Lord of the Rings Online MMORPG - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Alkanoonion · 10-12-2010, 11:05 PM

I just returned to the lotro game after getting an E-mail that it was free. I got all nostalgic about LOTR and the chance to visit places that I had read about was not to be missed… that is until I tried to play the game. What a disappointment. The game has no feeling of being in the realm of middle earth. If anything it felt like wow without the cartoon avatars.

I just can’t be bothered to play it after the letdown to my expectations.
I think I will just read the sil again instead.

Durelin · 10-20-2010, 02:15 PM

I'm still on Silverlode as is CoD...we don't really play much right now, but...we got lifetime subs way back so we're not paying for anything.

It was a good MMO for me, and my first MMO. I enjoyed it. I was in a good, active guild for a long time. Unfortunately it failed, partially simply because they did not have the money backing them, and probably they didn't make the money to put back into the game because of bad decisions, etc. They haven't been able to put out any real content for a long time.

Anyway, I think the landscape design was great, actually. I'm not a huge lore person, and I never expected an intense adherence to lore out of an MMO which necessitates a gazillion epic heroes running around and lots of epic enemies to kill. Basically if you want the *real* Middle-earth...you're not going to get an MMO out of it. Which is fine. No need to have an MMO...but I enjoyed a Middle-earth-based MMO and the style of MMO they developed, with pretty much no emphasis on PvP (also part of why it failed).

Certainly it could have been done better. But part of what is necessary for better (such as for WoW), is lots of money. And yes, every MMO is trying to be WoW, because what does everyone compare every MMO to now...WoW...haha. Even though it was far from the first.

Anyway I'm still going to play occasionally, such as when I get more time... Legate already found me (I still need to respond to his mail...) My main is Rakein.

So once I get time again I'll be glad to do some questing and instances with people and help you out with getting gear and such.

Legate of Amon Lanc · 10-20-2010, 04:12 PM

Looks like what Dury says is mostly what I would think... I think the bad part is when one starts to make compromises, as I think the LOTRO guys did, and retreating from their original "pure" idea more towards the "classic WoW"-type, but they still cannot completely move it into that type, so it tends up to be some awkward crossbreed which eventually probably disappoints the "pure LotRists" while still not satisfying the "commercial public". Not that I would advise them to continue in that direction, though...

As for right now, actually, I seem to be on relatively frequently (fresh enthusiasm still works), also as now the Harvestmath Festival is going on and since I have never before experienced anything like that, I find it's a lot of fun (unlike I expected, as I thought it will be just some silly big thing to appease the audience... but I like it. Best experience: running around the Shire with the aim to get acquaintance with the Inn League... I think everybody knows this already, but that seriously made my day). I have started developing my character on Silverlode, so now I can join other 'Downers who happen to be around.

xMellrynxMaidenx · 10-20-2010, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Looks like what Dury says is mostly what I would think... I think the bad part is when one starts to make compromises, as I think the LOTRO guys did, and retreating from their original "pure" idea more towards the "classic WoW"-type, but they still cannot completely move it into that type, so it tends up to be some awkward crossbreed which eventually probably disappoints the "pure LotRists" while still not satisfying the "commercial public". Not that I would advise them to continue in that direction, though...

As for right now, actually, I seem to be on relatively frequently (fresh enthusiasm still works), also as now the Harvestmath Festival is going on and since I have never before experienced anything like that, I find it's a lot of fun (unlike I expected, as I thought it will be just some silly big thing to appease the audience... but I like it. Best experience: running around the Shire with the aim to get acquaintance with the Inn League... I think everybody knows this already, but that seriously made my day). I have started developing my character on Silverlode, so now I can join other 'Downers who happen to be around.

I actually thought the festival wouldn't be as fun and thought it to be something to cause my game to lag worse than it does...well, it still lagged due to there being so many on the Silverlode server, but it was still fun. I've attempted to do the Inn League and every stinking time, due to the there being so many on the internet here where I live, my internet will lose connection. But It's still a trip to do! Be it a glitch in the game or what, but my elf (odd I know for an elf to actually get intoxicated

) actually tripped over a fence. Have you went to the small festival they're doing in Duillond? There's not much there like there is in the Shire, but there's still a small festival going on.

CaptainofDespair · 10-20-2010, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durelin

I'm still on Silverlode as is CoD...we don't really play much right now, but...we got lifetime subs way back so we're not paying for anything.

...

So once I get time again I'll be glad to do some questing and instances with people and help you out with getting gear and such.

Yea, I'm not around much. I do still pop in from time to time, mostly to check my mail and auctions. But, if I happen to be online or anyone wishes to schedule "adventure", you can usually find me on one of my main characters: Sevira, Sordatha, or Letania.

And, since Rakein mentioned getting gear, I also do the armor and jewelry crafting for both of our character sets. I probably still have a lot of left over materials...

