Originally posted by FrodoFragins

Originally posted by BruceYee

While I was playing LOTRO the other day I realized that we are probably around two expansions away from our stories in this game coming to an end. I see two more expansions, probably 'Path to Gondor' and "Fires of Mordor" or something like that but after that we will all technically "finish the game" and $$$ going to Turbine, WB and The Saul Zentz company will go down considerably.

 

I think the game will be aborted before ever reaching Mordor.  I also don't see them getting a renewed license passed 2017, they totally dropped the ball with the most love Fantasy IP in the world besides maybe Harry Potter.

They didnt drop the ball. Its very good rendition of middle earth. In fact probably best LOTR game for computers/consoles.

But its running out of steam (subscribers). I seriously can not see them ever reaching Mordor.

Its just to ambitios for allready old game everyone have grown bored of.

 

If anything they hired Kenny Rolston , because he was available. So they snatched him for cheap.

 

I just hope they at least plan new IP. A sandbox one...

Because Turbine is probably the best MMO dev in the long run.

Originally posted by BruceYee

While I was playing LOTRO the other day I realized that we are probably around two expansions away from our stories in this game coming to an end. I see two more expansions, probably 'Path to Gondor' and "Fires of Mordor" or something like that but after that we will all technically "finish the game" and $$$ going to Turbine, WB and The Saul Zentz company will go down considerably.

The recent hiring of multiple devs http://www.gamespot.com/news/turbine-hires-elder-scrolls-designer-ken-rolston-6398568

makes me think that they are gearing up for a new MMO project, and if so then what is it? MEO? AC3? Harry Potter MMO?

There is no doubt that MEO had the community support back in the day that any developer would love to have today. I do not see the creation of MEO conflicting with LOTRO at all, seeing as one is themepark, and the other is sandbox both set in different ages. When you play one you "might" get the urge to play the other to experience a different time in Middle-Earth.

I also believe there is a shift in focus going on behind the scenes with many game companies, and they are all looking to make either the first successful "Sandpark" or just cash in on the fact that there are many players fiending for a good AAA (ground based) sandbox MMO. I think Smed might've spilled the beans on it here http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/10/23/sony-online-everquest-next-design/

And last but definetly not least, I started to wonder about Blizzard's next project Titan and how they said that it would still "be growing strong" in 10, 15, 20 years as stated below and how it plays into everything. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_%28Blizzard_Entertainment_project%29

We all know as proven with EVE that sandbox games retain their playerbase quite well and that their numbers actually grow over time, which has me thinking that Turbine's next project will be a sandbox style game.

For all the reasons stated above I believe MEO: Days of the King

What do you guys/girls think?

 

 If its AC3 and its sandbox like the first one i will pre order right now.

Originally posted by Lobotomist

Originally posted by FrodoFragins

Originally posted by BruceYee

While I was playing LOTRO the other day I realized that we are probably around two expansions away from our stories in this game coming to an end. I see two more expansions, probably 'Path to Gondor' and "Fires of Mordor" or something like that but after that we will all technically "finish the game" and $$$ going to Turbine, WB and The Saul Zentz company will go down considerably.

 

I think the game will be aborted before ever reaching Mordor.  I also don't see them getting a renewed license passed 2017, they totally dropped the ball with the most love Fantasy IP in the world besides maybe Harry Potter.

They didnt drop the ball. Its very good rendition of middle earth. In fact probably best LOTR game for computers/consoles.

But its running out of steam (subscribers). I seriously can not see them ever reaching Mordor.

Its just to ambitios for allready old game everyone have grown bored of.

They dropped the ball in a huge way. A good rendition of Middle Earth wouldn't force you through linear zones with invisible walls and artificial hills, or instance every cave, nor would it insta kill you for trying to explore. LotRO was dated the day they released it because they based it entirely on WoW, which was already outdated at the time of LotRO's release. Linear quest grinding was just about the worst system they could have used in LotRO. There was a reason LotRO never got big.

Originally posted by DavisFlight

Originally posted by Lobotomist

Originally posted by FrodoFragins

Originally posted by BruceYee

While I was playing LOTRO the other day I realized that we are probably around two expansions away from our stories in this game coming to an end. I see two more expansions, probably 'Path to Gondor' and "Fires of Mordor" or something like that but after that we will all technically "finish the game" and $$$ going to Turbine, WB and The Saul Zentz company will go down considerably.

