LoTR Online

RuByRuBy Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10732Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Anyone playing it?</div>There's an open beta over here:
<a href="http://www.lotro.com/index.php?page_id=119" target="_blank">http://www.lotro.com/index.php?page_id=119</a>

I've been watching my roommate play his minstrel for a couple days, it actually looks quite fun. The gameplay is blatantly ripped off of WoW, but I do enjoy the Middle Earth setting a bit more.

The graphics are very nice for an mmorpg and everything seems to run relatively smoothly. Sightseeing is fun, especially since they've designed the world quite accurately - I especially enjoyed the Shire.

If you're a big LoTR nerd and enjoy WoW, this game is really up your alley.
Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome

Comments

  • Dethwish_JDethwish_J Join Date: 2007-04-01 Member: 60546Members
    Yay a 4gig download. See you in a couple of days roaming through Azer- I mean Middle Earth!
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • TheGuyTheGuy Join Date: 2003-08-09 Member: 19295Members, Constellation
    edited April 2007
    There's a few nice concepts with the deeds and titles, but it's mostly just a ripoff of WOW right down to the health bar. Tried it got to level 10 and it just felt like wow all over again. I guess if you're a LOTR nut you'll enjoy it.

    The one thing I did like about the hunter though. You didn't need arrows, just a bow.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • SloppyKissesSloppyKisses omgawd a furreh&#33; Virginia Join Date: 2003-07-05 Member: 17942Members, Constellation
    WTH no pvp???



    this game is going to phail


    frackin carebear mmo's
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    Guys, the one factor that will determine whether I play this game or not is:



    Can I name myself xXLegolas-Sniper-ExpertXx?
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • SloppyKissesSloppyKisses omgawd a furreh&#33; Virginia Join Date: 2003-07-05 Member: 17942Members, Constellation
    you dont like random names like that?

    I do its unique
    lineage2>all
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • MantridMantrid Lockpick Join Date: 2003-12-07 Member: 24109Members
    edited April 2007
    <!--quoteo(post=1619525:date=Apr 7 2007, 08:46 PM:name=Xyth)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Xyth @ Apr 7 2007, 08:46 PM) [snapback]1619525[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Guys, the one factor that will determine whether I play this game or not is:
    Can I name myself xXLegolas-Sniper-ExpertXx?
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    That reminds me of my first time playing WoW. Right outside the starting area, I passed the corpse of "Dil<!--coloro:sky--><span style="color:sky"><!--/coloro-->d<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->o Baggins."

    WoW was pretty much downhill from there.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • RuByRuBy Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10732Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1619530:date=Apr 7 2007, 10:17 PM:name=Mantrid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mantrid @ Apr 7 2007, 10:17 PM) [snapback]1619530[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    That reminds me of my first time playing WoW. Right outside the starting area, I passed the corpse of "Dil<!--coloro:sky--><span style="color:sky"><!--/coloro-->d<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->o Baggins."

    WoW was pretty much downhill from there.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    You're lucky. I saw a guy called "Scroto Saggins". I still can't get that image out of my head.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • V_MANV_MAN V-MAN Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6217Members, Constellation
    Yeah I'm playing this it's great. Mind you this is my first MMORG.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • QuaunautQuaunaut The longest seven days in history... Join Date: 2003-03-21 Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    Its a perfect clone of WoW without PvP. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • RoverRover blargh Join Date: 2003-09-23 Member: 21139Members
    Having absolutely hated WoW....I'm so not tr.... oh screw it, I try most generic MMO's anyway. /downloads


    Besides the setting, any notable differences from wow ?
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • Dethwish_JDethwish_J Join Date: 2007-04-01 Member: 60546Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1619634:date=Apr 8 2007, 09:27 PM:name=Rover)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rover @ Apr 8 2007, 09:27 PM) [snapback]1619634[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Besides the setting, any notable differences from wow ?
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    There are halflings... oh wait wow had that too with the gnomes. But LOTR has Orcs... oh wait WoW had little green men known as orcs. Sod it... the names of the races and the names of the classes <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    edited April 2007
    LotR online is WoW, but fruity instead of cartoony <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> I mean that with the utmost respect, I just pre-ordered it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/nerd-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::nerdy::" border="0" alt="nerd-fix.gif" /> but my little elf lore-master does not, at any point in time, look straight...
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    <!--quoteo(post=1619638:date=Apr 8 2007, 11:16 PM:name=Dethwish_J)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dethwish_J @ Apr 8 2007, 11:16 PM) [snapback]1619638[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    There are halflings... oh wait wow had that too with the gnomes. But LOTR has Orcs... oh wait WoW had little green men known as orcs. Sod it... the names of the races and the names of the classes <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    wow even has ringwearing classes called rogues :/
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • V_MANV_MAN V-MAN Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6217Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1619516:date=Apr 8 2007, 01:45 AM:name=TheGuy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TheGuy @ Apr 8 2007, 01:45 AM) [snapback]1619516[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    There's a few nice concepts with the deeds and titles, but it's mostly just a ripoff of WOW right down to the health bar. Tried it got to level 10 and it just felt like wow all over again. I guess if you're a LOTR nut you'll enjoy it.

    The one thing I did like about the hunter though. You didn't need arrows, just a bow.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    pffft you could say that about most mmorpg games
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • myrigthmyrigth Join Date: 2003-02-08 Member: 13270Members
    Funny. I remember Sierra announced a LoTR MMORPG to be called "Middle-Earth" in 1998. It sounded pretty radical, among other things it had permadeath. It's too bad it was never completed before the whole MMORPG carebear formula had already been fleshed out and done a million times.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • SurgeSurge asda4a3sklflkgh Join Date: 2002-07-14 Member: 944Members
    Well, some of us <i>do</i> play games to have fun rather than be frustrated.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • HazeHaze O RLY? Join Date: 2003-07-07 Member: 18018Members, Constellation
    Felt like the ******* child of WoW and Guild Wars. I didn't like it. Environments felt very enclosed and the combat felt puny.