Legate of Amon Lanc · 10-21-2010, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xMellrynxMaidenx

I actually thought the festival wouldn't be as fun and thought it to be something to cause my game to lag worse than it does...well, it still lagged due to there being so many on the Silverlode server, but it was still fun. I've attempted to do the Inn League and every stinking time, due to the there being so many on the internet here where I live, my internet will lose connection. But It's still a trip to do! Be it a glitch in the game or what, but my elf (odd I know for an elf to actually get intoxicated

) actually tripped over a fence. Have you went to the small festival they're doing in Duillond? There's not much there like there is in the Shire, but there's still a small festival going on.

There is a small festival in each of the places. The last thing I have done is actually participating in a horse race near Bree. The last thing I remember is desperate need of money to buy the festival mount

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainofDespair

And, since Rakein mentioned getting gear, I also do the armor and jewelry crafting for both of our character sets. I probably still have a lot of left over materials...

Well, I have a jeweller myself. Nonetheless, perhaps a colleague-cooperation could be performed some day. Whatever, we shall see if we see...

Kuruharan · 11-24-2010, 10:44 PM

Nice Hurlock there CoD. (now there is a setting that might make a nice MMO)

I heard a rumor that there is going to be another update soonish.

I thought asking here might be a good way to get an honest appraisal of its potential.

CaptainofDespair · 11-28-2010, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Nice Hurlock there CoD. (now there is a setting that might make a nice MMO)

I heard a rumor that there is going to be another update soonish.

I thought asking here might be a good way to get an honest appraisal of its potential.

Well, they are finally putting in a new PvMP zone in the expansion. That's about all I know of Rise of Isengard.

As for the mini-update coming whenever-ish, judging from the patch notes it won't be much. RKs and LMs get some slight upgrades.

And yes, Dragon Age would be a wonderful MMO setting.

Kuruharan · 11-29-2010, 07:25 AM

Somehow hearing that doesn't really thrill the cockles of my heart.

I wonder what they are going to do for the new PvMP zone. If its just basically a copy of the moors I don't think it will work...but if it has new features they will probably be implemented badly.

Are other older players staying around or are they quitting too?

10-12-2010, 11:05 PM	#1
Alkanoonion Spirit in Eriador Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Adelaide Posts: 392	I just returned to the lotro game after getting an E-mail that it was free. I got all nostalgic about LOTR and the chance to visit places that I had read about was not to be missed… that is until I tried to play the game. What a disappointment. The game has no feeling of being in the realm of middle earth. If anything it felt like wow without the cartoon avatars. I just can’t be bothered to play it after the letdown to my expectations. I think I will just read the sil again instead. __________________ In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.

10-20-2010, 04:12 PM	#3
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	Looks like what Dury says is mostly what I would think... I think the bad part is when one starts to make compromises, as I think the LOTRO guys did, and retreating from their original "pure" idea more towards the "classic WoW"-type, but they still cannot completely move it into that type, so it tends up to be some awkward crossbreed which eventually probably disappoints the "pure LotRists" while still not satisfying the "commercial public". Not that I would advise them to continue in that direction, though... As for right now, actually, I seem to be on relatively frequently (fresh enthusiasm still works), also as now the Harvestmath Festival is going on and since I have never before experienced anything like that, I find it's a lot of fun (unlike I expected, as I thought it will be just some silly big thing to appease the audience... but I like it. Best experience: running around the Shire with the aim to get acquaintance with the Inn League... I think everybody knows this already, but that seriously made my day). I have started developing my character on Silverlode, so now I can join other 'Downers who happen to be around. __________________ "Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories

11-24-2010, 10:44 PM	#7
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	Nice Hurlock there CoD. (now there is a setting that might make a nice MMO) I heard a rumor that there is going to be another update soonish. I thought asking here might be a good way to get an honest appraisal of its potential. __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...

11-29-2010, 07:25 AM	#9
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	Somehow hearing that doesn't really thrill the cockles of my heart. I wonder what they are going to do for the new PvMP zone. If its just basically a copy of the moors I don't think it will work...but if it has new features they will probably be implemented badly. Are other older players staying around or are they quitting too? __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...

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10-20-2010, 02:15 PM	#2
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	I'm still on Silverlode as is CoD...we don't really play much right now, but...we got lifetime subs way back so we're not paying for anything. It was a good MMO for me, and my first MMO. I enjoyed it. I was in a good, active guild for a long time. Unfortunately it failed, partially simply because they did not have the money backing them, and probably they didn't make the money to put back into the game because of bad decisions, etc. They haven't been able to put out any real content for a long time. Anyway, I think the landscape design was great, actually. I'm not a huge lore person, and I never expected an intense adherence to lore out of an MMO which necessitates a gazillion epic heroes running around and lots of epic enemies to kill. Basically if you want the real Middle-earth...you're not going to get an MMO out of it. Which is fine. No need to have an MMO...but I enjoyed a Middle-earth-based MMO and the style of MMO they developed, with pretty much no emphasis on PvP (also part of why it failed). Certainly it could have been done better. But part of what is necessary for better (such as for WoW), is lots of money. And yes, every MMO is trying to be WoW, because what does everyone compare every MMO to now...WoW...haha. Even though it was far from the first. Anyway I'm still going to play occasionally, such as when I get more time... Legate already found me (I still need to respond to his mail...) My main is Rakein. So once I get time again I'll be glad to do some questing and instances with people and help you out with getting gear and such.