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Exploring
mjm0508
Member Posts: 7
Hello, I am thinking about buying this game and so far I have a good understanding of how it works/classes. One of my favorite things to do in MMORPG's is to explore and im wondering does this game offer ways to explore? Is there room to explore? Is the game world large and fairly open? Or is everything mostly zones/instances?(I don't mind zones if they are seamless like in WoW) Are there interesting things to find while exploring(caves, camps, etc)?
Also I love games that have a long view/draw distance.. is there an option for this?
Comments
The terrain and zones in this game are very compelling. They have done a great job creating the atmosphere of Middile Earth.
As far as seamless, there are distinct routes in and out of the various zones. For example, in most zones you can not just cross from one to another anywhere along the boundary. However, in some you can.
When you do cross, most of them are seamless. You can walk along the road from Bree to Lone-lands and see one zone behind you and the other ahead of you.
With graphics settings all at maximum, the viewing distance is phenomenal. I just recently upgraded to a new computer in December and it's like an entire new game graphics wise. My depth of vision is much further and I'm seeing details I never knew existed before.
I'm also a bit of an explorer and casual player. Not casual by amount of time spent, but casual in how I advanvce. I've been playing since July of last year and my highest level character is a level 35 lore-master.
I also have four other characters as I like to experiment with the different classes and crafting professions.
Its seamles world - with some more complex internal spaces being public instances
LOTRO is not as big as let say WOW or Vanguard (now thats explorers game)
But world is crafted with great attention to detail. Much more than any other MMO.
And world just looks real - forests look like forests , mountains like mountains , caves like caves...
If you like nature , you will love this game
There is a ton of stuff in this game JUST for exploring. And I am always finding nooks and crannies that do not seem to have quests related to them (yet?) all over the place.
Also, draw distance:
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"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
Well, what everyone is saying is pretty much correct but there is one caveat to it all.
First off, it's an open world and you won't feel like you are on runners if you just want to run around and look at things. It's not like Conan or Guild wars where you feel you are being funnelled through a path.
As far as going from zone to zone, it is essentially all open with the exception of going from the new player areas to the shire/bree. There is a loading screen for that. There is also a loading screen to get into the area where moria is (and to get inside moria).
Also, you should know that there are areas you will never be able to get into without the "corresponding quest". I ran to a sort of fortress in Angmarm by all the guards and monsters and they chased me right up to the door. I was determined to get inside to at least see if I could, to see what was inside, and possibly to hang there a bit if I lost the mobs (as they will lose interest after a little bit).
What happened was that I right clicked on the door only to see a message that I couldn't enter because I didn't have the corresponding quest.
I stood there in amazement as Sauron's minions cut me down and laughed and taunted "you dont' have the queeesst, you don't have the queeest".
So you will find some artificial barriers. Still there are caves you can explore, the Great Barrow, goblin town, etc.
I did once make my way to the top of a small mountain because there was a ruin there and I wanted to see what it was. Got up there and got to the ruin but there wasn't anything but the ruin. Still, was a good feeling to be able to do that.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
I meant to include there are some areas (higher level zones) that are very difficult to explore at low levels. Not impossible, as long as you don't mind respawning a lot.
I'm one to push the limits. In WoW, for example, I managed to take an alliance character at level 10 all the way across the hostile continent of Kalimdor, through Horde controlled areas. Took many hours and lots of reincarnations, but I eventually made it!
There are tons of cool things to explore, that is why I love the game. The world is beautiful. I love the Shire.
I was exploring the Brandy Woods yesterday and was walking up this mountain only to find a giant or something up there that almost crushed me with a boulder....it was great!
PLAYING: NOTHING!!!
PLAYED:FFXI, LotRO, AoC, WAR, DDO, Megaten, Wurm, Rohan, Mabinogi, RoM
WAITING FOR: Dust 514