I know its hard for fans of LoTRO to understand or even admit, but this is an attempt to revive a dying game. Its not Turbine taking a wildly successful game and switching to F2P. LoTRO has been dying for a while now. At some point some players will come to terms with this as its hard to be critical of something that you love.
LoTRO going free to play is a result of the mishandling and bad development choices that have chased off a chunk of their subscriber base. Ask yourselves this, does going F2P change any of the game that has led to its downfall? No, it has not.
This system is a way for them to make money off of piece mealed old content to potential new demographic of free to play players. Will development for end game continue, yes, but not nearly at the level players are used to.
All this is is a way to repackage the game to sell already developed content to a different demographic!!!!
My goodness, people actually admitting the obvious - that the game was dying.
This is actually a good move, as mentioned, it really just needed more players. And given how stuck up, insular, and elitist the community in it is, a shoot of not so snooty flesh blood can really help.
Imagine, people in this game actually willing to group with strangers? Or hell, even talk to strangers.
But still, I think Turbine pretty much broke the game with Moria and LIs (at least the fun aspect). This isn't goiing to solve anything regarding that. Unless there are cash shop items to reduce the grinding needed for LIs.
Originally posted by trancejeremy My goodness, people actually admitting the obvious - that the game was dying. This is actually a good move, as mentioned, it really just needed more players. And given how stuck up, insular, and elitist the community in it is, a shoot of not so snooty flesh blood can really help. Imagine, people in this game actually willing to group with strangers? Or hell, even talk to strangers.
LOTRO doesn't inherently lack for people around, its that the game is structured to make grouping as onerous (lfg tools, synchronizing across quest chains) or unrewarding (nearly every instance, what happens if you don't synchronize your quests) as humanly possible.
Take a more hardcore game like Anarchy Online, its easy to find a casual group. Take a causal game like LOTRO, you need a hardcore group.
That, coupled with the direction some of the game and stat systems have taken, is actually why I'm not really willing to put up with Ye Item Shoppe.
As a final note I'll add that the more content thing is whistling in the dark. It certainly makes less sense to make large pieces of high level content in this model than it does to keep piling on the low level stuff to keep the F2P churn up and part newbs with a couple more dollars. People said that the relatively light SOM expansion pack meant that more content would following too. Yeah that working out juuust swell.
When I first saw the news, I thought the same, then when saw the options, thought would then still have to pay for all the VIP stuff, but don't, get that all for free still. Plus get the points which can then be used to buy expansions
Plus lifetime subs look like they will no longer be offered.
Basically the F2P system is like playing an unlimited free trial and then you get to pay for what you end up playing. In SWGs free trial you are restricted to the amount of credits you hold, can't place strcuctures, level cap of 25 etc (similar to restrictions in LOTRO on F2P) but you can avoid all those restrictions by paying the regualr monthly fee.
They're just using the Free to play as an advertising gimick, as LOTRO is not really Free to play if you want to experience the entire game. If you want to drop down to free to play, then you will be extremely restricted like free trials on any MMO
I'm still glad got the LT sub, as don't want the restrictions, and still would need to pay.
I found the combat kind of lack-luster and uninteresting last time I tried.
Any recommendations on a class with a little more 'life' to it? Something good and useful in both solo and large/small group PvE.
Rune Keeper or Warden might be to your liking.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
I'm still glad got the LT sub, as don't want the restrictions, and still would need to pay.
I'm happy I picked up a lifetime subscription a couple years back as well; I get all the perks, and really don't have to worry about anything other than paid expansions, just as before.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
My goodness, people actually admitting the obvious - that the game was dying.
I see people saying this all over, but I have never seen anyone back this up. On the contrary those websites who track such things and give estimates of player numbers have all shown LotRO's numbers growing over time, not decreasing. LotRO still opens new servers on occasion; dying games tend to merge servers, not open new ones.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
I'm still glad got the LT sub, as don't want the restrictions, and still would need to pay.
I'm happy I picked up a lifetime subscription a couple years back as well; I get all the perks, and really don't have to worry about anything other than paid expansions, just as before.
