Lord of the Rings Online

[lonejedi]

I'm surprised there is no topic on this, but I thought I'd start one

www.lotro.com

Lord of the Rings online is basically a MMORPG based on the Lord of the Rings Movies. It used to be subscription only, but they've rereleased the game as a Free to play game, where in order to unlock more content, you either pay money to get in game credits to buy the content, or you can earn the in game credits by doing certain things in the game. It's somewhat similar to WoW.

The game has gotten really good reviews after rereleasing as a Free to Play. I'd recommend this to everyone to at least try the game, since it gives free players A lot of content.

They use a server system where the server you join, you must stay in that server in order to build that character, if you join another, you basically have to start over, but it gives you the opportunity to be able to unlock pretty much the whole game if you grind enough.

I play on the server Gladden under the name Blooms. I'll edit the topic when gamertags if people post them.

 

[finalark]

Lord of the Rings Movies.

Lord of the Rings Movies.

Lord of the Rings Movies.

Anyway, I used to play Lotro when it first came out. Way back when it was pay-to-play in 2007, I had an Elf Guardian named Archimedes on Arkenstone. I haven't played the free version, though.

 

[lonejedi]

Anyway, I used Lotro when it first came out. Way back when it was pay-to-play in 2007, I had an Elf Guardian named Archimedes on Arkenstone. I haven't played the free version, though.

My bad my bad I used the words movies instead of books. Sorry If I offended anyone.

 

[Angbad]

Lmao Arkenstone was my first server. Your name sounds somewhat familiar. I had a 50 Minstrel in Guardians of Gondor named Angbad

I've since moved to Elendilmir since it's more populated. But the amount of people playing has grown so much with the f2p switch. I'm waiting for Isengard before I get back into it.

If you're on E, say hi to Angbad.
If you're on Ark, say hi to Relborn, my hunter.

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

I started playing Lotro about a month ago...

It was a nice transition from WoW and the f2p content is enough for at least 30 levels...

I currently have a lvl 32 burglar on Crickhollow by the name of Shadwphoenix...

 

[finalark]

I just started playing again. Still using my good old elf guardian on Arkenstone.

 

[theeboredone]

Wait, it's free?

 

[finalark]

Wait, it's free?

Yeah, its been free for a while now.

 

[theeboredone]

So compared to other mmos that are free...is this one of the best ones out there in your opinion?

 

[finalark]

So compared to other mmos that are free...is this one of the best ones out there in your opinion?

Yes. Most free MMORPGs suck IMO but Turbine is good at what they do. Besides, LOTRO was once pay to play. And since the game doesn't focus on PVP or actively try to split the player base *coughWoWcough* the community is much more mature than the usual MMO nonsense.

EDIT: And if Lord of the Rings isn't really your flavor, Turbine's other free MMORPG, Dungeons and Dragons Online, is also really good.

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

like finalark stated, it is probably the best free MMO out atm...
and its not like its a dead game...
Lotro is getting a new expansion pack in september and i know it gets updated frequently to add free content

 

[theeboredone]

Ah. Well, hm...what about Guild Wars? I know the sequel is finally set to release... a lot of hype for that game.

 

[Fuelbi]

So how does this game compare to a game like Runescape? Better? Worse?

 

[theeboredone]

I'm pretty sure LOTRO blows Runescape out of the water rofl.

 

[finalark]

Runescape is basically baby's first MMO. LOTRO blows Runescape out of the water then proceeds to fornicate with whatever is left of its corpse.

EDIT: I personally think that LOTRO > Guild Wars. However, Guild Wars 2 looks amazing. I would still download LOTRO to hold me over in the meantime though.

 

[Fuelbi]

So I guess this is worth playing then

And I didn't know I only played Runescape back in elementary

Wow you ARE right this IS a baby's first MMO only kids play this

 

[lonejedi]

Sweet to see this get bumped. Lotro's Freeplay IMO, is one of the best, if not the best. The way they created the free play makes it realistically possible to unlock everything without paying a dime, it's a huge grind if you do, but it's possible. The best way I would describe it is it's one huge adventure game that you can play by yourself, or you can get friends or other random people you meet to help you. I've logged prob upwards towards 200 hours in it the past year. ( I'm not an MMO guy, but I love this game.) If you want to speed things up you can buy points for a decent price, but they make it to where you can just delete characters and start over to grind more turbine points to get what you want.

