Lord of the Rings Online goes F2P

[Norfleet]

Soul-sucking grind, eh? Tell me about the grind.

 

[Azazel]

Why the hell did they redo half the icons in the game with vastly shittier versions?

 

[Martyrized Dinosaur]

Since this is the only thread for it, I hope there are no rules against advanced necromancy . I picked out this one since it's free and I always wanted to roam into Middle Earth :D. How does it stand out as a MMO compared to the others? Against Elders Scrolls online, WoW, Aion, Guild Wars 2 and so on?
Any of you fellas playing it?

There's a huge sale for the Expansions as well.

 

[made]

Since this is the only thread for it, I hope there are no rules against advanced necromancy . I picked out this one since it's free and I always wanted to roam into Middle Earth :D. How does it stand out as a MMO compared to the others? Against Elders Scrolls online, WoW, Aion, Guild Wars 2 and so on?
Any of you fellas playing it?

There's a huge sale for the Expansions as well.

Read the thread? Was a decent game, standard MMO gameplay with a unique atmosphere full of melancholy and yearning but run into the ground by Turbine's greedy f2p system.

Game's ded 2 me, but the memory remains.

 

[Martyrized Dinosaur]

Sorry about that, the thread has suddenly changed since I made my comment . Now that I read them, the replies are focused on debating F2P and casual players, more than the quality of the video game.
It seems there is a way too expansive VIP mode that gives you access to some prenium quests/instances and other features that look less important. The expansions are on sale, would just grabbing the package be enough to enjoy the game, or is the game sans Prenium quests/instances completely barren?

 

[made]

Sorry about that, the thread has suddenly changed since I made my comment . Now that I read them, the replies are focused on debating F2P and casual players, more than the quality of the video game.
It seems there is a way too expansive VIP mode that gives you access to some prenium quests/instances and other features that look less important. The expansions are on sale, would just grabbing the package be enough to enjoy the game, or is the game sans Prenium quests/instances completely barren?

No idea, I haven't played it in years. IIRC you get full access to the first few areas for free, grinding achievements in those gives you enough points to unlock a few more. Vanilla and Moria was where the game was at its best anyway, the quality of writing and content declined sharply thereafter. Depending on how fast you progress, becoming VIP for a couple months could offer better bang for the buck.

 

[Martyrized Dinosaur]

Would you say most of the game is closed off behind a paywall? That's disappointing . I wonder if the expansion content is at least bundled with the purchase or you even have premium content for already paid content.

 

[Hoaxmetal]

Buying nothing will get you to level 20 if I remember correctly. All non-expansion areas are available to subscribers (that includes the current post-expansion updates they release every few months, meant for max level players). Quad pack will get you access to 4 of 5 expansions and that's a lot of content to get through (and you don't have to keep a subscription while doing those areas). Leveling is still quite slow paced (but not too much).

It isn't a free game after the initial areas but with deals on expansions it doesn't cost more than the usual 10-15 bucks per month as during the non-f2p era.

 

[Martyrized Dinosaur]

I fear that if I were to buy the expansions without the subscription I would be stuck between a few high level content, and the initial low level content. My purchase being invalidated by the fact that I didn't pay for what's in between?

 

[Hoaxmetal]

I fear that if I were to buy the expansions without the subscription I would be stuck between a few high level content, and the initial low level content. My purchase being invalidated by the fact that I didn't pay for what's in between?

You're correct - subscribing at least once during levelling is p. much mandatory because it unlocks a lot of pre-expansion areas.

 

[Mangoose]

I never liked soloing in this game. Combat cooldowns slow -> slow combat -> tedious if lots of mobs. They added a class with really nice mechanics (Warden) but it still couldn't overcome the combat pace.

That being said, I never grouped. How is it? I would be very welcome to group with people I know (Codexers).

 

[hakuroshi]

You technicallly can do Epic line (i.e. main story quest) without buying anything until Helms Deep. You won't get area quests though and probably starve for xp, but I know people who get fairly far that way, grinding a few free scirmishes. Soloing the game is easy now, not as easy as current SWToR perhaps but close.

I've never done a proper grouping there, we mostly ran around, killing things, chatting and drinking beer Fun times. It definitely speeds the way.

Subscribing at least for a month is very helpful as you keep a lot of benefits after expiration, unfortunately not access to the locked areas. But fast travel and extra storage stays.