 

I think the game will be aborted before ever reaching Mordor.  I also don't see them getting a renewed license passed 2017, they totally dropped the ball with the most love Fantasy IP in the world besides maybe Harry Potter.

They didnt drop the ball. Its very good rendition of middle earth. In fact probably best LOTR game for computers/consoles.

But its running out of steam (subscribers). I seriously can not see them ever reaching Mordor.

Its just to ambitios for allready old game everyone have grown bored of.

They dropped the ball in a huge way. A good rendition of Middle Earth wouldn't force you through linear zones with invisible walls and artificial hills, or instance every cave, nor would it insta kill you for trying to explore. LotRO was dated the day they released it because they based it entirely on WoW, which was already outdated at the time of LotRO's release. Linear quest grinding was just about the worst system they could have used in LotRO. There was a reason LotRO never got big.

Your opinion =/= fact..

LotrO is relativly big. 

I can give you lots of reason why it didnt become bigger but maybe that is for another thread.

Originally posted by mnwild1998

Originally posted by DavisFlight

Originally posted by Lobotomist

Originally posted by FrodoFragins

Originally posted by BruceYee

While I was playing LOTRO the other day I realized that we are probably around two expansions away from our stories in this game coming to an end. I see two more expansions, probably 'Path to Gondor' and "Fires of Mordor" or something like that but after that we will all technically "finish the game" and $$$ going to Turbine, WB and The Saul Zentz company will go down considerably.

 

I think the game will be aborted before ever reaching Mordor.  I also don't see them getting a renewed license passed 2017, they totally dropped the ball with the most love Fantasy IP in the world besides maybe Harry Potter.

They didnt drop the ball. Its very good rendition of middle earth. In fact probably best LOTR game for computers/consoles.

But its running out of steam (subscribers). I seriously can not see them ever reaching Mordor.

Its just to ambitios for allready old game everyone have grown bored of.

They dropped the ball in a huge way. A good rendition of Middle Earth wouldn't force you through linear zones with invisible walls and artificial hills, or instance every cave, nor would it insta kill you for trying to explore. LotRO was dated the day they released it because they based it entirely on WoW, which was already outdated at the time of LotRO's release. Linear quest grinding was just about the worst system they could have used in LotRO. There was a reason LotRO never got big.

 

Well just a few things here. Its clear you have never played , invisible walls? Nope not true. Artificial hills? The only hills you can see that you cant get to are the hills from parts of middle earth you cant explore yet. But from your thought process they should have released the entire middle earth and allowed you to ring the door bell in mordor on day one. As for the instant kill that happens in Angmar read up on your lore there buddy you will learn the reason behind it.

 Gotta agree with you guys, I think LotRO is being handled correctly. The whole thing is story driven, so the gameplay must follow the story and mostly lead the player along the story. You are given some freedom of what to do and where to go within the confines of the story and your level and I feel this is how it should be. I played LotRO from the start up until the Isengard expansion and by this point I was getting bored with LotRO. The Isengard expansion was not all that great from my perspective, more of the same to be sure which can be a good thing but it felt lackluster to me. The Rohan beta didn't really impress me a whole lot; the mounted combat was decent but felt pretty stiff and laggy in a sense. I'm not interested in plopping down $40 for the expansion, feels too expensive...that's almost as much as I paid for the full game when it first came out.

I would rather Turbine either A) make another Asheron's Call game more in spirit of the first game than AC2 or barring that B) do something with a new IP. I don't think we need another Lord of the Rings/Middle Earth MMO at this point in time.

I can't see a company releasing two MMO's with the same IP, what would be the point? It would like them admitting that the game isn't as great as it should have been. There are rumours Turbine are working on a Harry Potter MMO due to Warner Bros buying Turbine. I hope it is a fresh IP though.

Originally posted by Lobotomist

Because Turbine is probably the best MMO dev in the long run.

Turbine WAS one of the best MMO devs - today's Turbine is not the same at all.

I'm playing a bit here and there since I have a lifetime and expansions are basically free for me, but I'm not overly impressed by Rohan. Maybe I'm just bored of quest hub MMORPGs, I also got one week back in WoW so I tried that, and same thing, I quickly got bored of the gameplay. The slow combat in LOTRO makes it even harder.

LOTRO is aging, it shows, but I sincerely hope for those who still enjoy it fully and for whom it's the main MMORPG they play that they will make it to Mordor. But Turbine laying off team members isn't a good sign...

