I understand the economics that game developers work under, I used to do it many moons ago.

I also used to LIVE in Lord of the Rings Online because I was such a fan of the books.

Then Evil came to the lands - far, far worse that anything Mordor could conjur up.

LoTRo went and opened the LoTRo Store - where nothing you buy is in any JRR.T book, movie, or anywhere.

It was a great game to play(with all it own unique flaws included) - But the Evil GREED opened a store that totally defies any Tolkien Lore, in game logic, everything.

It made it a Game for the Wealthy.  It skewed the haves and have nots almost as bad as the US Government.

Forgot your TP, just buy it from the store no matter where you are.  Need a bandage, there's the store.  Want all your crafting materials without farming, theres the store.  But bring your VISA card as they don't take Gold.

Hear Me Turbine / Warner Brothers - you screwed it big time.  First mistake was $200 gets you free play for life.  Who did the math on that one?  But that is nothing compared to ruining your fine game.

Hear Me Turbine / Warner Brothers - Kill the Store and I'll gladly come back and pay $25/mth to have LOGIC returned.  Equality returned.  Yes the extra $10 will hurt some, but my guess is that $10 is paltry to what that player is paying the store.

But thats the catch isn't it.  The wealthy spend cold hard cash at your store far and beyond any exorbitant monthly fee.

Which brings us back to GREED.  Don't try the "we would be out of biz without it" line - nobody is buying that old crap.

So before you let GREED KILL THE GAME, ALIENATE MORE AND MORE PLAYERS, AND YOU END UP WITH LESS MONEY and ULTIMATELY NO GAME PLAYERS....

BURN THE STORE TO THE GROUND.

post this in the general discussion of the lotro section, you will get more views and replies.

Originally posted by xalvi

post this in the general discussion of the lotro section, you will get more views and replies.

Done - Thanks for the tip.

This game went to hell back in Alpha when they changed it from a sandbox game called Middle Earth Online into a WoW clone called LotRO.

Originally posted by Asileth

The store is here to stay.  Turbine is part of Warner Brothers, a for profit company.  They are in the business of making a profit, and the hybrid model of f2p/subscription is making them more money than the previous model.  RoI sold more than any previous expansion.  Although many erroneously believe the game was dying and that's why F2P was launched, the game was doing okay, not great, but okay.  But Turbine believed they could make more money with a F2P model after the success of Dungeons & Dragons.  And they are. 

 

While some things do aggravate me about the store, overall it doesn't bother me.  And, we are getting more and more content at a faster pace than before.  (Great Rivers for example - and in less than 7 months after that, Rohan).  I actually like some of the conveniences associated with the store.  I left the game for a 9 month break and upon returning had 4 factions to obtain kindred for 4 characters.  Those reputation accelerators have been a godsend. 

 

The break also made me realize what a jewel this game is.  Is it perfect, no.  But no game is; not even the second coming (Guild Wars 2) will be perfect (although I will likely be drawn and quartered for uttering such blasphemy).  But, for me at least, LoTRO is close enough to perfect.  If you are getting this disillusioned, take a break.  Trust me, it will help you; you will return and once again appreciate the world of Tolkien and the game Turbine has created.

 

 

Good advice.  I could probably live with the store, maybe even buy a faction accelerator, but at least they should try to make the store logical.  Put a "real" store in cities and towns only.  The character has to visit it to buy something, plan ahead, etc.  But being able to access it from anywhere still seems wrong to me. But then again anything that takes me out of the 'game immersion' seems wrong, like work and sleep, but I've lived with those, so........  just another annoyance.  

The spirit of Tolkien is lost in Lotro.

I mean there are quests like: go and kill 10 people and bring back my necklace.

Before the shop was online the devs thought about how to improve the game. Now they think about how to sell stuff.

Why don't you subscribe? Is that not an option anymore?

It's been a while since i last visited Middle Earth but when i played you could ignore most of the cash shop with a subscription.

To other people complaining because they cant play the game for free... well that's how the world works. If you want things you usually have to pay for them.