The graphics so far are worse than I remember them to be, and I have them maxed out with DX10 enabled. However, I've been playing high graphic quality games, so it could be that I'm used to something better and remember wrongly. The avatars are complete junk though. Proportions are off, skin is plasticy, hair is not natural, and feet are blocky. In fact, not much is realistic at all on the avatars. It looks amaturish at best. Even DAoC has better avatar graphics and the game is much older.

Luckily, the game makes up for it in other ways.

What I don't get is why it has to be about graphics all the time..

lotro's graphics are overwhelming compared to wow but compare them to age of conan and they are average, still pre-moria lotro (up to 50ish that is) has one of the best pve experiences you can have in an mmo and for pve fans that is all that should count.

Originally posted by whoeps

What I don't get is why it has to be about graphics all the time..

 

lotro's graphics are overwhelming compared to wow but compare them to age of conan and they are average, still pre-moria lotro (up to 50ish that is) has one of the best pve experiences you can have in an mmo and for pve fans that is all that should count.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend, if that's all that should count, people would play MUD's or early MMO's, because they had a better PvE experience. LoTRO does have a good PvE experience, and their graphics are good. But it doesn't hurt to talk about graphics, because they are important to people. Maybe not important to you, or to some others, but they're important to a great many people, which is why a ton is spent on a graphics during development.

Try to see things from everyones point of view. It's what people call being unbiased and impartial. You can critique the graphics and say negative things without it meaning you don't like the game.

Originally posted by whoeps

What I don't get is why it has to be about graphics all the time..

 

lotro's graphics are overwhelming compared to wow but compare them to age of conan and they are average, still pre-moria lotro (up to 50ish that is) has one of the best pve experiences you can have in an mmo and for pve fans that is all that should count.

There is a lot more to LOTRO than graphics. This just happens to be the subject the thread is about.

Regarding AoC...for me I find the 'look' of AoC to be amazing, but the actually 'reality' is inferior. What I mean is...so much that you see in AoC is eyecandy you cannot explore. What you see in the distance...you most likely can't actually go there. What you see closer by...,uch of that you can't actually go to either as the pathing doesn't allow it. (AKA: Guild Wars)

So while AoC 'looks' great, it only does so until I try to really look at it.

Great game, nice, open world, lots of content.

I have to agree though, that the character models are about as bad as you can find in a game that has come out in the last five years. Many F2P games are much better. Animations are mixed bag as well, some good, some serviceable and some horrid.

The overall graphics are superb, character models and armor aside. There are a few things that mar the otherwise superb visuals though. Although the long viewing distances are nice, I'd actually prefer a more limited, "fog as boundaries"  approach vs. the horribly distracting "pop up 'impostor' trees" method used here. "Impostor objects" aside (basically poorly done 2D sprite impostors for trees and some other objects when viewed at a distance and a horrible transition to the 3D models closer up), I actually find the over all world visuals in LotRO to be better than most games and even better, in general, than Aion.

It's a little sad, because the visuals would get a 10, if it wasn't for huge deductions on character visuals and the pop up 2D/3D tree stuff.

Average PC stats have improved a lot in the last 2.5 years. Video cards in particular run circles around hardware that was out when LotRO launched. I wonder if it would be practical to take advantage of that and offer greatly improved character models, along with less use of 2D pop up terrain elements? Those changes alone, combined with the next major expansion, might just reignite interest in the game. Maybe in a major way.

ther are hundreds of thousands of people playing lotro online, just because your don't like one aspect doesn't mean the game is in some kind of doomed state. LotrO has succeeded , get over it and enjoy the game for what it brings an already large player base.  LotRO is bigger then people realize :) 

with my machine and graphics card see specs below and with all graphics setting at max with the exception of  I have AA which is set at four in DX10 I get 50FPS plus in Bree/crowded areas, 100+FPS  out of town. I don't think there is another game on the market that gives the bang for the buck graphics wise that Lotro does. I do have a issue with some of the townsfolk walking animations but if that is what it takes to get a playable game with these gorgeous textures then so be it.

My only real gripe is the headgear is fugly but that is just my personal taste. 

machine specs-  E8400 core duo at 3.0 MHz, EVGA 260 GTX, 6.144 gig of DDR2, Win 7 evaluation build

Originally posted by ethion

Ok check these screen shots from eq2.  These are new shots from the eq2 shader 3.0 graphics update coming in the next update.

Eq2 might not be as nice for world graphics as LoTR but I think the character equipment and looks are nicer.

 

 

 

 

 

100% agreed, it was disappointing to create a character in LOTRO after EQ2. The lack of choices for individual looks and the poor animation was a real downfall, running always felt silly in LOTRO.

The Landscape is nicer in LOTRO tho, more colorful and more atmospheric.

LOTRO World Graphics (With ryzom seasson and weather features) + EQ2 Characters + Sandbox (Ryzom like) gameplay = my dream of an MMO. Thank God it doesnt exist :) Gives me time for other things hehe.

Originally posted by ethion

 

Eq2 might not be as nice for world graphics as LoTR but I think the character equipment and looks are nicer.

 

I agree because I was a huge EQII fan for a couple of years. EQII always had great equipment graphics and probably the best animations of any game I played with maybe the exception of Vanguard. But the FPS was always horrible if I turned any shadows on, the client  was unstable at times, the characters  looked like plastic action figures and the landscapes were horrid for the most part.

What I am saying here is every game has good and bad points on the graphics. AoC beats the crap out of EQII and LoTRO both on character models and the city areas but the game itself bores me to death. LoTRO is a great looking game all things considered but it's key strength is in the game design and overall look. I can nitpick any game to make it look like it is crap.

