Post Level 20 Content

Plasuma!!!

In about a month, I've hit the 20th level multiple times on different characters and I can honestly say that I'm out of things to do. I look at my quest logs, there's a couple quests in them, but none of them seem even remotely interesting enough to attempt.

I'm a bit concerned that I may have run through the beginning of the game too quickly, or maybe I'm just sick to death of quest-running, but it's concerning because I like LOTRO and I can't really enjoy it when I feel like I have no direction.

I started my first character as an elf minstrel and got him up to level 21 by doing all the Ered Luin quests and some in Bree (as well as the entire chapter 1, the lore and story was quite engaging). It sort of stalled there and I haven't been able to coax myself to get back on that character, so I made a hobbit burglar.

I can tell you that the burglar class is extremely fun, and I love playing and even grinding with it, but again I did all the intro and 'starting area' quests (everything in the Shire, Bree, and Ered Luin) and ran out of steam at the forsaken inn. I made it to level 23 and yeah, I can't manage to log in for longer than a few minutes before deciding that organizing my CD collection would be more interesting.

So I let that character sit and collect dust for a while and moved onto a guardian, captain, and eventually lore master; all of which I have quested with to level 20-23 (without dying once) and I still can't manage to go anywhere beyond that point.

I'm in a great kin with awesome people, I've done a lot of fellowship quests with friends and strangers (who later became friends), I've read through the lore and enjoyed every bit of it; but the game just seems to lose depth and color at the 20th level, and in fact I find it so plain that I can't even force myself to play.

So what's the deal? Even with Blizzard's corporate-inspired game of blandness I managed to get up to level 60 twice before tiring of its dull flavorless content (at the release of battlegrounds). With LOTRO, the post-level 20 content just seems too thin to even bother sampling; and I actually enjoyed it to begin with.

Papadam

Yay first post!

Dont really know what your problem is but Lone lands can feel a bit boring...

haave you found the ranger camp by Weathertop and done that quest chain? One of my favourites in the game! You can also move forward in that zone and go to Ost Guruth with alot of quests. After lvl 20 its also a good idea to travel to Trestlebridge (follow the road north from Bree). I think the lowest quest is 23 there. Its a huge zone with alot of quests.

 

If you are tired of questing then probably this game isnt for you... or you can grind mobs with rested XP if you like, the XP you get isnt that bad!

DragonOak

Now may be a time to focus on grouping in the Great Barrows.  You have a good handle on the class abilities you play.....now is the time to meet new friends and develop some lasting friendships.  And this instance is one of the better ways to do it.

If that don't "float your boat" maybe try a little MPvP, or crafting, or playing the auction house and making gold, buy a house and decorate it, the list goes on but in the long run it is up to you to find what keeps your interest and then utilize it to the fullest.

Unknown

Originally posted by Plasuma!!!


*snip*
 ... but the game just seems to lose depth and color at the 20th level, and in fact I find it so plain that I can't even force myself to play.
*snip*
 ... With LOTRO, the post-level 20 content just seems too thin to even bother sampling; and I actually enjoyed it to begin with.

You uncovered the obvious. This game has almost no depths.

From my point of view you have 2 chances to "survive" its boredom:

1) You either ignore the lack of complexity that makes the RPG genre intresting and just live with the little thats there, starvingly waiting for the frequent updates of more thin content.

2) Or you dive into roleplaying - chit chat with your friends and suck the fun out of the integrated chat windows pushing the LOTRO buttons as a side activity.

Everything else you will probably run against the same walls left and right again and again and again like you have described leveling all those toons to 20some.

You may also think about taking LOTRO as your second MMO for casual relaxation and start looking for something more complex to entertain your brain.

Good luck

Snorf

DragonOak

Then again, if you are looking for a thinking game, maybe consider a nice Chess game with a friend or two.

It would allow for some nice casual face to face contact.

You could play without having to spend 6+ hours camping a rare spawn or looking for a group.

And it is a thinking game that has passed the test of time.

 

FikusOfAhazi

When I get quest burn out. I do my deeds, traits, rep, crafting, fish ect...in that area before I move on. actually I do all those and finish quests along the way..if I even do the quests. If I see a group forming for one I need I'll hop in or something. Works for me.

Jenaka

I had a similar experience when my characters hit the low 20s. The lone lands aren't that exciting and I felt I did too much running back and forth on that long road. They really should do something to spice up that area. But once I got to the upper 20s things changed. 

Mid 20s head to Trestlebridge in the North lands. That place has at least 9 quest hubs, many with  interesting story lines. Nan Wathren, in the southern part of North Downs is a huge outdoor area that could have been an instance. Several quests take you there. I thoroughly enjoyed Evendim and Trollshaws in my 30s. My highest level character is a 46 Hunter. Right now I'm switching between Misty Mountains, Angmar, and Forochel. Those zones are amazing, every time I turn a corner there's something new to discover and do.

I'd suggest you try to get past that slow spot you keep getting stuck on. It does get a lot better. You've only seen a fraction of the game. And really, how do you know  the post  level 20 content is too thin if you can't get past level 23? 

 

Jaxom92

The Lonelands is the most boring section of questing if you ask me. I think the North Downs quests have better story with them. I'd suggest running up there for a little while. If that doesn't work, my next suggestion is to take a break for a few weeks to a month. No matter the game, people can get burned out for one reason or another.

I know I need a break from time to time. I think once you get into the 30s it gets better. Evendim is a nice change of pace.

Gaylen

Lone Lands and the east side of the North Downs are the two areas I stall out in when leveling alts. The most boring, repetitive quests are there.  I don't know if the devs are endlessly entertained by killing boars, wargs, and aurochs. But around the 3rd identical quest sending me out for the same mob I just farmed for 20 mins, my mind attention drifts.

I really hope they add more areas in to break up the Bree->LoneLands->Trestlebridge->Esteldin->Trollshaws leveling path.There's lots of stuff to do when you near L40 now, like Evendim, Tal Bruinen, Misty Mountains, Angmar, and now Forochel. Ideally, as they expand the game map out over the rest of Middle Earth, that won't be as much as a problem in the future.

 

I'd suggest focusing on getting one character up to 50. Don't run around trying to do every quest, every starter zone, every Virtue.  You've made the repetitiveness of the early game that much worse by replaying it 5 times.

Just get one character to 50. When the L30 areas are an old dusty memory, then try to level up the next character.

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Gaylen

The graphics are fine. I like the scenery in most regions. The quests are what drive me away.

I've also been playing since Oct 06 in closed beta and the level cap was 20 in the early days. So I've done LL quests probably more than 20 times with all the chars that got wiped, my alts now, helping guildies run them, and PUGs having to back track. But even the first time through, LL was never my favorite.

Oddly enough, I think the Ered Luin quests on the elven side were the best. I really liked the story and the sights there.