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Solo Focus: Like a leg shot from Legolas
JIUBHUNNY420
Member Posts: 131
What really killed Lotro for me was its focus on solo gameplay rather than group (or rather "Fellowship") based questing. To me it is the ultimate immersion breaking element to the game, taking themes of unity and topics like Utilitarianism and dumbing them down to a "Hero's Journey" rather than the journey of a people and civilization.
The story felt real and unique, even with the instanced questing, but it was the fact that we were always doing these tasks and quest's solo, with only rare exception, further disconnecting us and dividing us from the gravity that was present in the books and film series that, "This world could be destroyed at literally any moment."
To me if the game had been more dangerous, more EQ like in its execution, and focused on intelligently and subtly figuring out the game's story through events in the world, events that held real weight...and required a real "Fellowship" of adventurers to conquer them and their many trials. The game might have become a staple of the genre. As it stands the game was made to appeal to a market, rather than stay true to its core IP.
I get upset with games like ESO and LOTRO, because they both present these worlds capable of being transformed into massive online revisions with players interacting in essentially a digital fan fiction...and more often then not they focus on how easily they can mold the IP into familiar gameplay, rather than making the IP into a unique experiance.
The game honestly could have benefited from more sandbox elements, the only one that stuck around from the pre-development "MEO days" was Bards playing instruments, hardly a worthy pick out of all the other possible elements to keep. I mean hell, they could have at least kept the Dark and Light character system, anyone remember that?
J-Hun Lookin to Creep Yall!
Comments
Mate their is plenty of group in LOTRO if you are bothered to look.
If people want to solo their way and play the RPG part of the MMORPG they can, it's their choice.
If want to rely on other for your entertainment that is also fine but don't bag other people out for their preference on how they want to play the game.
Sounds like FF14 is more up your alley. With all the forced group content you will be happy.
My point wasnt one way was bad or the other, my point was that it fit the lore of LOTR to have a group-centric game. They made a solo game because its what sells.
That my point, mate.
J-Hun Lookin to Creep Yall!
I think you mess some things.
"Dark and Light system" belong not to Lotro - think about Orcs and Humans, Jedi and Sith. Lotro represents an alliance of FreePeople against evil, hence no "dark side" possible.
Fellowship system:it does exist. I trust OP missed Angmar somehow - it's a zone of almost instant forced fellowships. Lots of fellowship-instances in Moria too. Yes, many quests can be soloed, but I find no evil in that:
1) because even Aragorn and others had to do some heroic deeds alone, not always in fellowship
2) it is MMORPG and player must be given a chance to solo at least some content.
http://www.mmoblogg.wordpress.com
Sorry, nope, theres no definition for an MMO that says you have to be able to Solo, thats a trend thats happened over the past 5-6 years, and all its gotten us is MMO-Clones, without anything truely unique.
Sorry LOTRO is a decent game, but its not worthy of the IP by a long shot.
J-Hun Lookin to Creep Yall!
It does seem to be a trend in the industry. However, just because you CAN solo content, you don't have to. I play with a group of 5 almost all the time. I don't generally group for the "fed-ex" or "talk to" type quests though. No one is forcing anyone to solo or group. We get to play the game in the way we wish. Is that not the heart of what it means to play an MMO?
My 2 copper
Every MMORPG is AWESOME, until it's released!
I don't want a game so much as I want a WORLD!
--
o·pin·ion noun
1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
I'd rather play solo than spend all day standing in Lone Lands shouting for a group. Which was what used to happen. The numbers are much better now, but at one time, pre-FTP, it was almost impossible to get a group in open play. When you say less immersive, that's just rubbish. Immersion is what you make it. LOTRO is no more or less solo friendly than any other mmo these days, most are soloable up to max level.
Like others have said, if you want to quest with others in a fellowship, you can, every quest can be shared. I've played from day one and Beta and don't remember the dark and light elements. I think you are moaning for no reason.
I prefer mmos with mostly solo content, and a groupfinder for groupcontent.. Dynamic content like GW2 does also work good for my taste.
the social part of the mmo has become my guildchat and the general zone chat.... Oreven the trade chat or group/ raid chat...
spending hours looking for people to play with is just not my idea of fun. And to be honest, i think the majorrity of people just loves this convenient playing style of relaxation after a hard days at the office.
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)