Comments on: Some screenshots from Lord of the Rings Online

By: Zach Sebag

Zach Sebag — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:55:29 +0000

I really REALLY enjoyed the landscape of LOTRO. It was absolutely breath taking, especially on high graphics. I really liked your take on the questing/rep. I do agree, many times it is refreshing to really take a break from the slaughter fest and take it “easy” so to speak.

I think I may pick up LOTRO again. You have convinced me.

By: spinks

spinks — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:48:08 +0000

I think you’re right, and I quite liked the horse quest also. In fact, I distinctly remember thinking how cool it was that you had to do a long horse-related quest before you could get a horse.

At the same time, I can see how that’s annoying for people who just want the horse already. But quite funny that I am tending to love the parts of the game that more hardcore players hate. Goes a long way to showing how different sides of a game can appeal to different goals.

By: Rem

Rem — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:37:09 +0000

Don’t blame yourself, the map isn’t overly obvious. I just happened to be travelling with a friend who is knowledgeable in all sorts of runes, and there she stopped, pondered, got her listings out and deciphered the writing as “B E L E G A E R”. Oh wait, that’s the name of the Great Sea, exclaimed I, and then we looked closely and saw the outlines of the continent.

And yes, I fully agree that satisfaction or dissatisfaction with a zone (or, for that matter, any element of a game) depends very, very much on the personal context and perspective!

By: spinks

spinks — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:10:03 +0000

It is a gorgeous game. Although I agree that the character models aren’t the strong point.

I find it’s similar in style (in some ways) to EQ2. I mean, the quests have that same sort of back-and-forth quality. But LOTRO breathes atmosphere in a way that EQ2 doesn’t, and the LOTRO developers don’t put as much work into things like housing and crafting after they’ve put them into the game.

By: spinks

spinks — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:08:32 +0000

Oops. I really should have paid more attention, I think I was distracted by the shiny purple gems. That’s actually really cool. They put so much detail into the world in LOTRO, it is genuinely fun to explore.

And I do find it interesting how different an experience I have when I’m so casual that I ignore endgame. I’m sure if I’d been raiding I’d have felt the same as you.

By: Ysharros

Ysharros — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:27:11 +0000

Yeah, the Uncanny Valley quotient in LOTRO is equalled only by EQ2. Oh, and SWG. Oh, and… oh never mind.

By: We Fly Spitfires

We Fly Spitfires — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:34:12 +0000

Those screenshots are lovely. I always found the LotRO landscapes to be goregous but the player character models to be horrendously ugly. They look all gangly and strangely proportioned. I know it’s petty but it’s always kinda put me off getting stuck into the game.

By: foolsage

foolsage — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:40:39 +0000

Inarguably. It’s astoundingly beautiful and very immersive, and offers roleplayers a LOT of little goodies. I’ve not seen another PvE game of that quality yet. I only wish it were less grindy (especially the reputation and legendary items) and that they’d avoided gear-gating. Were it so I’d still be playing.

By: Ysharros

Ysharros — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:09:57 +0000

Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Stop it! Every time I see screenies from LOTRO I want to go back and try it out again.

Best looking MMO EVAR.

By: Ethic

Ethic — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:03:41 +0000

Sounds like you play it the way I do, and perhaps it is close to the aim of the designers as well. Slower pace, enjoying the scenery. I have one main character to take all the way. I have some alts but I have no interest in that now. When your pace is slow and you don’t feel the urge to rush, even the horse quest is not annoying. I found it pleasant.

I feel no pressure to get to the level cap. I look forward to seeing places and things, but the knowledge that once I do it will be less exciting keeps me content. Kind of like waiting for Christmas. I don’t rush to Christmas because I don’t want it to end. I avoided Rivendell for a good while, just because I wanted to savor the anticipation for a while longer.