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Lord of the Rings Online Previews: First Look Preview
News Editor Garrett Fuller pens this first look preview of Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar.
By on February 10, 2007
First Look Preview: Lord of the Rings Online
News Editor Garrett Fuller pens this first look preview of Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar.
Any time a game company deals with a major IP it can be a rocky road. Turbine has two major IPs in the fantasy genre, Dungeons & Dragons Online and, more importantly, Lord of the Rings Online. While many people feel that these worlds can transfer into the MMO medium very easily, they forget the expectations that fans have from such high profile worlds.
Lord of the Rings has a rich history in our culture. Written back in the 1950s, the books became very popular in the 1960s and 70s. Not only were they hailed as the beginning of our modern outlook on Fantasy, but they won over critics with their nature vs. industry themes and the triumph of ordinary people (or hobbits) thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Needless to say, in the last eight years, the movies gave the series an enormous boost back into the public eye. With the resurface of fantasy as a viable genre to tell stories in, Lord of the Rings was back on the map as the leader in fantasy storytelling. So how does this translate into an MMO world where you can become part of the story?
;)
In playing the Lord of the Rings Online Beta, I tried very hard not to have any expectations. I had read the books, seen the cartoons (yes you can still find them), watched the movies and now I was set to play the game. Turbine continues its tradition of having a short film about each class and the features that come with them while you are creating your character. I think this is great because it shows you the role that you will play and how your character will fit into the world. The races were straight out of Middle Earth: Dwarf, Race of Men, Elf, and Hobbit. While I haven’t had the chance to try it yet myself, there is also a Monster Play system in place that allows players to inhabit some of Middle Earth’s evil races as well. Back to the idea of classes, I chose something out of the ordinary, a Hobbit Minstrel. Mostly because it was LOTR and I wanted to try something new.
The main classes are Guardian (your tank), Minstrel (healer), Hunter (ranged), Lore-Master (kind of a caster, remember Middle-Earth only had a few wizards), Burglar (stealth), Champion (DPS fighter/light tank), and a Captain (think of a leader type). I was able to play as a Minstrel and a Hunter for a while in the game. I am not used to playing a healer and the idea of a dwarf hunter seemed very different so I gave it a try.
My Hobbit Minstrel really became my main character as I traveled through the lands of Middle Earth playing songs to heal the Morale of my fellow party members as well as fighting and doing damage through my shouts. What is Morale, you ask? It is your health bar, plain and simple. In a fight, if you do poorly, you lose Morale (a good take on Tolkien’s theme). A Minstrel has the ability to boost Morale, thus healing players.
;)
Right from the beginning players are thrust into the storyline of Middle Earth. As a Hobbit, I ran into a Nazgul very early on and realized it was part of a small story that was playing out. I was part of the story and came face to face with Gildor and his elves. This was a good start toward helping players feel as though they are part of the epic saga that is Lord of the Rings. These types of story arcs, or Dramatic Sequences as they are called, come up while you are leveling your character. It adds to the feel of being part of Middle Earth and fighting against the forces of Mordor and Isengard. In the dwarf zone, I was able to meet Gandalf the Grey and run some quests for him. These story lines spice up the grind that many MMOs offer as content. Written with the player in mind, it adds to the experience Turbine is trying to give players in Middle Earth.
The quest system in LOTRO is pretty standard. However, there are instanced quests at the end of certain zones which you can play solo, or as part of a group. I really enjoyed these because there was also a story arc tied into them. As my Minstrel became stronger, I was able to join groups and be part of the storylines which moved us forward through the zones.
One area that was great to explore was the Shire. They definitely did everything to get this section of the game right. From delivering pies to various baker NPCs, to fighting off goblins and spiders that came too close to the farms, the Shire had a lot to offer a fan of Tolkien’s work.
;)
While some of the quests offered diversity to game play. The standard MMO mechanics still linger in the background. I will say this, because the game has the story integrated into its design, leveling did not seem like a grind. I often found that I had gained a level without realizing it. Not so much because of the game play, but because finding the conclusion to the story was more interesting than pushing to gain the next level. Players will find that just going out to kill monsters as a form of leveling will get old real quickly (like in many MMOs). The real gem of LOTRO is that the story plays a big part and taking joining that makes the game play feel like it is running smoothly.
Working in groups can be fun too. Every class has a specific role to fill in their Fellowship and players really get the chance to work together. The Conjunction system is great to watch. Basically, a Conjunction is an attack that a group of players can do together. Another good feature is that if an NPC gives you a group quest to do, he will tell you to gather your friends. For those who like to play characters with a specific role in mind, this group dynamics work very well.