Originally posted by Lobotomist

Originally posted by FrodoFragins

Originally posted by BruceYee

While I was playing LOTRO the other day I realized that we are probably around two expansions away from our stories in this game coming to an end. I see two more expansions, probably 'Path to Gondor' and "Fires of Mordor" or something like that but after that we will all technically "finish the game" and $$$ going to Turbine, WB and The Saul Zentz company will go down considerably.

 

I think the game will be aborted before ever reaching Mordor.  I also don't see them getting a renewed license passed 2017, they totally dropped the ball with the most love Fantasy IP in the world besides maybe Harry Potter.

They didnt drop the ball. Its very good rendition of middle earth. In fact probably best LOTR game for computers/consoles.

But its running out of steam (subscribers). I seriously can not see them ever reaching Mordor.

Its just to ambitios for allready old game everyone have grown bored of.

 

If anything they hired Kenny Rolston , because he was available. So they snatched him for cheap.

 

I just hope they at least plan new IP. A sandbox one...

Because Turbine is probably the best MMO dev in the long run.

Well any future game they will produce will be freemium, at least in any foresable future. Lotro was my first game that converted to freemium, introduced cash shop, etc and seeing how it affect game and my personal subjective satusfaction I cannot see myself playing their game anymore. 

Besides Lotro is themepark, in sandbox it would be even worse.

Anyway Turbine beign best developer - hardly.  They have started dropping the ball with Lothlorien and Mirkwood in Lotro. Now when they are part of WB and influcence of how huge publicly traded coprotaions are managed made it even worse.

Even before they their handling of things with MEO project and AC2 and it's expansion was awful. 

 

As for title topic and OP.   No they are not developing MEO. 

Originally posted by mnwild1998
 

As for the aging comment, well I would strongly disagree with this statement.  Yes the game is 5 years old, but games that are released today dont even support dx11 and LOTRO does.  The world I feel is still one of the best looking in all of MMO.  Player models on the other hand are not the best in all of MMO but far from the worst.  And as too everyone referring to turbine laying off people and having a direct affect to LOTRO is misguided.  Turbine makes a log more games than just LOTRO. 

DX11 means nothing if not used properly. It's a pure marketing argument in LOTRO, all the features suposedly using DX10 and DX11 in LOTRO can be done using DX9, and some DX9 games actually do them much better (like e.g. the water walking/swimming effect). The only thing that eventually really improves the game over DX9 are the DX10 shadows.

The world still looks good, yeah, but some stuff has visibly aged. The sides of hills with visible repetitive textures, even though they seem to have improved in Rohan for that. Very "spiky" edged landscape elements, ground or stones. And the sub par character models and animations, which were already sub par 5 years ago but of course became worse with age. And the worse for me, every single building and cave requiring a loading screen.

What's nice though is that Turbine went back to open world design rather than gated crap like you had in Mirkwood. The Mirkwood area itself wasn't bad, quite big and varied, but the design was awful. Great river and Rohan are much better, kinda "back to the roots", which is a good thing.

Still not impressed. Despite what you're saying (they copied some elements from other games like GW2, like the shared mobs), it's still more of the same. I'm not negative nor positive, and I'll definitely play through it with my main once, but it's no longer "a priority". If I wasn't able to get it for free with the 500TP/month of my lifetime, I would not have bought it though.

Originally posted by mnwild1998

Originally posted by DavisFlight

Originally posted by Lobotomist

Originally posted by FrodoFragins

Originally posted by BruceYee

While I was playing LOTRO the other day I realized that we are probably around two expansions away from our stories in this game coming to an end. I see two more expansions, probably 'Path to Gondor' and "Fires of Mordor" or something like that but after that we will all technically "finish the game" and $$$ going to Turbine, WB and The Saul Zentz company will go down considerably.

 

I think the game will be aborted before ever reaching Mordor.  I also don't see them getting a renewed license passed 2017, they totally dropped the ball with the most love Fantasy IP in the world besides maybe Harry Potter.

They didnt drop the ball. Its very good rendition of middle earth. In fact probably best LOTR game for computers/consoles.

But its running out of steam (subscribers). I seriously can not see them ever reaching Mordor.

Its just to ambitios for allready old game everyone have grown bored of.

They dropped the ball in a huge way. A good rendition of Middle Earth wouldn't force you through linear zones with invisible walls and artificial hills, or instance every cave, nor would it insta kill you for trying to explore. LotRO was dated the day they released it because they based it entirely on WoW, which was already outdated at the time of LotRO's release. Linear quest grinding was just about the worst system they could have used in LotRO. There was a reason LotRO never got big.

