Updating atm,want a little info

Kraxxin

Just picked the game up today from the store, $20 for the complete edition. I have never been one to try out the trials of different games,I just buy something that looks interesting and hope for the best.

I'm currently wondering which server to get on? I prefer a high population server for grouping.

Is there any pvp in this game?

Is there any crafting?

What do you,as players, enjoy most from this game? 

How are the graphics in this game compared to other titles such as AoC?

Is the game mainly quest driven?

Is there room to roam around and create your own adventure?

 

 

Edit: Just played a dwarf for 5 minutes, I guess hoping for the best didn't run in my favor this time. Oh well,30 days to go,maybe I'll like it the more I play it.

 

AgtSmith

I'm currently wondering which server to get on? I prefer a high population server for grouping.

Brandywine is busiest server.  However, grouping is somewhat broken in the game for a myriad of reasons.  Expansion trumping prior stuff so most all vets there not in lower/mid areas and alts seems to get power leveled by having a higher level pal or guildmate come along for the few group required parts along the way.  Also, much of the group quests such that it is difficult to find people on same parts as you so grouping for a quest means looking for some time or being willing to spend a bit of time getting folks caught up.  There are other issues with grouping as well, mainly it is not really necessary for most things so it makes it hard to get them when you need them.

 

Is there any pvp in this game?

Yes, sort of.  There is the usual dueling type thing, not much to write home about.  There is also a way that, I think at level 10, you can enter what is called monster play and take the persona of a MOB in a special high level area and fight players - it is also referred to as creeps (MOBs) verse freeps (free peoples).  See here for more info.

 

Is there any crafting?

Yes, although it is mostly 'assembly' as you cannot do anything but gather the ingredients and have the pre determined item as an outcome.  More info here on crafting.

 

What do you,as players, enjoy most from this game?

Obviously, that depends on the player.  I think most LotRO players enjoy the story that follows you along as you move through the levels and areas.  Additionally, it is a well crafted world with nice landscapes and lots of the little 'extras' that make an MMO the experience it is.

 

How are the graphics in this game compared to other titles such as AoC?

Next to AoC no MMO I have seen comes close to the graphics of LotRO.

 

Is the game mainly quest driven?

It is 100% quest driven.  This is one of the drawbacks I think - quests are fine and all but I think the game would be far, far better if quests where half of the action not mostly all of it.  Particularly annoying to me about quests is the way so many are multi parts sending back and forth to the same area over and over and over and then often ending with a part that requires a group, where the other 95% was solo or duo possible.  It becomes very frustrating in short order.  Not that I mind grouping, but I mind very much working on something for an hour only to not be able to complete it with what I started it with and unable to find a group to do it either because groups are very sparse to find in many areas.  Then when you do find others, often times you have to spend a good bit of time getting them caught up to where you where.  It is very frustrating ant twice has annoyed me to canceling.

 

Is there room to roam around and create your own adventure?

Roam around, yeah - it is a decently big world.  Create your own adventure - no, I do not think so.  You are playing Turbine's adventure and while you can put your own stamp on it (especially now that new classes have been added with Moria expansion) but you are playing the adventure they built and wrote for the most part.

 

 

I have little doubt many MMO fans will not get there $20 to $50 worth, but I think many who try it will find it wears thin after 30 or 45 days.  It is a well made game, and it has lots of nice little things in it, but it is suffering from Turbine's inability (IMHO) to really build a place for people to create there own adventure instead they can only build an adventure for folks to follow along on.  That isn't by itself bad, but it limits the game past 4 or 5 week in my opinion.  End game is very grindy and since MoM came out and trumped everything that proceeded it the game has very much contracted at the top.  People are starting to voice frustration of this and the grouping issues but otherwise the game has a good stable base.

 

Mrbloodworth

Your links are busted bro.

AgtSmith

Links fixed.