I'd def be down for creating a new character just for SWF people if we get enough support.

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

if any of you decide to join the game feel free to add me as a friend and ill help you quest...
im still fairly low in level so it wouldnt be much of a bother to me

My server is Crickhollow and character is Shadwphoenix

 

[theeboredone]

Btw, what's the best control scheme for this game? The only PC games I have are Fallout, Borderlands, and Dragon Age...all which I borrowed a 360 controller from my friend to use. Is mouse+keyboard preferred?

 

[lonejedi]

Btw, what's the best control scheme for this game? The only PC games I have are Fallout, Borderlands, and Dragon Age...all which I borrowed a 360 controller from my friend to use. Is mouse+keyboard preferred?

Mouse and Keyboard are pretty natural. In fact I rarely use my mouse, and just use my track pad on my laptop. Controls are hotkey'd to the keyboard, so you can click if you want or use the keyboard.

 

[theeboredone]

Oh yea, one last set of questions.

Last time I played a MMORPG as WOW, and that ended miserably after I played a month and half of it. Basically, I got tired of two things...

1. Grinding: After a certain point, it just took forever to level up. So my question is, how much grinding is required for this game?

2. Travel: If I didn't have a horse or some sort of flight, walking took FOREVER. I could walk off and do something and come back, and only be halfway to my destination. Please tell me mode of transportation is more manageable in this game.

Edit: Oh yeah, are there different servers? What servers are you guys on?

 

[finalark]

Btw, what's the best control scheme for this game? The only PC games I have are Fallout, Borderlands, and Dragon Age...all which I borrowed a 360 controller from my friend to use. Is mouse+keyboard preferred?

ALL MMORPGs are mouse + keyboard preferred unless they were originally designed for consoles like PSO and FFXI were.

1. Grinding: After a certain point, it just took forever to level up. So my question is, how much grinding is required for this game?

Its at a fairly average pace. Its slower then WoW (then again, WoW is lightning fast even since its most recent expansion came out back in august, it was god awful how slow it was before Cata).

2. Travel: If I didn't have a horse or some sort of flight, walking took FOREVER. I could walk off and do something and come back, and only be halfway to my destination. Please tell me mode of transportation is more manageable in this game.

You get a horse fairly early on and there are rides multiple rides to each town in every area.

Edit: Oh yeah, are there different servers? What servers are you guys on?

Yes. I play on Arkenstone.

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

Last time I played a MMORPG as WOW, and that ended miserably after I played a month and half of it. Basically, I got tired of two things...

1. Grinding: After a certain point, it just took forever to level up. So my question is, how much grinding is required for this game?

2. Travel: If I didn't have a horse or some sort of flight, walking took FOREVER. I could walk off and do something and come back, and only be halfway to my destination. Please tell me mode of transportation is more manageable in this game.

Edit: Oh yeah, are there different servers? What servers are you guys on?

if any of you decide to join the game feel free to add me as a friend and ill help you quest...
im still fairly low in level so it wouldnt be much of a bother to me

My server is Crickhollow and character is Shadwphoenix

you thought WOW was slow???
i played WOW for over a year and i never had to grind

 

[theeboredone]

I played wow when burning crusade came out. After a certain point (i think lv 40) it took forever to lv

 

[finalark]

I played wow when burning crusade came out. After a certain point (i think lv 40) it took forever to lv

Yeah, it took forever to level in pre-cata WoW. Thankfully, its much much faster now.

 

[theeboredone]

Just logged off after playing a few hours. I'm enjoying it so far. Decided to go the Hunter/Elf route. Usually I go for the "Rogue" or "Thief" route, but Burglar didn't appeal to me for whatever reason.

Edit: Just watched the D&D online trailer...the characters definitely look more uh...mythical I suppose. Seems like an appealing game. How does it stack up to LOTRO?

 

[finalark]

Just logged off after playing a few hours. I'm enjoying it so far. Decided to go the Hunter/Elf route. Usually I go for the "Rogue" or "Thief" route, but Burglar didn't appeal to me for whatever reason.

I decided to roll and elf guardian. Strange since I usually play spellcasters.

Edit: Just watched the D&D online trailer...the characters definitely look more uh...mythical I suppose. Seems like an appealing game. How does it stack up to LOTRO?

