way, I have Graham and Murphy on Landroval. I'm probably going to change Murphy's name though, because it's not very Tolkein-ish.

And I have an elf named Aelathine, but I can't stand the way female characters run, so I might have to drop her.

[Shinoe]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Haha. I have Ellyndelyn and Goblinette on Brandywine but i'll problably jump servers to get a better view of which ones have certain type of economy and whatnot. Everything is about norm on BW though. Y'know, new people, new faces ^^

I'll jump on Landroval sometime and look ya up. Most likely i'll play a dwarven...something. heh.

[neighbortaru]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

I'm on gladden with fastcart (though we seem to keep missing each other ), elven loremaster (8) named Isilden

[Shinoe]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

The hell? This idea just seems stupid but sure enough it's happening! Apparently it's supposed to be "the best MMORPG" (cause we're never heard that one!) because it focuses less on grinding and more on progressing. It'll be pretty annoying if we lose players of FFXI to LOTR.... but maybe the RMT can find a nice new game to eat...

<RANT>
Whenever i clicky the linky that says there was another post here, i keep getting shot to the first post rather than the most recent. i'm sure it's in the options.

I just keep laughing at how much of an ass Fallen looks like...did he/she even try the game?

It's akin to...

"FF online? The Hell? This idea just seems stupid but sure enough it's happening! Apparently it's supposed to be "the best MMORPG" (cause we'VE never heard that one!) (fixed ) because it focuses more on teamwork and storyline than grinding. Who ant's that? And no more "Bolt 3"? WTH m8? It'll be pretty annoying if we lose players of AC and EQ to FFXI...but maybe the RMT can find a nice new game to eat...".

You see? I mean...FFXI was purely console based prior to this, as are most games that come out (with the exception of the WC series since it was a multiplayer RTS, but you get my point).

That age old addage..."Don't knock it till you try it". Nobody's asking you to move, nobody is asking you to play it. This is what got me on the LOTRO forums with all the "wow vs lotro" and "why i'll stick with wow" threads. You're not going to convert people from one game to the next, and you're not going to stop people from migrating over. It's purely a personal choice, and for those that don't like the Warcraft Universe (much like i don't), new blood in the industry is always nice. Dungeons & Dragons Online kind of flopped, but Turbine did a nice job on this one. Constructive criticism is always nice, with an objective approach to discussing the game and all...but seriously, don't automatically go grab your torch and pitchfork and set out to burn it to the ground. WoW in my opinion is in it's prime (past it, some might say), and in my opinion is hugely over rated. FFXI while still fun, is past it's prime, although not in decline (as some would say, but GM Dave fixed that problem!), it just requires more time spent to accomplish level/storyline advancement.

</RANT>

For those that gave their names, i'll try to jump on and say hi. then again...i'm living in Japan so we might never see each other because of time differences, but oh well! I'll still put you on the friend list! (which i haven't seen them bring up, but i haven't seen a panel for the FL in game...just the command line /friend list...hmm.....i should bring that up in my next bug report!)

[Shinoe]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Np!
and the music from the movies...in the Shire and whenever the hobbits are all buddy-buddy...

1-2-3-4-5-3-2-1 (small pause) 1-1
4-5-6-8-7-5-3 4-3-2
repeat.

fixed...i think. Gotta go play it more when i get it home and tattoo it on my forehead!

[FinnDS]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Sorry if I've seemed like someone who is protecting WoW, as that's not really my meaning at all. I liked the way LotR:O has you doing quests instead of the grind - the grind is much, much slower experience than quests. You will probably just lose time grinding in this game. I've also went ahead and pre-ordered.

[Shinoe]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

Grinding is a waste of time...
However it is a good way to make cash, as the crafting system is going to get a workover in an upcoming patch.

and believe it or not...someone already has farm bots (for the farming craft, not actual mob grind farming). you can sit outside the Shire and watch these guys there forever. lol.

[Shinoe]

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.

Oh, Dak.

I forgot to reply to this, but basically, when you hit level 10, you can head off to Bree (Yes, the town with the Prancing Pony where Frodo & Friends were to meet up with Gandalf (who was himself having fun with Saruman)). Look on the map, in the southwestern part of the town, there is a "Fell Scrying POol".



In order to take place in PvMP, you need to be level 10, and interact with one of those FSP's. You then create a monster character (ie - "creep"), and your main hero gets logged off when you switch to the monster.



Warg Stalker and Uruk Blackarrow are awesome, but their champion class is crazy too.

Spiders are going to get buffed later will be nice. They should get Sickle Slash!

[Eohmer]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

I've been playing this a lot lately, and I'm having fun! I'm liking it quite a bit!

My name is Haledan, Male Elf Hunter on the Landroval server if anyone wants to say hi!

[Murphie]

Re: Lotr Mmorpg

If I see you around, I'll be sure to wave.

I just joined a Kinship the other day. Really great folks. Some light RP, but not much, which is just about as much as I can handle without getting annoyed.