One of the things that works well in Lord of the Rings Online is the crafting and loot system. Players have the ability to craft a large variety of items as well as become experts in different types of lore. This all comes into play at higher levels, which unfortunately I did not get to see much of. However, in crafting, the ingredients were plentiful and the process was not as painful as it can be in other MMOs. So making your own items in game really worked well.
The graphics in the game are great to look at and the landscapes of Middle Earth are realized vividly. They seem to run on the same level as Dungeons & Dragons Online. Even though DDO may fall short for some as an MMO, the graphics in the game are really nice. LOTRO does keep to the common look and feel of Middle Earth that we have become used to: Rangers in green and brown, Dwarves in some heavy armor and Hobbits with their hats and vests.
The big question with LOTRO is in where the game falls short. I can honestly say that the time I was playing, the story line kept me going. It made game play easier to deal with and cut down on the grind factor. I do not know if these story arcs would be enough to carry me all the way through to level fifty.
;)
With the storyline of Lord of the Rings and some interesting new features in game play, this game is still an MMO as we have come to know them. Quests and groups have some new editions, but they are still similar in style to many other MMOs out there. That being said, I do believe that LOTRO will appeal very much to a role-player type of gamer. You are really thrust into the world of Middle Earth right from the beginning and the game does a great job of making you feel like a part of the epic story. Also, while instances are used in some places, there is still a lot of open world to explore. I firmly believe that keeping the open world element makes for a better MMO experience. The biggest problem with Dungeons & Dragons Online was the fact that everything was instanced. LOTRO offers players the chance to solo or group through many open world encounters. Instanced dungeons are not the mainstay of this game.
I must confess that I did not get to use the Monster Play feature in the game. I do believe it is an interesting twist, again I do not know how often players will want to use it. Perhaps when the review comes out we can cover the Monster Play feature more in depth.
Overall, for me, Lord of the Rings Online is a big step up from Dungeons & Dragons Online for Turbine. It is a much more polished game and has a better open world for players to explore. If you are a fan of Tolkien, there is plenty in the game that remains true to the stories and really makes the player feel like a part of them. I was very impressed with the content, especially the dramatic sequences that you become a part of. My only issue with LOTRO is that it falls prey to many of the standard MMO practices we have become used to over the last few years. Despite suffering from some of the standard MMO traits, I do look forward to the launch of Lord of the Rings Online and believe that it will have a solid fan base with the role-player type community. In the end, Lord of the Rings was a great story, and the game responds to that element very well.
That was a good write up.
The instance and open world are a problem with me. I hate hate camping for a named mob you need for a quest and there is line already there waiting for it, or the group is full and your out of luck.
If they increase the spawn rate of these mobs I think it would stop my opinion of needing an instance to kill a named mob.
Good write up, can't wait for NDA to lift and hear comments, but I still pre-ordered.
yeah the game looks pretty solid......
I like the fact tha I dont need to go buy a new graphics card just to play it. I like that it doesnt have the exact same classes as other MMOs do. the absence of Wizard nuker classes is refreshing in my opinion. It will make combat feel more real and personal. The fact that the game is basically built for roleplay gives all of us hardcore RP fans some hope in an age where MMO too often forgets the RPG part.
Still, I'm worried about the "arcade" feel that DDO had being passed over to LOTRO...
I was originally going to pass on this...but since AOC and WAR are a long way off...(and Vanguard might not shape up like I hope) I do believe I'm going to order this one next time I'm in EB.
I'm playing Vanguard at the moment, but I will have to try this one out.
After what they did to D&D , i will not even come close to Turbine products. In my oppinion that have completely wrong idea of what MMO gamers look for in their game.
LOTR sounds for now , as DDO version2. Bit less instances , bit more world. But still far away from freedom of real MMO
In common with a lot of other reviews/previews of MMOs I've read recently, this write-up seems to be coming from the perspective of someone who doesn't actually like the genre. All the negative references to established MMO gameplay and "the grind", while appropriate for a general gaming site, seem entirely the wrong approach for a review on an MMO specialist website.
I haven't been playing MMOs for 8 years in spite of the stereotypical gameplay but because of it. I want to go out into the countryside and kill monsters to level up - that's not a "grind" - that's fun. Trying to avoid this type of core MMO gameplay seems to me to be like taking up the Marathon and trying to avoid having to do any running.
I'm well settled into Vanguard at the moment, but I'll be taking a look at LoTRO because of the strength of the licence. If this review is anything like accurate, however, I can't imagine playing it for anything more than curiosity value.
The Shire is nice you say, but that we have heard earlier from other previews. What about places for the other races? You mention a dwarf?
LotR Online might not be hardcore but if it is fun ...well thats the main thing. It looks like some of the quest lines are entertaining and worth a few months checking out. Maybe it might even keep me going until WAR and Conan, that would be a result!
