Profile: musicman2000
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• • How is this game doing?

  • Honestly I"ve never noticed a population issue with the game -- I play on Landroval though which is one of the bigger 3 servors.   My kin aquired a transfer from Firefoot who moved over due to poor population theres so I think there are 2 or 3 servors that have suffered.  Not sure if there has really been an improvement recently -- the only surge in populations I"ve noticed is when I'm queued to log in during extra exp weekends.

     

  • Posted: 11/15/08 4:47 PM
    Lord of the Rings Online
• • Ack!!! Server queues back for LoTRo

  • Aye this happens with the welcome back weekends -- last time it got as high as 40 in the queue for my servor hehe.

     

  • Posted: 11/09/08 6:51 PM
    Lord of the Rings Online
• • What are the top reasons for returning to Middle Earth?

  • I would suggest that just because PvP isn't open world or competitive doesn't mean it's not *fun*.   I'd imagine the fun factor is the most important part.   Ettenmoors is a zone set up where there are 5 keeps -- each side battles for control of the keeps.  If you have 3 under your control you can go in to a zone called The Delving which is a dungeon -- if the other side gets a 3rd keep under control while you're in the delving you don't get kicked out but it is possible for the other side to go in to the dungeon then you can have some really neat small PvP encounters inside the dungeon with PvP spawns all around.   You can build both creeps (the monster player side) and freeps (the free people's side) by earning renown or infamy in the moors.  As you gain in renown or infamy you can earn ranks that allow you to either barter for better gear pieces (freepside) with gems you loot in The Delving or you can buy new and exciting skills with the destiny points you earn for creeps -- I haven't played a creep very high but I believe the stones from the delving barter for some pretty powerful potion pots for them as well.

    It's not perfect pvp and there are definate complaints people have but I've always found the Moors to be very very fun and a dedicated community only does that in game.   You literally could progress your character in game strictly by doing PvP.    So even though it's not open world  or competitive (the issue of competiveness is up for debate since it depends on what you mean by that exactly -- but no there are no specific rewards for winning *skirmishes* like in other games.) the community in the moors is still quite dynamic and it's the most fun PvP I"ve experienced in any game.

    I think the one thing to consider is if you prefer Open World PvP -- then this game wouldn't work for you, but if you are looking for fun PvP alongside your dynamic PvE experience I think you should give it a shot.

     

  • Posted: 11/05/08 1:59 PM
    Lord of the Rings Online
• • What are the top reasons for returning to Middle Earth?

  • To say there is nothing to do at level 50 is a gross exageration -- just because you couldn't find the groups/kinship to do things or flat out didn't enjoy the content doesn't mean there is nothing to do.   Flat out inaccurate.  There is  a TON to do which I've illustrated plenty of times -- not enjoying existing content and lack of content are two totally different issues.

    The main reason people have alts at 50 is due to two issues -- a) the system of locks (you finish boss a and get a lock in a zone so you can rezone in and not have to clear to boss b) creates an environment where if you kill a boss with one character you are locked out so in order to help out friends with the boss you killed you either wait until your locks fade or you level another toon.   Rift has 1 week locks so that is what forced me to get my 2nd level 50 -- I was completely content with plent to do with 1 level 50 for well over a year.

    b) it allows a kinship a bit more versatility since kins tend to be smaller in this game -- 5 or 6 folks on with 2 or 3 characters each can form a better balanced group than 5 or 6 folks on with one main.

    There are several people whining about lack of level 50 content -- they are wrong.   They  just don't enjoy existing content -- again a totally seperate issue.   

    There are as follows:

    3 raid zones -- 1 is pvp.

    6 high end 6 man instances

    3 open dungeon instances at level 50 -- reputation dungeons

    2 raids

    14 bks of epic story line content

    a prologue for story line content leading in to MoM
     

    Crafting pieces to farm -- crafting skills to Grand master

    traits/deeds to grind to improve your character

    reputation to grind to improve your character

     

     

    That is a LOT to do -- whether you enjoy doing it is personal preference -- stating there is nothing to do is a false statement.

     

  • Posted: 11/02/08 6:10 PM
    Lord of the Rings Online
• • What are the top reasons for returning to Middle Earth?

  • Remembered one other detail -- as far as the lore restricting development goes I"ll give you some actual examples from probably the two biggest parts of the content for players:

    1.  The Rift -- this 12 man raid zone was totally invented for LOTRO -- it has no basis in lore nor does it pretend to.  It's a great story derived from what *could have* been but never actually was in any of the books.    However -- it feels totally immersive and fits Middle Earth very well and *adds to* the story imho.

    2.  The book series or epic series of quests -- there are 14 books released at this point in game that take you on a story line that supposedly is going on while the fellowship is going through their ordeal that again is totally made up.  It uses some real middle earth characters some made up etc but it's Turbine's twist on events surrounding the fellowship of the ring that *could* be going on but were never actually in the book.  Again it feels very immersive and fits Middle Earth very well.

     

    They have taken great pains to make the maps be very detail oriented and extremely accurate when compared to the books.  The shire, and breelands and lonelands are remarkable -- right down to if you watch the in game clock it takes a full day and night to journey on foot from Bree to the Forsaken Inn -- sheer brilliance!!!  

    In other words the world is extremely accurate -- they have introducted lore accurate content but have taken liberties to expand on happennings and invent strories of their own within middle earth.    Just like awesome role players would do -- and imho this game sports the best RP community (I'm on an RP servor) I've seen since pre Kunark Everquest.

    One thing also to note is that LOTRO is far far more lore consistant and accurate than the movies which were a total abomination to lore.   Not saying the movies were bad -- they were just grossly inaccurate interpretations of the actual book content.   I thoroughly enjoyed them myself (an uncanny portrayal of the mind's eye while reading the books) and they are another great example of how you can take the LOTR story and world and use it to inspire something awesome.   This game is yet another example AND it actually has lore accurate content!!!  Again sheer brilliance imho.

    For me personally I find gameplay in most MMO's to be very very similar -- they all have their finer details that make them different slightly (LOTRO included) but in the end once you've played one MMO you pretty much can make your way in any other at this point.    What makes a game truely immersive is it's story line and feeling like i"M part of a world of excitement  and this game has this in spades!!!   I'm not on some mindless quest for better gear and better stats than the next guy I'm experiencing an unfolding story line that to me is incredibly cool!

     

  • Posted: 10/29/08 9:01 AM
    Lord of the Rings Online