Originally posted by Hexxeity

Seems Turbine is copying not just WoW the game, but the entire WoW Vision, right down to the focus on solo play and endgame content.  Too bad.

I play MULTIPLAYER games because I want to group  with other players.  Players are not willing to group if it is just as easy (or easier) to level up alone.  What they should be focusing on is adding incentives to grouping (right now, there are NO incentives).  If people see grouping as a chore, Turbine needs to modify and enhance its grouping tools, not throw out the baby with the bathwater by encouraging more solo play.

I am really getting tired of MMOGs being multiplayer in name only.

They are responding to what many in the player base are asking for. Myself included. MMO's are mulit player. But that can manifest itself in many ways. I for one like having other people around and some interaction. But at times I want to be able to sign on, do some things and sign off. Looking for a group takes too long and it can even be a bad group.

grouping is not the only way that people can interact in an online game.

Good game no doubt, definitly needs more content, I might even venture back in if they added more. Suprise suprise, solo content on the way, all the cries from the fanbots saying this is an MMO and there is not suppose to be solo content. Big suprise this was one of the points hit on this discussion with Jeff. Allot of people like myself left because it was just crazy to sit for hours on in trying to get group after group to level another character. I guess it is safe to say now that more solo content is needed and the devs finally see that. To bad those loud voices on the forums there and even here still say "ITS AN MMO ! THERE IS NO SINGLE PLAYER!" lol, listen up folks. MMO's are persistent worlds that bring people togather, however when a game forces your hand in what you do and when and how you do it , most will bail ship and wait for a new title that does not.

We want to game with our friends and make new ones, but we never wanted to be forced to be your friend, for all I know your a jerk in RL just like you are in the fantasy world huh?

Actually the battles system is much better and the quests are much more entertaining to me. The also take as much advantage of a smaller area as possible so you don't have to travel forever to complete one quest. Also there is a lot less kill x amount quests. I love the look and style and the traditional feel of the game. (Which I believe you called noninventive.) The community is very helpful and friendly and mature for the most part.

Originally posted by Hexxeity

Seems Turbine is copying not just WoW the game, but the entire WoW Vision, right down to the focus on solo play and endgame content.  Too bad.

I play MULTIPLAYER games because I want to group  with other players.  Players are not willing to group if it is just as easy (or easier) to level up alone.  What they should be focusing on is adding incentives to grouping (right now, there are NO incentives).  If people see grouping as a chore, Turbine needs to modify and enhance its grouping tools, not throw out the baby with the bathwater by encouraging more solo play.

I am really getting tired of MMOGs being multiplayer in name only.

I can't believe people like that still exist.

Nah Microsoft did AC2 and failed miserably, Turbine just put few last nails into the coffin.

To be honest, I can't think of many successful systems the world has stolen from WOW....  Maybe something in the class balance system (like renaming a pally or shaman)

Aside from that, I can name about 30 things that WOW has "incorporated" into their game through patches AFTER another mmo has released it as it's unique content.

To be honest, I think any mmo that is dedicated to it's fanbase has to have it's eyes open to all new ideas, and implement the best one's into it's game as quickly as possible.  It's just good business sense to keep your product competitive, and if it means adding a mission difficulty scalar, then so be it.  I think blizzard is a great company for stripping one dimensional games of their one twinkle of uniqeness in an otherwise boring game.

I don't think any radical idea will topple wow, I think it will have to be a professionally developed game with depth, content, and some new ideas and new technology that older games just can't match.  frankly if a company shows up with less than that, then they deserve to have better games adapt to their one advantage.  But enough of the intellectual property issue...  I think Lotro has some of the initial components to be a game that can make it in the market today.

A dedicated content addition policy is key to a game's success.  I think that it is possibly the most important issue out side of game mechanics that determine the longevity of a game.

Originally posted by vipjerry

Nah Microsoft did AC2 and failed miserably, Turbine just put few last nails into the coffin.

No

Turbine made Asheron's call 1&2 as developer and Microsoft did the publishing. At the year 2003 Turbine bought license from Microsoft and got SoE as a publisher for Asheron's Call 2 payed Expansion. The whole AC2 was a game FULL OF SOLO content spammed with tons of quests, with no xp death penalty, simple crafting ... etc. It was a bit bugged WoW nevertheless it was Turbine's Vision many years earlier than was WoW released.

Originally posted by vipjerry

 

... i dont like this attitude "we want do it cos book says this or that" comon its just silly.

 

 

I must argue against that. Being a very long time Tolkien fan, I feel that they NEED to stick with the books and the lore.  They should regard it as holy writ and waiver not at all if they are able.

Mistreating the Tolkien license would be a far more grave mistake.  A more righteous and rabid group of fans you will not find. Peter Jackson treated it with great respect and only strayed where he absolutely must. Even as little as he did (and it was only a little, though the importance of his transgressions are widely debated), he found how vocal the fan base could be.

We can all compare the game with <insert game you've played the most>... and find it wanting. It is the lot of the entire MMOG industry to constantly be compared with other platforms and other "visions".

Personally I choose to accept it for what it is.  A good game with decent mechanics in a beautifully rendered game world with lore to rival any game.  Warcraft has a lot of lore, but nowhere near what LOTR has.  Warhammer may be the next greatest lore-supported game on our hands. Mechanics-wise, I enjoyed DAoC more than anything I've mentioned so far. But I try not to focus on the little things and step back to view the entire fresco.