The nice thing is your paid expansion can be bought with your free turbine points you get. As long as you save up the 500 points every month and wait to spend them. Otherwise, yeah you just buy the expansion again as normal.
In America I have bad teeth. If I lived in England my teeth would be perfect.
My goodness, people actually admitting the obvious - that the game was dying.
I see people saying this all over, but I have never seen anyone back this up. On the contrary those websites who track such things and give estimates of player numbers have all shown LotRO's numbers growing over time, not decreasing. LotRO still opens new servers on occasion; dying games tend to merge servers, not open new ones.
Really? Name one server? lol
I guess it would be safe to say to you "Can't see the forest despite all the trees"
My goodness, people actually admitting the obvious - that the game was dying.
I see people saying this all over, but I have never seen anyone back this up. On the contrary those websites who track such things and give estimates of player numbers have all shown LotRO's numbers growing over time, not decreasing. LotRO still opens new servers on occasion; dying games tend to merge servers, not open new ones.
Really? Name one server? lol
I guess it would be safe to say to you "Can't see the forest despite all the trees"
I also can't think of a new server. But saying the game was dying is just nonsense. Atleast on the european servers, they population was always healthy, lots of players online, and a constant fresh stream of new players. But that's Europe. I don't know what the situation was in America.
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Confirming what many of us suspected, sub numbers have been in decline with few new players joining so this move will definitely bring in much needed new blood.
Can't say I'm crazy about the new LOTRO Store option, have to wait and see how much impact it has on the overall game play.
Who knows, I might even stop back in since its free and take a look around.
Yup the fact that people like yourself will stop back in can only be a good thing IMO , I'm a liftime subscriber and I feel that this is probably a good move, it seems to have worked ok with DDO which was on its last legs until it it went FTP .... but also as you say, we'll have to wait and see.
I also can't think of a new server. But saying the game was dying is just nonsense. Atleast on the european servers, they population was always healthy, lots of players online, and a constant fresh stream of new players. But that's Europe. I don't know what the situation was in America.
Ah, I had heard that a server or two had been added; I thought they might have been European, but since you are saying that the European servers are the same, then they must have been speaking about the special servers (such as the private ones). So instead of having a server list that has increased, the server list is still the same. However that proves my point as well as dying games merge servers, they don't keep the same number of servers running.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
The nice thing is your paid expansion can be bought with your free turbine points you get. As long as you save up the 500 points every month and wait to spend them. Otherwise, yeah you just buy the expansion again as normal.
I was unaware that Turbine let you purchase expansions with the points, and I look forward to not having to pay for the next paid LotRO expansion then!
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
The nice thing is your paid expansion can be bought with your free turbine points you get. As long as you save up the 500 points every month and wait to spend them. Otherwise, yeah you just buy the expansion again as normal.
I was unaware that Turbine let you purchase expansions with the points, and I look forward to not having to pay for the next paid LotRO expansion then!
Yep, just save up your points.
In America I have bad teeth. If I lived in England my teeth would be perfect.
Comments
I know its hard for fans of LoTRO to understand or even admit, but this is an attempt to revive a dying game. Its not Turbine taking a wildly successful game and switching to F2P. LoTRO has been dying for a while now. At some point some players will come to terms with this as its hard to be critical of something that you love.
LoTRO going free to play is a result of the mishandling and bad development choices that have chased off a chunk of their subscriber base. Ask yourselves this, does going F2P change any of the game that has led to its downfall? No, it has not.
This system is a way for them to make money off of piece mealed old content to potential new demographic of free to play players. Will development for end game continue, yes, but not nearly at the level players are used to.
All this is is a way to repackage the game to sell already developed content to a different demographic!!!!
My goodness, people actually admitting the obvious - that the game was dying.
This is actually a good move, as mentioned, it really just needed more players. And given how stuck up, insular, and elitist the community in it is, a shoot of not so snooty flesh blood can really help.
Imagine, people in this game actually willing to group with strangers? Or hell, even talk to strangers.
But still, I think Turbine pretty much broke the game with Moria and LIs (at least the fun aspect). This isn't goiing to solve anything regarding that. Unless there are cash shop items to reduce the grinding needed for LIs.
