Been looking for an MMORPG to saite my RP and RPG lust for a good time now, got it down to these three.

I like AoC for its design (I'll admit it, I like the skimpy armor, but also the scenery), for it's interesting combat (sure, it not much different from normal MMO combat, but it still is pretty fun) and I think the player city system is interesting.

I like EQ2 for its lore, how it's so huge, the ratonga (most awsome race ever!), and the housing system.

I like LotRO beacuse it's one of my favorite book series, the new skirmish system is decently fun, and the various things you can do.

Though I sadly know little of the dungeons, raids, and pvp of any of them. I know they all have active RP and PvE communities. I mainly want to just RP, some light PvP, and medium-heavy PvE.

In AoC I'll be playing either a Aquilion Conquorer, or Barbarian.

In LotRO I'll be a Human Champion.

In EQ2 I'll either be a Ratonga Shadow Knight or Brigand.

Well, I've never really played any of them for too long but... AoC is the main PvP game of the three, Lotro is the PvE heavy of the three, and EQ2 falls in between though I believe it too is more PvE focused.  Hope this helps you some :)

 So I am in the same boat.  I got a new rig and wanted to get back to the games that melted my laptop when I played them.  I started two threads with AoC vs LOTRO that might be helpful to ya.  Frankly it looks like AoC is winning out so far.  I have played all the games you are talking about, and AoC seems the most fun and good looking.  I would be afraid of EQ2 because its somewhat dieing, ::flamesuit on if I'm wrong::.

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/264500/Lotro-vs-AoC.html

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/262734/page/3

Originally posted by genesis885

 So I am in the same boat.  I got a new rig and wanted to get back to the games that melted my laptop when I played them.  I started two threads with AoC vs LOTRO that might be helpful to ya.  Frankly it looks like AoC is winning out so far.  I have played all the games you are talking about, and AoC seems the most fun and good looking.  I would be afraid of EQ2 because its somewhat dieing, ::flamesuit on if I'm wrong::.

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/264500/Lotro-vs-AoC.html

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/262734/page/3

 

 

Naw, no worry about that, hell, EQ has been "dieing" for years now and it still goes decently strong.
 

I've played all three of those games, and out of them I would recommend LotRO. AoC has amazing graphics, but there are a ton of loading screens which kind of kills the RP atmosphere. EQ2 is a nice PvE/RP game, but is a ghost town early on. I don't like the art style of the game either, but you might. LotRO has the best of both of the previous games though. Great graphics, great PvE/RP and no loading screens. And from what I had read, LotRO has a decent size RP community.

It's been a while since I played LotRO though, so it might also be a ghost town in the newb areas.

 I've played all 3 games.  

I've been playing EQ2 for 5 years and have done nearly every single thing in it.   Out of these 3, it's my only active game.  

I played AoC to cap (80) and a little beyond that.  I enjoyed it, but ultimately, one's enjoyment of AoC relies in large part on enjoying PvP, 50% or more of the game centered around PvP.  I honestly gave it a good try, rolled on teh RP-PvP server and had over a hundred kills to my name by the time I was 80, but at the end of the day, PvP just wasn't for me, nor could my system handle it very well.  So I quit.  The game design and lore are fantastic.  The world is great.  Main storyline is good and there are lots of more mature elements to make it fun.  Also, HoX = greatest class ever.

I played LoTRO a couple of times to mid-20ish levels.  It's by far the most immersive of the three games.  The story is awesome and your role in it makes great sense.  The graphics are worse than that other two games quality-wise, but the art design is amazing, which makes up for the clunkiness and makes the world look really good.  The reason I didn't stay in LoTRO was that I was already playing EQ2 and LoTRO didn't really offer anything new in terms of gaming experience that I wasn't already getting from EQ2.  If the two had some out at the same time, I would have chosen LoTRO easily.  But now, there was simply no point in switching.