The story is immense and wonderful to immerse yourself in.  The PVP leaves a lot to be desired (fighting back and forth across a bridge is not terribly fun after the first 10 minutes). Sure it's a level grind, I challenge anyone to name a level or skill based MMOG that can not be called a grind.  Even EvE is a grind of sorts, though it's a grind of real-time.

Thus is the nature of our hobby. All the implementations are merely differing flavors and all of us have differing tastes.

With this particular license, they need to stay true to the lore. Mess with the game mechanics, argue about the game mechanics, debate the finer intricacies of the implementation of the game mechanics as compared with your preferred game...

But stray not from the lore.

Originally posted by dj-wedge

 

Originally posted by vipjerry

 

... i dont like this attitude "we want do it cos book says this or that" comon its just silly.

 

 

 

I must argue against that. Being a very long time Tolkien fan, I feel that they NEED to stick with the books and the lore.  They should regard it as holy writ and waiver not at all if they are able.

Mistreating the Tolkien license would be a far more grave mistake.  A more righteous and rabid group of fans you will not find. Peter Jackson treated it with great respect and only strayed where he absolutely must. Even as little as he did (and it was only a little, though the importance of his transgressions are widely debated), he found how vocal the fan base could be.

We can all compare the game with <insert game you've played the most>... and find it wanting. It is the lot of the entire MMOG industry to constantly be compared with other platforms and other "visions".

Personally I choose to accept it for what it is.  A good game with decent mechanics in a beautifully rendered game world with lore to rival any game.  Warcraft has a lot of lore, but nowhere near what LOTR has.  Warhammer may be the next greatest lore-supported game on our hands. Mechanics-wise, I enjoyed DAoC more than anything I've mentioned so far. But I try not to focus on the little things and step back to view the entire fresco.

The story is immense and wonderful to immerse yourself in.  The PVP leaves a lot to be desired (fighting back and forth across a bridge is not terribly fun after the first 10 minutes). Sure it's a level grind, I challenge anyone to name a level or skill based MMOG that can not be called a grind.  Even EvE is a grind of sorts, though it's a grind of real-time.

Thus is the nature of our hobby. All the implementations are merely differing flavors and all of us have differing tastes.

With this particular license, they need to stay true to the lore. Mess with the game mechanics, argue about the game mechanics, debate the finer intricacies of the implementation of the game mechanics as compared with your preferred game...

But stray not from the lore.

Agreed. The whole genre is popular BECAUSE of Tolkien. Where do they think Dungeons and Dragons comes from? Thats not to say that without Tolkien it would NOT have become popular (the genre of fantasy) someone would have made it so. But sticking to the book should be the first priority. Add other stuff when you run out of book. Besides it give those who don't have time to read all the books experience it without taking the time to read. It might even encourage reading.

Valid point guys i like Tolkien to but i hate Hobbits and Dwarfs as much as i hate Elfs i just cant stand this creatures and i would like to have an option to kill them. Didnt Borimir tryed to kill Frodo and take his ring. I would like to have an option to slay Hobitt and loot his corpse. I think its perfectly allright with LOTR lore.

My friend come to the game, level a normal toon to 10 even call him hobbitkiller.  Then for the rest of your time play as a level 50 monstor killing as many hobbits in a day as you can possibly handle.

Try to do it in a group though ^^

Originally posted by vipjerry

Valid point guys i like Tolkien to but i hate Hobbits and Dwarfs as much as i hate Elfs i just cant stand this creatures and i would like to have an option to kill them. Didnt Borimir tryed to kill Frodo and take his ring. I would like to have an option to slay Hobitt and loot his corpse. I think its perfectly allright with LOTR lore.

LOLOLOL. Im personally SICK of Fantasy MMOs too. However, I give LoTRO a chance because it is Lord of the Rings. Your right though, it might be cool to be a Ring-Wraith.

I played this game since beta on and off and to be honest it does have pretty graphics and all that. But personally it's just not fun for me. Oh and to the guy who wants to start in his homeland (Rohan or Gondor), those zone are not slated to be added till around 2009 (maybe) 2010.. So good luck..

Originally posted by rawgutts

I played this game since beta on and off and to be honest it does have pretty graphics and all that. But personally it's just not fun for me. Oh and to the guy who wants to start in his homeland (Rohan or Gondor), those zone are not slated to be added till around 2009 (maybe) 2010.. So good luck..

From what I heard the first major expansion was due out this year and it was rumored to include Rohan as a new area and mounted combat as well.

Originally posted by mindw0rk

This article is just a compilation of well-known information. We would like to see some exclusive

Exactly

Waiting for Moria, Rohan Gondor and so on since beta. No moria, no more sub.

Originally posted by JagerMichael

From what I heard the first major expansion was due out this year and it was rumored to include Rohan as a new area and mounted combat as well.

I hope your right. Where did you hear this though? Gotta link maybe?

I was told that by a person that keeps up with the dev chats here on MMORPG and a few of the other popular MMO sites. I don't have a link though, sorry.

Here is something for you to check out for lotro..

http://www.visionsofthering.com/expac_timeline.shtml

Pretty cool map. I'd be shocked if they waited another two years before adding some of the most popular areas of lore though.