Lotro - Page 2

kristian · 03-29-2007, 03:22 PM

So LOTRO has more quests than Vanguard? that coudn't be posible as Vanguard is bigger and it's a Uber ultimate generation MMORPG

Ysharros · 03-30-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristian

So LOTRO has more quests than Vanguard? that coudn't be posible as Vanguard is bigger and it's a Uber ultimate generation MMORPG

I don't know about "more" since I've not counted them in either game.

Thinking about it, you can find quests in any given level bracket in several different zones in both games - my point was more that they're there and plentiful, rather than a comparison with anything else out there.

Vlawde · 04-02-2007, 11:02 AM

Got the preorder disc (five bucks) and downloaded LOTRO. Not bad, I did think the character models and especially the animation were poor, although most of the graphics are good. A fair amount of lag, but since open beta just started much of it has to do with all the people in game.

For some reason it doesn't quite feel like an MMORPG. But it is still in beta

Ysharros · 04-02-2007, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlawde

For some reason it doesn't quite feel like an MMORPG. But it is still in beta

Interesting point, Vlawde, and one others have made. In respect to that I'd say, if you haven't got past the intro sections (and if they're as I remember them), it won't have the full flavour of the game because most of levels 1-6 are a weird game-within-the-game experience. You can skip that part once you've done it a few times (or could before).

Starting someone solo in a separate instance is a freaky system to my mind, but it does have pros and cons. In many ways it's rather similar to the newbie-island experience they have (had?) in EQ2.

SwordMage · 04-02-2007, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ysharros

Interesting point, Vlawde, and one others have made. In respect to that I'd say, if you haven't got past the intro sections (and if they're as I remember them), it won't have the full flavour of the game because most of levels 1-6 are a weird game-within-the-game experience. You can skip that part once you've done it a few times (or could before).

Starting someone solo in a separate instance is a freaky system to my mind, but it does have pros and cons. In many ways it's rather similar to the newbie-island experience they have (had?) in EQ2.

Its more like the EQ newbie experience I remember from about 4 years ago when we were in the Kobold mines for levels 1-5 with a single player instance to start (learn to move and fight without anybody watching you thrash around like an idiot).

---- (I got carried away here, but what the heck, it's only bits)

I am not particularly happy with the whole crafting/harvesting thing in LotRO. From what I read from the devs, crafting is definitely intended as a diversion from adventuring and not a full game of its own. The crafting itself seems to be press the button, make the piece with everything being slightly better than storebought; you have a chance of critting to make a much better piece and can improve your chances of a crit with higher skills (mastery) and, IIRC, rares.

At low levels at least, harvesting seems to be the gating factor in producing products (I was getting 1 - 3 pieces of ore per harvest and items needed up to 6). The nodes are few and far between (but you do have a tracking ability to find them). You can only harvest using 1 or 2 of the 3 harvesting skills (prospecting, foresting, and farming) depending on your crafting vocation (everyone can collect hides, but only a forester can refine them). Fortunately, you don't need to crank out a lot of product to level your production skills.

I am also not thrilled with the morale system, it seems artificial. But then, the whole die and be reborn bit that prevades the MMO genre seemed artificial when I started, it just has gotten comfortable with over-use.

All and all, I think they did a reasonable job at designing the adventure game given the constraints placed on them to stay within the spirit of the books. They have chosen to fill in the gaps in the story line so the first release tells the story of defeating the witch king (??), which is only mentioned as something that happened during the early part of the tale and there is an epic quest which pulls you through that story line as you develop and explore the world.

I could have used a few more classes. You need 4 characters to cover all the crafting professions and I haven't found 4 of the 7 adventure classes that I like:

Guardian (defensive), Captain (buff and morale boost), and Champion (offensive) are the 3 in-your-face fighters, all plate classes.
Minstral (buff and morale, offensive song) and Hunter (archer, traps, speed buff) are cloth->leather ranged fighters. Hunters can use bows at melee range which is strange in my book, but have melee skills.
Burglars are your basic rogue, backstab and all and have a terrible time soloing.
Lore-masters are your basic pet mage (no wizards as they are really demi-gods).

I really like the graphics (except for the character models) and they are aimed at PCs about a bit older than the ones for Vanguard (nvidia 6800).

I don't think this will steal me away from Vanguard, but it might if I was more into the LotR books (its been 35 years since I read them and I haven't been drawn back). A better harvesting/crafting game might do the trick as I find the story line compeling.

Vlawde · 04-03-2007, 08:56 AM

I got past the intro quests, and the game does change a bit. I have a lore master, which is pretty cool...let the pet tank and stand back and burn the mob! It seems the depth of VG calls for a time committment I don't reall have. This is easier to log in and out and do stuff for short periods of time

LeviticusD · 04-03-2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlawde

I got past the intro quests, and the game does change a bit. I have a lore master, which is pretty cool...let the pet tank and stand back and burn the mob! It seems the depth of VG calls for a time committment I don't reall have. This is easier to log in and out and do stuff for short periods of time

That's how I feel about it. I'm pretty invested in VG. When I log in, I usually have guild issues to take care of, questions, long group quests etc. Sometimes I want more of a plug and play arcade feel and that's what I seem to get with LOTRO. I doubt I'll ever join a guild there and use it as a nice change of pace when I have limited play time or might have to leave at the drop of a hat, etc.

Solstice79 · 04-03-2007, 04:58 PM

I am not gonig to check it out the world of LoTR never really intrested me.
I am not a MMORPG hopper I tend to find one adn stick with it for a long time.
I am in VG now and until they give me a reason to leave or make me I am probably here for the long haul.
I stuck with EQ for 7 years even though the last 2 were torture. : )

Vlawde · 04-04-2007, 08:56 AM

hehe I still have my EQ/EQ2 subs going (Station access) along with VG. Had Wow for several brief periods but bleh. And I am not sure if I will pay for LOTR when it goes live, a month of playing should give me a better idea.

I love MMORPGs but realistically do not have the time to remain active in all of them.

kristian · 04-04-2007, 12:28 PM

This game sounds good, i really like the timeline they took for this game.. how many professions there are.. "gonna be easy for them to know who needs adjust" so they will have a lot of time to implement more stuff.. I see this game with some positive feedbacks. I'd like to read more opinions from ppl that play vanguard tough.. the are some things I dont like about VG at this moment: grinding, while it's okay I'm just doing about 20% of crafting xp daily per level at 31.. adventure is way better not that boring.. Adventuring needs some fixing I dont understand how that can happen in the next generation MMO but oh well paladins outdps sorcerers at high lvls.. I really dont care seriously I played Wizard in eq2 even we were below I liked it, I just had higher expectations in this game.