    I <b>did</b> like sitting in an inn and playing hot cross buns all day to annoy people on my lute.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • radforChristradforChrist USA Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6871Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Subnautica Playtester
    <!--quoteo(post=1620055:date=Apr 10 2007, 12:38 PM:name=Surge)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Surge @ Apr 10 2007, 12:38 PM) [snapback]1620055[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Well, some of us <i>do</i> play games to have fun rather than be frustrated.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    My wife and I quit with WoW and played the beta for this for a little over a month (we were in the closed beta). Our experience? It's a more refined WoW in some ways, lacking in others (the camera system drove me insane). However, overall a good experience. At the end of the day, it wasn't different enough from WoW nor enjoyable enough to compel us to keep playing it. MMO's are become more like a job than an enjoyable experience.

    MMO's get the social aspect pretty well with Guilds/Fellowships and such, but the commitment to the game shouldn't be because you have to grind countless hours to reach a certain level. The whole mechanics for retention and progress in MMO's need to be rethought IMO. It needs to allow for more casual play, yet be robust enough to die hard players to enjoy consistently. Sadly, I have no answers for this observation, only what I've seen.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    this game has really grown on me. the GF and I pre-ordered... when you join a 5+ person fellowship, it really feels like you're a band of adventurers in middle earth... and I like how the abilities are more 'subtle' than in other MMO's like WoW... you don't have to throw 10 huge fireballs at a boar before it dies... you just cast some discreet nature magic... it makes it feel more grown up. and the plotline is really awesome too... yes, a MMO with an awesome plotline that doesn't feel like it's just tacked on as an excuse for you to be adventuring...

    anyway, if anyone else is subscribing and wants to play with a fellow NSer, come to Nimrodel and join my kinship =p look up Ensvey of the kinship Eternity <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tsa.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::tsa::" border="0" alt="tsa.gif" />
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • UltimaGeckoUltimaGecko hates endnotes Join Date: 2003-05-14 Member: 16320Members
    I played in the stress test, being a minstrel was pretty fun (the pointless music playing was worth it alone, but apparently every class, or at least clases other than the minstrel can play an instrument). I never really understood how the quest system would work for higher levels...It seemed like it'd be impossible for a high level person to aid in a lower level main quest part, but maybe you could redo them. The titles were cool (especially if you manage not to die for your first 5, 10, ...maybe 15 an up... levels), and the character creation at least seems like it's trying to get you to roleplay your character a little. I remember that the quests didn't seem quite as inane as WoW quests, but sometimes they were quite annoying (...like an early human one that had you kill 10 boars for food...but there were so many newbies running around there were never any boars).

    Plus my desktop was under the minimum specs and still managed to run it, which was cool. Generally I think it played nicer than WoW, but still not too much particularily special there. I will say that being a minstrel for 10+ levels was more fun than playing WoW's grindy stuff (one of the things LotR manages to do is make it seem like you're not grinding <i>all</i> the time).
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • KainTSAKainTSA Join Date: 2005-05-30 Member: 52831Members, Constellation
    It seems like it would be tough to say what the LOTR game ripped off from WoW versus what WoW ripped off from the LOTR universe (which was of course a compilation of old-school legend and lore).

    I'd like to try this game but it would probably destroy me...
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    Wise fwom your gwave!
    <!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->(side note: I just googled "wise from your gwave" and google said: "Did you mean: wise fwom your gwave?" it corrected me to the correct incorrect spelling.)<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

    Just an FYI, if you haven't heard, LotRO is now free-to-play (US only so far I think). If you like MMOs but you don't want to pay monthly for one, it's a great bet. I don't know how I feel about their new microtransaction system. Sort of feels like they nickel and dime you to death if you're serious about the game, but when you think about it, their system sort of makes more sense than a monthly fee. You only have to pay for the content you want. It's sort of halfway between the Guild Wars model and the WoW model.

    Anyway, I generally recommend the game highly. It's the MMO I've spent the second most amount of time in after WoW. Definitely the prettiest MMO out there, the world really feels like Middle Earth, etc. It's amazing how much attention to detail there is even in out of the way places. Plenty of different ways to spend your time in the game now, too. Soloing, dungeons, monster play, solo instances, skirmishes, raids, daily quests, exploring, crafting, etc.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    Exploring?
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • WhiteZeroWhiteZero That Guy Join Date: 2004-06-24 Member: 29511Members, Constellation
    F2P FTW!
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    I've pottered around a little in the trial, and I have to say the running animations strike me as REALLY wonky. That was my very first impression of the game. "Why do you run like that," I ask my character. It looks fine while standing still, but the moment it starts running it hunches over, goes bowlegged and swings its arms like clubs. It's almost like a running version of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2biEBOfO7k4" target="_blank">Bushwhacker Walk,</a> and that is NOT an association that fits very well with the Eldar or the heirs of Númenor.

    That aside, it feels like WoW. I haven't really found a feature that stands out or truly seperates this one from the crowd of other MMOs. It feels like Middle-earth WoW. With everyone doing the Bushwhacker <strike>Walk</strike> Run.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    Wrestling is dumb and killed the topic.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • Bobby is going homeBobby is going home Join Date: 2010-04-11 Member: 71323Awaiting Authorization
    Well, tried it in Free2Play mode but quit after reaching level 5. I don't know what it is butit never really caught me.
    Maybe I'm just imune after I quit WoW after two years (got bored...)

    Don't know. MMORPGs don't seem to apeal to me anymore...
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
Sign In or Register to comment.