Lord of the Rings Online

[ssampier]

What's the customer base like? I mean the WoW has a stereotype of younger kids (I think all online games that have stereotype to some extent).

I am just curious if they how they were marketing the game to a different audience.

 

[Dinkeldog]

My list (all Arkenstone)
Abellas -- Burglar
Glandin -- Minstrel
Teladan -- Guardian
Applethorn -- Lore-Master
Aurandir -- Hunter

 

[MarauderX]

How does the game compare to Turbine's other products, namely DDO? How is the character modeling (amateur, ok, pro)? Is the setup with instancing closer to WOW or DDO (or EQ2, or whatever)?

 

[Simplicity]

I, personally, find the character modelling to be impressively professional. I've heard others complain about it some, but it's doing real-life modelling, not a stylistic cartoon like WoW. So what they've got is impressive, and just past the uncanny valley (to me anyways).
Characters aren't as customizable as City of Heroes, but they're not cartoony either. Characters look a LOT better than EQ2 characters.

I've especially heard complaints about the elven art in general.... I haven't tried that race yet, so I can't comment there.

Instancing is similar to WoW, but there are fewer instances as far as I can tell. BUT, those instances are typically used to further the plot of the game. So, the main storyline quest has a number of instances in it... Other than that, I haven't seen too many of them yet.
I have been on quests where you wind up standing in line to kill the boss at the end. And yes, that sucks. Kind of par for the course for MMORPGs though.

 

[Simplicity]

What's the customer base like? I mean the WoW has a stereotype of younger kids (I think all online games that have stereotype to some extent).

I am just curious if they how they were marketing the game to a different audience.

Well, for one thing you can grow pipe-weed to perform tricks with the smoke and drink large amounts of beer. So, you'd think... a little older audience. You'd be wrong. Tons of kids playing. It hasn't gotten too nasty with the gameplay yet though, as far as I can tell. Just the OOC channel.

Lord of the Rings is going to be this generation's Star Wars, I guess.

 

[Neo]

Have you figured out how to ignore people? I also wish it were easier to respond to individuals easily in private tells.

/r and what you want to say mate

 

[Neo]

Instancing is similar to WoW, but there are fewer instances as far as I can tell. BUT, those instances are typically used to further the plot of the game. So, the main storyline quest has a number of instances in it... Other than that, I haven't seen too many of them yet.

It has one significant and in my opinion great difference.. namely that the instances are not places that the best stuff in the game can only be obtained from. In LOTRO the best gear can be found by anyone of an appropriate level out of instance.. it is not tied to specific locations. So solo players dont miss out, nor do we get instance campers.

Ive been playing since the start of the beta more or less, and the only disappointments with LOTRO so far have been
1. Lack of Elven specific armours on vendors once out of the introduction (thier literally arent any until Rivendell, which is a fair way off in distance and levels), so the only elven armours you can get must be found, which can mean them turning up in a miss match of colours if at all.
2. The lack of Dresses (they are in the game on the npcs' just not purchaseable by players...grrrr)
3. Lag... (inevitable sadly right now as its uber popular so the servers are mobbed, game was a lot less laggish in the beta though some places like Gondamon and Bree are just painful to be around).
4. Crafters not being able to make cloaks, low-mid level racial armours beyodn humans style (game is definitely a little too human-accentric)
5. That they didnt switch back to single full color cloaks like they promised instead of the two part ones.

and thats it...fairly short list, beyond these little niggles the game is spot on and gorgeous.

 

[GlassJaw]

I'm pretty close to giving LotR a try. Getting burned out on DDO.

Sounds like Arkenstone is the unofficial EN World server.

How much can you do solo? I really want to start an MMO and actually get into the story at my own pace and learn the UI, characters, etc.

I've really been impressed with the screenshots of the landscapes that I've seen. How much open exploration is there? I really love DDO's landscape design (Turbine has some good landscape designers right now it seems) but they just don't have enough big areas to explore.

 

[Simplicity]

I've got a character up to level 17 so far going almost entirely solo. Yes, as you get higher, the quests require more grouping... But I've only run into a couple of side quests so far that I couldn't go back to at a higher level to pass by myself.

As for how much open exploring there is.... Quite a lot really. There's actually Deeds you get FOR exploration (Deeds give you Virtues or Titles). Let's see... In Bree-land, there's a Deed for finding all of the ruins, and for finding all the Dunedain sites. In the Shire, there's a Deed for visiting all of the Farms and seeing all of the "Sights".

It's funny really because you open the box, and you'll go... WHAT? There's only like 7 areas? Those areas are HUGE. HUGE. The Old Forest is a tiny portion on the map of Bree-land, and it's EASY to get completely lost in it.

My level 17 guy is just now *starting* to leave Bree-land.

 

[Hjorimir]

I picked it up on Saturday and I must admit I'm having loads of fun. The game, for me, sits somewhere between WoW and EQ in play and I like that.