Betas are not for you kids to just check out the game, not like it cause its far from finished and spread "omg teh sux" rumors around.
Want to check it out for free wait for a trial.
MP will only be in effect in certain areas and players will be warned before entering it. The area will be optional, ie major quests will not require you go into it, but it is considered to be part of the end game.
When you switch over to MP you will take over a mob(or group of them) and control them. other MP players will see that you are a player but normal players will just see you as a normal mob.
The mob you take over will be temporary but you gain points which allow you to take over higher level mobs and also to give them additional capabilities(this takes the place of loot). They are saying you will also get point that you can use to increase you main character.
You will have the abailities and attacks of that mob along with things such as sight(they gave an example where certain mobs would have poor vision during the day but come night your vision would be far better)
So by this you are saying "same old same old"
Seems fair and "expected" that most large development houses either won't or don't dare to risk doing anything different. Also understandable in that most who would be interested in LOTR need a quest system format in this game, afterall the storyline is described in the trilogy itself. So you'd expect the lore and back story to lead into the main quest.
Difficult to do in an MMO, because ideally your story is not "pre-written" as it is in LOTR, and has no beginning and ending. Your story should in fact be authored by you and not the developer. You can rationalise it to be a side story "never told" in the books, but one you tell now as you play your character. But that's humoring the issue.
Nope unfortunately the developers have "lost touch", at least with me They offer generic formula for a game to make "everyone happy all or most of the time", with little difficulty or challenge. Quest level progression made popular in EQ and solidified in WoW, with items and gear as the brass rings on the merry go round. Quests being the trail of bread crumbs that lead you through content. Very generic....
These are worlds that "simulate" freedom and decieve the subscribers in the sence of accomplishment, rather than "fun". Just an endless list of quests that once completed bring you to max level and "endgame".
Endgame is where you've done all the "jobs", have all the items, and are left standing in the middle of a dusty road wondering what to do.
Thanks but no thanks...
It looks good,It looks fresh, and hey you get to be a Hobbit (not my character of choice} Why not give it a go.
No one is stopping you, well.. at least when it's available "down under" (and it will be) you will have that oppurtunity.
The fact is there are at least two other games out right now where you can play a hobbit if you want to. Vanguard, and if I'm not mistaken EQ2...
Still playing these style games as a hobbit is not much different as a dwarf, human, Elf, Orc, or goblin... just different stories and lore. It's still breadcrumbs and brass rings.
If you find my sentiment to be negative, then ignore it. I'm just voicing dissatisfaction with stale decaying MMO formats, not the fantasy... but the way it's presented to us. I love fantasy, but I love true creativity even more. The developers lack this in their products these days, they've run out of recipies for fun, and are regurgitating the same process with different titles.
It's sad...
Well i'm under NDA too but i'm considering buying the preorder version so i can take advantage of their lifetime offer for 99 £
Goes both ways.
Just from what has been said on this board and in reviews we know that:
There isn't much character or class customzation. Some people might not care. Some do, so its worth mentioning.
Quests are much the same as WoW. Your actions and choices don't appear to have an effect. I am a LotR fan. I want to play in a world where I decide if I toss the ring or keep it or maybe another play tries to take it off me.
Combat is press special, Wow type. Boring. But whether you love it or hate it, at least you know what they use.
There are limited races.
There are limited classes.
There is no faction play.
There is no pvp. Mpvp isn't the same.
What is there to do at end game?
The best thing to do is play the game yourself, before buying it. Failing that I know I would want to be able to read opinions, good and bad to help me make up my mind.
There is no we in I.
I hope the people working for various websites and gamemagazines test a game more than 30 minutes before coming to a conclusion.
Some games take time to settle in.
Ultima Online and Everquest I had me hooked in a second.
DAOC and WoW took me several weeks before i started enjoying them.
Some others like Horizons and Dark and Light i never learned to love and never would no matter how long i played them,
but so far i have never dumped a game within the first 30 minutes without giving it some time to evolve and creep in on me.
If the world worked like that the majority of people would never have meet their lifecompanions.
LOTRo, standard MMORPG gameplay, feels nicely polished, captures middle earth wonderfully
~ new element of monster play
~ great for roleplayers
Seeing how hes a minstril I'm surprised he didnt mention /music, especially since he did skim on the idea of role playing and all, /music is a pretty fun tool for that sort of thing and just in general.
Some people might like it, but as BC, "more of the same".
All I require of a game is that it be fun, run smoothly , and be polished. I am under NDA and am ordering the game, I do recommend doing the open beta starting APR 06 and making up your own mind however.