EQ2.  I have two lvl 80s in EQ2 and a whole bunch of other mid-level characters.  I've killed nearly every mob in the game.  EQ2 is great for group combat mechanics and raids.  It's great in that it doesn't require a huge time commitment.  My guild raids twice a week and we still clear pretty much all of the game's content.  It's great to be able to experience all of a game's content without having to sacrifice your life to it.  The encounters are fun and rewarding and there is a level of skill that a good player can bring to them.   Of the three games, EQ2 has the absolutely worst lore and rp.  The game wasn't designed around RP in any way the lore is just vomited up at random for no reason but to facilitate whatever this month's game direction is.  It's awful.    FYI, both SK and Brigand are strong classes, but there is a revamp coming in the new expansion that may change that.  If you're going to play a Shadowknight, be prepared to work for a lot of gear -  a tank can't really squeak by in trash, a brigand is a useful class though and unless you're completely terrible, you can get by with whatever.  That being said, as mentioned, gear is quite easy to obtain in EQ2 and even if you never raid, you are easily able to obtain very decent gear.   I've not played on an EQ2 PvP server, but by all accounts, EQ2 pvp sucks.  Ratongas do rock :)   (FYI, EQ2 has a new expansion pack coming out in mid february, buying it will include all previous expansions).

Based on what you're asking for, i'd recommend LoTRO first, AoC (pve server) second and EQ2 third.  If you said that awesome PvE was your #1 concern, it would probably be reversed.  The awesome PvE in EQ2 is what keeps me playing it for what is now my 6th year, the crappy lore and lack of immersion are what keep me looking for a new game. 

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Originally posted by arieste
Also, HoX = greatest class ever.

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I would have to agree with you on that. Probably the most fun I've had with a class. That and VG's druid are my top 2 picks.

Originally posted by arieste

 Based on what you're asking for, i'd recommend LoTRO first, AoC (pve server) second and EQ2 third.  If you said that awesome PvE was your #1 concern, it would probably be reversed.  The awesome PvE in EQ2 is what keeps me playing it for what is now my 6th year, the crappy lore and lack of immersion are what keep me looking for a new game. 

I agree with most of your assessment except this. I have high level characters in both EQ2 and LotRO, and while I really enjoy EQ2 (especially their housing system and race diversity), the pve content in LotRO is far, FAR better. There's really no comparison. I'm not saying the pve in EQ2 isn't fun - it is. But LotRO is really in a league of its own in that area.

Originally posted by Nizur

 

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Originally posted by arieste
Also, HoX = greatest class ever.

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I would have to agree with you on that. Probably the most fun I've had with a class. That and VG's druid are my top 2 picks.

Yeah, I really have enjoyed playing a HoX as well. The class is simply a blast.

To the OP, I think all three games are fun. I like to both PvE and PvP so my favorite of the three is AoC. In AoC, I actually play on a PvE server so I can relax (PvE) when I want to and PvP when I want to as well. Good luck and have fun in what ever you choose.

Originally posted by Dark_Skurai

Been looking for an MMORPG to saite my RP and RPG lust for a good time now, got it down to these three.

I like AoC for its design (I'll admit it, I like the skimpy armor, but also the scenery), for it's interesting combat (sure, it not much different from normal MMO combat, but it still is pretty fun) and I think the player city system is interesting.

I like EQ2 for its lore, how it's so huge, the ratonga (most awsome race ever!), and the housing system.

I like LotRO beacuse it's one of my favorite book series, the new skirmish system is decently fun, and the various things you can do.

Though I sadly know little of the dungeons, raids, and pvp of any of them. I know they all have active RP and PvE communities. I mainly want to just RP, some light PvP, and medium-heavy PvE.

In AoC I'll be playing either a Aquilion Conquorer, or Barbarian.

In LotRO I'll be a Human Champion.