R.I.P. City of Heroes and my 17 characters there
LOTRO doesn't inherently lack for people around, its that the game is structured to make grouping as onerous (lfg tools, synchronizing across quest chains) or unrewarding (nearly every instance, what happens if you don't synchronize your quests) as humanly possible.
Take a more hardcore game like Anarchy Online, its easy to find a casual group. Take a causal game like LOTRO, you need a hardcore group.
That, coupled with the direction some of the game and stat systems have taken, is actually why I'm not really willing to put up with Ye Item Shoppe.
As a final note I'll add that the more content thing is whistling in the dark. It certainly makes less sense to make large pieces of high level content in this model than it does to keep piling on the low level stuff to keep the F2P churn up and part newbs with a couple more dollars. People said that the relatively light SOM expansion pack meant that more content would following too. Yeah that working out juuust swell.
I played LOTRO in beta, but the only fun I had was in monster play.
I'm super bummed that free users won't be able to use monster play. I'd love to play it again casually.
Maybe just let us just be creeps but not freeps? Pretty please?
When I first saw the news, I thought the same, then when saw the options, thought would then still have to pay for all the VIP stuff, but don't, get that all for free still. Plus get the points which can then be used to buy expansions
Plus lifetime subs look like they will no longer be offered.
Basically the F2P system is like playing an unlimited free trial and then you get to pay for what you end up playing. In SWGs free trial you are restricted to the amount of credits you hold, can't place strcuctures, level cap of 25 etc (similar to restrictions in LOTRO on F2P) but you can avoid all those restrictions by paying the regualr monthly fee.
They're just using the Free to play as an advertising gimick, as LOTRO is not really Free to play if you want to experience the entire game. If you want to drop down to free to play, then you will be extremely restricted like free trials on any MMO
I'm still glad got the LT sub, as don't want the restrictions, and still would need to pay.
Star Trek Online - Best Free MMORPG of 2012
Rune Keeper or Warden might be to your liking.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
I'm happy I picked up a lifetime subscription a couple years back as well; I get all the perks, and really don't have to worry about anything other than paid expansions, just as before.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
I see people saying this all over, but I have never seen anyone back this up. On the contrary those websites who track such things and give estimates of player numbers have all shown LotRO's numbers growing over time, not decreasing. LotRO still opens new servers on occasion; dying games tend to merge servers, not open new ones.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
The nice thing is your paid expansion can be bought with your free turbine points you get. As long as you save up the 500 points every month and wait to spend them. Otherwise, yeah you just buy the expansion again as normal.
In America I have bad teeth. If I lived in England my teeth would be perfect.
Really? Name one server? lol
I guess it would be safe to say to you "Can't see the forest despite all the trees"
I also can't think of a new server. But saying the game was dying is just nonsense. Atleast on the european servers, they population was always healthy, lots of players online, and a constant fresh stream of new players. But that's Europe. I don't know what the situation was in America.
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waiting for ... nothing..
Yup the fact that people like yourself will stop back in can only be a good thing IMO , I'm a liftime subscriber and I feel that this is probably a good move, it seems to have worked ok with DDO which was on its last legs until it it went FTP .... but also as you say, we'll have to wait and see.
no too happy about this, but i will stick to lotro VIP and see how it works out,
March on! - Lets Invade Pekopon
Ah, I had heard that a server or two had been added; I thought they might have been European, but since you are saying that the European servers are the same, then they must have been speaking about the special servers (such as the private ones). So instead of having a server list that has increased, the server list is still the same. However that proves my point as well as dying games merge servers, they don't keep the same number of servers running.
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
I was unaware that Turbine let you purchase expansions with the points, and I look forward to not having to pay for the next paid LotRO expansion then!
"Oh my, how horrible, someone is criticizing a MMO. Oh yeah, that is what a forum is about, looking at both sides. You rather have to be critical of anything in this genre as of late because the track record of these major studios has just been appalling." -Ozmodan
Yep, just save up your points.
In America I have bad teeth. If I lived in England my teeth would be perfect.