If someone really wants new and different go play Saga of Ryzom, or wait on holo decks to be sold in Best Buy because I cannot think of any mechanic in a fantasy MMO that has not been done yet at least once.
Jackdog may be a lot of things; sometimes a troll, sometimes exaggerating flaws yes. He might be hard to please but always discerning. If you say that Jack, I'll probably be buying too. I don't need new, I am one that thinks it's all been done. If it's fun, I'm there. Plus LotR is the father of the entire genre. Should be fun saving mordor.
Unfortunately, I can't say much more (NDA).
DDO they tried to do something different, unique.. but failed.
WITH LOTR they do the exact opposite.... everything I have read so far says that the game 'mechanic' is virtually identical to WoW! - is this a bad thing?... no WoW is the most successfull MMO at the moment. So its a tried and tested formula which works.
The Lord Of The Rings theme and style is donkies years old, so is it a bad thing to copy all that?... probably not either, LOTR is one of the greatest stories of all time!... and has many followers... so this maybe a game which attracts non-mmo players.
However, for me, and for many people looking for something 'different' it probably wont be so attractive...
Im playing VG at the moment.. I hope to get into the beta of LOTR to try it out.. but so far I am loving the mindboggling hugeness and uniqueness of VG.. Ive spent hours on their 'diplomacy' system.. even more on the crafitng system!.. the combat seems similar to others to begin with.. but once you start reaching level 20 its very different and very much more involved.
I think its going to be hard to play a game which seems like a step back from VG, but Im sure it will fun to play... and the subscription fee's look tempting.
I am under NDA. I am not going to buy this game.
Haven't tried any of it in any way, but as a huge LOTR fan I'll definitely buy this and play it. I'm all for RP>PVP so this looks and sounds like _the_ MMO to me. Time will tell, as always, though.
Just small note for moderators and beta testers: NDA is lifted.
Source: http://www.lotro-europe.com/news.php?id=2699&articletype=News
Personally: I haven't played LOTRO, but what I have read - it just seems to be another fantasy class-level-quest-loot game. Internet is already full of these games, so it is not going to be game that I am going to try. I hope that those who enjoy from such games enjoy also from this game, and hopefully Turbine doesn't run out of money and release this game too early.
The preview does a good job of giving you a taste of what LOTRO is going for.
From my experience being in the Stress Test and Closed Beta, LOTRO is very polished and ready for release.
I think the observations that it is a melding of DDO and WoW are pretty spot on. I'd even say they've thrown a dash of Guild Wars into it (they have an accomplishment/title system).
Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. Most people will admit that WoW is a pretty decent game and does what it set out to do, i.e. be newb friendly, broaden the MMO genre to more people, and appeals to all types of gamers, expecially the casual gamer.
LOTRO is definitely newb friendly, will attract the LOTR fans who are already not MMO gamers, and it is friendly to the casual gamer.
To be fair, I admit that I'm not looking for anything revolutionary in general gameplay in my next MMO. I'm simply looking for an evolution in the immersion factor.
LOTRO appeals to me exactly because it takes the best of WoW and DDO and others but, in addition, it takes the next step and immerses you in the world of Tolkien (especially visually) and wraps the whole MMO experience around an epic quest storyline that continuously drives you forward. The epic story is the hook that everything else works from. The standard MMO elements like open world exploration, crafting, rp, socializing, etc. are all still there but now there is a central focus that drives you forward and helps pull everything together in an overall experience that no game has achieved for me previously.
I'm not ashamed to say I enjoy the same ol', same 'ol. There's no need to reinvent the wheel. But I have been looking for a game that makes me feel like I'm living my own epic journey in a world teeming with others looking for that same experience. What better place to do that than in the fantasy world that started it all: Middle-Earth?
LOTRO has captured that feeling for me and then some!
Great post !
Monster play has not been perfected yet. The numbers of monster players and player characters are totally unbalanced. This is due to the fact you have to be level 40 to be a PC and only level 10 to be an MP.
"Turbine has two major IPs in the fantasy genre, Dungeons & Dragons Online and, more importantly, Lord of the Rings Online."
And they both sucked.
Never mind the massive bugs and constant crashes I experienced in LOTRO, the gameplay is no different than WoW with better graphics. (And by "better," I mean less cartoony) Honestly though, I'm not going to waste my time bothering to explain all the minute details of what makes it wrong.
//back to Granado Espada
Anyone know a site where I can read more in-depth stuff about the different classes?
im realy unsure about the idea of open world instances as if you need to kill a boss or the item he drops is needed/a great item
i can see it becoming like final fantasy 11 where there would be 20 gold farmers standing in the spot waiting to tag the boss and control the market putting prices sky high so for ppl to get items they want they would have to buy the gold or do without