 

[made]

From what I remember, the 3- and 6-man instances were a lot of fun, especially when they had tasks and gimmicks other than trash/boss/trash/boss. Uru and CD remain some of the most visually and architecturally impressive dungeons ever; you could solo them at one point but they might have been rehashed in the meantime. Raids were a clusterfuck due to lack of proper UI that supported raiding and were far inferior in terms of mechanics compared to WoW.

 

[Mangoose]

You technicallly can do Epic line (i.e. main story quest) without buying anything until Helms Deep. You won't get area quests though and probably starve for xp, but I know people who get fairly far that way, grinding a few free scirmishes. Soloing the game is easy now, not as easy as current SWToR perhaps but close.

I've never done a proper grouping there, we mostly ran around, killing things, chatting and drinking beer Fun times. It definitely speeds the way.

Subscribing at least for a month is very helpful as you keep a lot of benefits after expiration, unfortunately not access to the locked areas. But fast travel and extra storage stays.

I simply don't enjoy the combat. Even the more 'action-y' classes (as opposed to classes like the Loremaster) couldn't keep me going. This is subjective.

The Warden was the only interesting one, but it also killed too slowly... subjectively lol.

I do love the environment, though.

 

[Mangoose]

From what I remember, the 3- and 6-man instances were a lot of fun, especially when they had tasks and gimmicks other than trash/boss/trash/boss. Uru and CD remain some of the most visually and architecturally impressive dungeons ever; you could solo them at one point but they might have been rehashed in the meantime. Raids were a clusterfuck due to lack of proper UI that supported raiding and were far inferior in terms of mechanics compared to WoW.

Ah I should've done more instances. Actually I don't think I did one. Maybe if I over-leveled myself doing instances I could just breeze through the tedious solo storyline.

 

[Rahdulan]

What a lovely Christmas gift for all the fans!
https://www.lotro.com/forums/showth...sage-from-Rob-Ciccolini&p=7676699#post7676699

Greetings,

Today we have some momentous news! The game teams responsible for The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) and Dungeons & Dragons Online (DDO) are now moving from Turbine to Standing Stone Games, a newly formed indie game studio. In addition, we’ve partnered with Daybreak Games to provide global publishing services. They’ve had a long, successful history developing and publishing MMOs, and we’re happy to lean on their expertise.

With the announcement out of the way, I wanted to talk to you about what all this means.

We're embarking on an exciting adventure as Standing Stone Games, a newly-independent studio staffed by people who have been working on DDO and LOTRO for many years. The teams remain very much committed to both games and are thrilled to continue development and operations of these games as an independent studio. This is an opportunity for us to bring about our dreams while still working on two of the biggest licenses in video games. It's a huge honor, and for you this means your games will continue to grow and improve. We love to focus on games with a high level of depth and scope, and we can't wait to show you what the future brings.

Although a great many exciting things are happening on our end, you'll be able to continue playing the game(s) you enjoy with as little interruption as possible. Our development continues on track, and the plans we have already announced remain firmly in our future view. Again, although we are a new studio, we are also the same developers who have been and will continue to work on our games.

Our success has always been possible because of your support. As we move forward, this is more important than ever. The ultimate goal of our new studio is to continue to bring you amazing experiences. We are excited for the future, and we’re thrilled to have you with us on this journey.

Here's to great games, epic adventures, and memorable times with friends!

~Sev

 

[Kane]

I must say, that's an enormeous amount of commitment and love for two less than medicore games. A more economically inclined developer would've just shut it all down at this point, but these guys even spun out. Is the new company's name as much a notice of intent as it is a symbol for the quality of their games?

 

[hakuroshi]

...just shut it all down

It is quite possible that Turbine/WB intended to do just that and when some suckers dedicated devs offered money, gladly took them.

 

[Rahdulan]

You can get expansions real cheap on their store. Quad pack is a steal at this point.
http://store.turbine.com/store/turbine/en_US/list/categoryID.58516200/ThemeID.28979900

The Lord of the Rings Online™: Expansion Quad Pack - Digital Download

Get all four Award-winning The Lord of the Rings Online™ Expansion Packs in a single purchase! Explore Moria, a truly vast underground environment like you’ve never seen before. Join the elves of Lothlórien in war against Sauron among the ancient ruins, spider-haunted canyons, and foul bogs of Mirkwood. Journey eastward toward the tower of Orthanc where an army of Isengard Orcs and Uruk-hai make ready for war. Ride into Combat atop your loyal War-steed as you defend the people of Rohan from the forces of Isengard and Mordor, and join the Rohirrim across the sprawling plains of Eastern Rohan.

$10.00