In EQ2 I'll either be a Ratonga Shadow Knight or Brigand.

mm until lotro announced dx11 going online in their game in the first quater ,i would have said any .dx11 changed my oppinion new content dx11 make for a nice experience.but my oppinion count only if you can make use of dx11 if you cant then any is as good as the other .try to get info about the smootness of the game .now the biggest issue arent the graphic!

the issue is :

IS IT PLAYABLE AT MAX SETTING?does it require 69 server to run at max setting?

yes this issue is a big deal if you come out of wow get ready for a shock!not many game run as smooth as wow

for comparable or even worst res or texture.yep its that scary!some company still use old ways blizzard stopped using 4 years ago .so my advice be very torough .

i dont normally point to microsoft.

but the radar of ms today is aimed directly at mmo

various techno like dx11,microsoft donnybrook,w7  etc smooth out lot of beef we had against ms for various reason.

only thing left is to see them in our favorite game

see you in 3 or 4 years lol.

Originally posted by Nizur

 

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Originally posted by arieste
Also, HoX = greatest class ever.

---

 

I would have to agree with you on that. Probably the most fun I've had with a class. That and VG's druid are my top 2 picks.

I tell ya, if pulling out your enemy's beating heart and biting into it while instantly killing them doesn't do it for ya, then there are very few things left for games to try :)

Out of countless videogames - mmo and other - this has to be one of my ultimate "win" moments.

I'm always hearing about how stupidly amazing LOTRO pve is, but that is all I really hear about it, that it's great. Why is it great? What makes it better than AoC or EQ2? 

LotRO

EQ2

AoC

In that order.

Originally posted by SnarlingWolf

LotRO

 

EQ2

 

 

 

 

 

 

AoC

 

In that order.

How amazingly informative.
 

Originally posted by genesis885

 So I am in the same boat.  I got a new rig and wanted to get back to the games that melted my laptop when I played them.  I started two threads with AoC vs LOTRO that might be helpful to ya.  Frankly it looks like AoC is winning out so far.  I have played all the games you are talking about, and AoC seems the most fun and good looking.  I would be afraid of EQ2 because its somewhat dieing, ::flamesuit on if I'm wrong::.

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/264500/Lotro-vs-AoC.html

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/262734/page/3

 

 

For yours and the OP's sake, I hope you're hearing loud and clear that Tortage in AoC is NOT a good representation of the rest of the game.  It's better than it was at launch, but it still doesn't quite have enough content for one toon.  Perhaps if you were lucky enough to get the unlimited double XP pots from November...

If you go that route, you might consider a HoX, too.  They're alot of fun.

I quit AoC and now play LotRO.  Champion is a good class to play... the easiest of any class I've played, at least up to my Champs current 35th level.  Haven't bothered with MPvP, so I can't comment.  But LotRO is a much MUCH bigger game with alot more to do.  And the combat gets a great deal more complex and interesting as you level.

EQ2, I can't comment.  I quit after about 2 hours of gameplay.

AoC or FFXI^^ 

Having played all three, I would recommend EQ2.

EQ2 is the oldest, yet the graphics are still good (better than LOTR, especially shadows and lighting). It has a lot more content than either of the other games, especially AoC.

LOTR is a bit of a grind, no real PVP, a little too boring for my taste

AOC has the absolute worst community, mostly children are playing, expect to be ganked over and over while being called names by very childish individuals. If you want to Role Play, definately stay away from AoC, they have entire guilds on the RP servers dedicated to griefing RP players. Several main features of the game are still broken regardless of all the changes being touted on the AoC forums.

If you liked the LOTR books play LOTRO

If you want a well established game with tons of content decent graphics and a good community play EQ2

If you like being ganked and griefed by children who will say bad things about your momma play AoC

EQ2 gets my vote of those three.

Wow, I'm surprised at how well that AoC is holding up, was intending on giving it abit of a handicap since it has so much negative thoughts behind it, don't guess I don't need to any more :P 

The only thing I enjoyed about EQ2 was the crafting system.

LotRo is a terrible game, in my opinion.

AoC was the only one that pleased me, but you need to be able to handle being ganked to play it.