DDO is really good, but I only recommend it if you love dungeon crawling. The primary draw of DDO is the fact that every single quest in the game sends you into a different dungeon with various bosses, mobs, and yes, even puzzles. The game also has some really deep character customization

Spoiler

(anyone who has played a hardcore game of DnD can tell you how deep that rabbit hole goes)

if that's your thing. Plus it has some rather unique game play by including platforming and puzzles along with combat. The combat is also rather different, since its much closer to an action RPG than most MMO combat.

tl;dr: DDO isn't for everyone, but its better than LOTRO IMO. DDO takes risks and is highly original while LOTRO plays it safe and is more traditional.

 

[theeboredone]

I enjoyed WoW minus for the long travels and endless grinding (that was when I was playing), so playing LOTRO definitely reminds me of WoW in some sense.

I never played or even read up on D&D stuff, but I always had an interest in it. The character customization sounds really neat and platforming/puzzles? Heck, that definitely makes it more appealing.

So what you're saying is that it's all dungeon based? Like there isn't some outside area to explore? The combat system sounds appealing as well. Ah man...wish I knew about both of these a long time ago.

 

[finalark]

I enjoyed WoW minus for the long travels and endless grinding (that was when I was playing), so playing LOTRO definitely reminds me of WoW in some sense.

LOTRO was made to be a much more traditional MMO than DDO. Thankfully, it does enough original stuff to make it stand out (being free to play helps too).

I never played or even read up on D&D stuff, but I always had an interest in it. The character customization sounds really neat and platforming/puzzles? Heck, that definitely makes it more appealing.

Your character is 100% customizable. Of course, the game gives you some default options but if you want you can adjust your stats in any way you want when you build your character. You can also take levels in other classes

Spoiler

(think of it at receiving training from a class training other than your own to get a few of the boosts that class usually gets)

in addition to many other ways to customize. Its all optional and the game gives you good default options since that can be very overwhelming if you don't know what you're doing.

So what you're saying is that it's all dungeon based? Like there isn't some outside area to explore? The combat system sounds appealing as well. Ah man...wish I knew about both of these a long time ago.

It's basically an online dungeon crawler. There are areas outside the cities to explore, but these usually on exist to act as paths between dungeons. Hell, the first major city you go to is so huge that you can fill your exploration need just by running around that place.

Both games are excellent and worth taking a look at IMO. It basically just boils down to which one appeals to you the most.

 

[theeboredone]

Alright, thanks for the info. I'll stick with LOTRO for now, and once I get bored of it, I'll dive into D&D.

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

im glad to see more people joining

 

[theeboredone]

Wow, I don't know if I missed something, but after doing a bunch of non-related quests to the main story...I decided to get to doing the prologue stuff. Holy crap, now I have to travel from Ered Luin to Bree? That **** is so far, and I don't even have a swift travel option for it yet.

 

[finalark]

Wow, I don't know if I missed something, but after doing a bunch of non-related quests to the main story...I decided to get to doing the prologue stuff. Holy crap, now I have to travel from Ered Luin to Bree? That **** is so far, and I don't even have a swift travel option for it yet.

There's a million other quests you can do in between that will not only get you EXP but will eventually bring you there if I'm remembering correctly.

 

[theeboredone]

Yeah, I hope I get some more challenging quests. I'm lv 16 right now, and I do hope none of the quests inbetween are for lower levels.

 

[finalark]

Yeah, I hope I get some more challenging quests. I'm lv 16 right now, and I do hope none of the quests inbetween are for lower levels.

Once you get to the lonelands (early 20s zone) you'll find some pretty tough quests there.

 

[theeboredone]

zomg, leveling up taking forever. I'm at lv 23 right now.

 

[-ShadowPhoenix-]

you should start trying to complete as many deeds as possible to buy a quest pack

 

[theeboredone]

I've completed a decent amount of deeds...courtesy of those random quests that ask you to kill things over and over (Bounties) but what's a quest pack?

And I just encountered my first bug. Was doing the "Retake Weathertop" quest, and I killed the first orc too early...so he couldn't release the other one -_-.

 

[Fuelbi]

Well I gave this game a chance

Got bored in the first 5 minutes, the amount of text couldn't hold up my short attention span, and tbh, lack of sword of a thousand truths makes me disappoint

 

[theeboredone]

Lol yeah well, not all mmo's are meant to be played. In all honesty, I think this game is pretty generic. Quests mostly consist of fetching or killing "x" of certain creature. Though the Skirmish feature is pretty nice imo.

But hey it's free, so no complaints.