Lord of the Rings Online

My level 20 guardian after a month of exploring, crafting, and slowly taking the game one day at a time, was able to buy a stone cottage in the bree settlements.  It is a cute cottage, near the vendors in the settlement, yet the cottage is right next to the river.  I was able to even save enough to puchase a chest, some traveling rations, and even a bed.

After 25 years I can once again immerse myself into a MMORPG that allows me to feel what it is like to be single again!!!!!  Shhhh don't tell the wife I said that.  Now I can have green walls and blue floors, for no other reason than because I can.  I can store all my dirty armor in my chest and then just get new ones when it suits me.  I can eat what I want when I want.  And I can hang that "gawd awful" trophy on the wall if I choose.  And then after it is all said and done, I can venture over to my wife's cottage, look inside, and realize why it is not such a good idea to be single.

So in 20 levels these are my highlights so far (haters please move along, nothing to see here)

1.  I was able to actually explore my crafting, sell my wares, and collect raw materials for sale at REASONABLE prices (not those jacked up over inflated horrid prices of other MMO's).  This is the first MMO I have played where the level 7-8 gear I made was actually in demand.  Seeing there are a lot of hunters, bows are always needs even though I sell them at 10 silver each.

2.  My experience is the economy is stable and I was able to work at it and actually realize a REASONABLE profit.  So I feel that in LoTRO there is a viable economy, (probably since most of the gold farmers can NOT get a foothold in).

3.  The houses are set up in cute neighborhoods that have style and aesthetic beauty.  This is very tastefully done.  I like the fact that houses can not be placed whereever.......playing SWG years ago and findiing houses randomly plotted all over a planet, some right in the middle of spawns, was a poor design IMHO.  And because the graphics and the neighborhood design is so well done I can sit by the river for hours and feel relaxed.  Again this game lets me feel like I am in no hurry, while the epic quest line provides a sense of urgency, it does not make me hurry up and wait.

4.  The ability to show off my trophies and hard work in my house, gives the player a sense of accomplishment and identity in the game.

All I can say is very well done Turbine.  I am very happy with the game.  Breaking the mold of the recent history of corporations where profit superceeds consumers needs, there is a business that listens to its community, gives us more bang for our buck, and actually made a product that is fun to play.  Thanks

Glad you enjoy the housing!  Also having a home next to running water is just so soothing to sit there and listen too when chatting with friends and kin alike... 

I at first thought it wasn't so fun when 1st introduced, then was like whoa u can get 60 storage spaces for so cheap with a deluxe home I had to.  Then I got all caught up in the design and collecting trophies and getting stuff for my yard.  Think I've spend including cost of the house around 15g for design stuff. 

All the trophies however I earned myself and with friends, but the statues and certain furnishings I had to buy after obtaining certain rank with reputations! 

How about some pictures of your new home inside and out!?   The background in my sig is my home in the shire next to the huge waterfall and stream.  I'll take some nice DX10 screenies and post them here soon as well.

Originally posted by Katashi-kun

How about some pictures of your new home inside and out!?  I'll get some of mine too....I bought a deluxe home in the shire!

Umm maybe an outside, but it is a bachelor pad after all.  It has a bed and a storage chest.  And I am not doing the dishes!

Originally posted by DragonOak

My level 20 guardian after a month of exploring, crafting, and slowly taking the game one day at a time, was able to buy a stone cottage in the bree settlements.  It is a cute cottage, near the vendors in the settlement, yet the cottage is right next to the river.  I was able to even save enough to puchase a chest, some traveling rations, and even a bed.

Nice! Yeah the Bree homestead is nice. My home is in Breeland Homesteads as well (even though Shan's an elf), Chestnut Road back in the woodsy area. Decorated in pretty rustic fashion... I do have a bear set up that I won as a drop while hunting. I *want* a stuffed warg... need to work on that.

After 25 years I can once again immerse myself into a MMORPG that allows me to feel what it is like to be single again!!!!!  Shhhh don't tell the wife I said that.  Now I can have green walls and blue floors, for no other reason than because I can.  I can store all my dirty armor in my chest and then just get new ones when it suits me.  I can eat what I want when I want.  And I can hang that "gawd awful" trophy on the wall if I choose.  And then after it is all said and done, I can venture over to my wife's cottage, look inside, and realize why it is not such a good idea to be single.

lol! Viva la dirty laundry!

So in 20 levels these are my highlights so far (haters please move along, nothing to see here)

(well that parenthetical is almost like delivering a personal invitation :-p)

1.  I was able to actually explore my crafting, sell my wares, and collect raw materials for sale at REASONABLE prices (not those jacked up over inflated horrid prices of other MMO's).  This is the first MMO I have played where the level 7-8 gear I made was actually in demand.  Seeing there are a lot of hunters, bows are always needs even though I sell them at 10 silver each.

You know that's something I don't do very much yet. Aside from the things I craft for myself and/or friends... I usually just sell off the materials. I've always found that being a provisioner for other crafters seems to be a pretty reliable way of making money in MMOs. I think I'm going to start selling more when I can mastercraft Yew and and up...

2.  My experience is the economy is stable and I was able to work at it and actually realize a REASONABLE profit.  So I feel that in LoTRO there is a viable economy, (probably since most of the gold farmers can NOT get a foothold in).

Yeah the economy is pretty stable. I mean, I do see people undercutting by absurd amounts and wonder "why?" - like the other day, the average price for something was right around 100s and then someone had the same item listed for 20s... So I bought them and relisted them at 100 :-p.

4.  The ability to show off my trophies and hard work in my house, gives the player a sense of accomplishment and identity in the game.

How do you get them to come over? I practically have to set up booby-traps involving rope and potato sacks to get people into mine... :-p

All I can say is very well done Turbine.  I am very happy with the game.  Breaking the mold of the recent history of corporations where profit superceeds consumers needs, there is a business that listens to its community, gives us more bang for our buck, and actually made a product that is fun to play.  Thanks

And to think it's only gotten started.

I have not gotten around to getting a home yet. If you dont mind me asking how much coin did it set you back? Have not gotten around to the housing peeps yet been busy crafting and trying to level.

HAHA :)

I don't have a stuffed warg in my home either, but I DO have a white wolf, and also a stuffed barghest :)

And, due to my kindred status with the elves of Rivendell, I have Rivendell music in my home (not my fav, but fits the mood), 2 rep reward paintings (made by myself), but the best "trophy" is actually a nice statue of Gil-Galad in my front yard :)

Also a maple and a birch tree.

DB

Here are pictures of my home inside and out!  Will give a bit of description to each!

Link to my album so you can see the images better without having to slide the forums over!

Wideshot of my home and waterfall from across the road!

Closeup of my home!  I also have all 3 of the Elven statues in my yard, and 2 large Shire Oak trees...

Closeup of my Waterfall and stream to the left of my home....so soothing to sit by and listen too!
 

Next few pics are all the trophies I earned!  Turned floaty names on so you can see what I have!

Next 2 are my small rooms, 1 displayed as my elven bedroom and the other more a storage like area!

...and finally 2 large shots from the corners of my home without floaty names on!

Originally posted by mundus01

I have not gotten around to getting a home yet. If you dont mind me asking how much coin did it set you back? Have not gotten around to the housing peeps yet been busy crafting and trying to level.

Ummm... depends on the size... but I think the small is like. .1.5 gold to buy if I remember right? And then there's upkeep which is less than 100s iirc.

I'd have to log in and check; I honestly don't remember right now... which probably would have been a good thing to realize before clicking the "quote" button...

But there ya go...