I would love to see a Light  color armour on EQ2.  Black and hide alot and a image in Open area that show the Mountains and trees.  Please Note I have not played EQ2. 

Originally posted by Atol

I would love to see a Light  color armour on EQ2.  Black and hide alot and a image in Open area that show the Mountains and trees.  Please Note I have not played EQ2. 

here's one I found on on teh EQII website, I am sure you can Google some more up

EQII's weakest link on graphics is the outdoors areas and textures. BNotice the water looks like blue tin foil and the grass is more like play dough

here is LoTRO showing grass and water as a comparison

<quote>Originally posted by Atol

I would love to see a Light color armour on EQ2. Black and hide alot and a image in Open area that show the Mountains and trees. Please Note I have not played EQ2.

</quote>

how the girls look like you can see here:

http://www.norrath-news.de/missnorrath/missnorrath.html

While this page is a few years old, i guess new armor looks even better

new screenshots you can probably find on the official EQ2 page.
 

I really hope they will fix the animations and character graphics in this game, I only played the trial but I do like the world and the gameplay, its just that there is no way I can stand the retarded animations and the blocky limbs of my character, it totally destroys my immersion. The game is doing well enough to afford redoing this and it will have a longer and better future if it does!

I really dont care if the animation is bad what really pisses me off is that a lvl 20 helmet can look the same as a lvl 60 helmet, same goes with any armor ingame, that's just plain lazyness from Turbine's side.

Originally posted by Torgrim

I really dont care if the animation is bad what really pisses me off is that a lvl 20 helmet can look the same as a lvl 60 helmet, same goes with any armor ingame, that's just plain lazyness from Turbine's side.

you got to be kidding me, I love it that I can snazz up my low level charactrers and can find good looking gear for them, I hate other MMOs where you feel like you are chaisng a carrot on a stick and the low level stuff looks like s***

Originally posted by Jackdog

Originally posted by Torgrim

I really dont care if the animation is bad what really pisses me off is that a lvl 20 helmet can look the same as a lvl 60 helmet, same goes with any armor ingame, that's just plain lazyness from Turbine's side.

 

you got to be kidding me, I love it that I can snazz up my low level charactrers and can find good looking gear for them, I hate other MMOs where you feel like you are chaisng a carrot on a stick and the low level stuff looks like s***

You dont have to look like crap at a low level, or be forced to look the same as you do at a high level.

Aion is a perfect example of this, as a sorcerer and a glad, I felt bad ass at 22, in my new pioneers set, i was the top dog.  But when I look at the level 50 sets, those are amazing too, but neither look like each other.  Get what I mean?

Originally posted by marinrider

 

Aion is a perfect example of this, as a sorcerer and a glad, I felt bad ass at 22, in my new pioneers set, i was the top dog.  But when I look at the level 50 sets, those are amazing too, but neither look like each other.  Get what I mean?

So you thing having the choice to have your characters being able to choose between his armor, and either of two cosmetic outfits is a bad thing?

Sorry but for me more choices the designers give me the better I like it.

I think having higher levels having unique looking armor and move choices in building there outfits should be part of what is good about leveling up.  Yes a higher lvl person should look exotic and cool to a lower level player.  This gives them something to work towards and look forward to at higher levels.

Also those comparison screen shots someone made showing eq2 are aweful and completely misleading.  EQ2 does have good ground cover and various environmentals as well has quite a bit of variety of water types.  I'll make some screen shots and post them tonight or tomorrow including one of the same area shown.

This isn't to say that I consider eq2 environments better then Lotro.  I like the graphics in lotro better but the difference shown here is a misleading.

Originally posted by lotroblogger

One of my gripes with LOTRO is that the graphics in the starting areas, while good, are not near as fantastic as the areas a bit further into the game. For instance, check out this screenshot from Eregion...

http://www.lotroblogger.com/?p=179

I wish new players could experience some of the more fantastic areas before forming their opinion of the game. Those starter areas are nice, but the vistas later on are downright breathtaking.

Comparing Archet and Eregion is a bit tough because of the look they're going for.  Probably better to compare Eregion and Ered Luin, which are much more similar in overall wow-ness.  It should be noted that Eregion is a newer area.

Elven areas are meant to have more of a magical, fantasy look, while the Hobbit and Human areas are meant to look alot more down to earth and homey.

I do notice some weak textures, most notably inside buildings and many capes.  As a result I shut capes off.  Somebody mentioned pajama-like starting armor.  I second that.

AoC's graphics edge LotRO out by a little bit(particularly in animations), but LotRO performs SO much better.  I don't think even the newer games like WAR compare.

Originally posted by ethion

I think having higher levels having unique looking armor and move choices in building there outfits should be part of what is good about leveling up.  Yes a higher lvl person should look exotic and cool to a lower level player.  This gives them something to work towards and look forward to at higher levels.

you do have unique looking gear at higher levels , however that does not mean you have to go through the first 50 levels looking like you bought your armor at the thrift shop

 

Also those comparison screen shots someone made showing eq2 are aweful and completely misleading.  EQ2 does have good ground cover and various environmentals as well has quite a bit of variety of water types.  I'll make some screen shots and post them tonight or tomorrow including one of the same area shown.

the EQII screen I posted came for SOE's EQII website so blame any misleading on SOE

everquest2.station.sony.com/screenshots.vm

click on The fallen Dynasty and you can download it yourself

This isn't to say that I consider eq2 environments better then Lotro.  I like the graphics in lotro better but the difference shown here is a misleading.

like I said any misleading is due to what SOE posts on their media page, I have not subbed to EQII in a couple of years now