 

Well just a few things here. Its clear you have never played , invisible walls? Nope not true. Artificial hills? The only hills you can see that you cant get to are the hills from parts of middle earth you cant explore yet. But from your thought process they should have released the entire middle earth and allowed you to ring the door bell in mordor on day one. As for the instant kill that happens in Angmar read up on your lore there buddy you will learn the reason behind it.

I played from alpha to 3 months after release, and on and off since then. I keep leaving because it keeps being a bad MMO.

Invisible walls? Tons. Artificial hills that lead to invisible walls? All over the Shire.

And the reason behind the instant kill is to force players to follow the stupid linear path, they try to pass it off with lore, but its BS. 

 

ANd no, I don't think they should have released all of Middle Earth. Instead they should have released an actually open Middle Earth, not a linear WoW clone themepark.

Originally posted by mnwild1998

How open do you want it?  Its clear you dont have a high level charactor.  You can travel from Thorin's Hall all the way to Moria with out a single load screen.  Then you start hitting load screens because of the expansions, but what game doesnt have load screens when traveling to another part of the world?  

I have a high level character, and I agree on the artificial hills and also the invisible walls in some parts. Want a good example of invisible wall? Try to walk past the river in Rohan, to the east... on the shore, invisible wall.

You can't ride from Thorin's Hall to Moria without a loading screen either... you have a loading screen to enter the Shire. And if you start inside Thorin's Hall, you have another loading screen of course. And you better not enter any house or cave while exploring, or even just an Inn to have a break and a drink during your trip, or you will have another loading screen.

I personally don't mind the occasional loading screen in the wilderness, like the Shire one, or the Moria one. But having to load to enter every single building, cave or other indoor structure was very annoying from day one for me. It breaks the immersion in my opinion.

Wouldn't matter to me what they made.  I've yet to play a Turbine game that I liked.

Originally posted by The_Korrigan

Originally posted by mnwild1998

How open do you want it?  Its clear you dont have a high level charactor.  You can travel from Thorin's Hall all the way to Moria with out a single load screen.  Then you start hitting load screens because of the expansions, but what game doesnt have load screens when traveling to another part of the world?  

I have a high level character, and I agree on the artificial hills and also the invisible walls in some parts. Want a good example of invisible wall? Try to walk past the river in Rohan, to the east... on the shore, invisible wall.

Or if you try to climb the hills in the Shire. Or if you try to swim the Brandywine river.

I keep coming back because I love LotR and I invested a ton of time in the IP back in the Middle Earth Online days, and I keep thinking "maybe its not as bad as I remember it" but it always in.

Originally posted by DavisFlight

Originally posted by The_Korrigan

Originally posted by mnwild1998

How open do you want it?  Its clear you dont have a high level charactor.  You can travel from Thorin's Hall all the way to Moria with out a single load screen.  Then you start hitting load screens because of the expansions, but what game doesnt have load screens when traveling to another part of the world?  

I have a high level character, and I agree on the artificial hills and also the invisible walls in some parts. Want a good example of invisible wall? Try to walk past the river in Rohan, to the east... on the shore, invisible wall.

Or if you try to climb the hills in the Shire. Or if you try to swim the Brandywine river.

I keep coming back because I love LotR and I invested a ton of time in the IP back in the Middle Earth Online days, and I keep thinking "maybe its not as bad as I remember it" but it always in.

 

That's pretty silly though. You can walk/ride from the West part of the Shire to Bree, to the Lonelands, to the Trollshaws, then down south to Eregion, then down south once more to Isengard, and then from there down to Rohan. It's a pretty long walk/ride. No, you can't go directly south of the shire, and only go North in the eastern part (up to Evendim), but it is based on the books afterall.

Complaining about loading screens and invisible walls in a game like LotRO is ridiculous, sorry. Want loading screens and invisible walls, how about you try Everquest 2, oder something newer? How about Guild wars2?

Sure, sure, there are shining examples of 100% open worlds like Vanguard or Dark and Light or Star Wars Galaxies, but wait, there's a problem, those games are dead (or near dead), because you, and yea, I mean YOU, didn't play and support them, while linear games like EQ2 or LotRO are OPENING servers instead of merging them...

Which also completely invalidates the argument that LoTRO i limping along. LotRO never had more servers (at least in europe) than now...

M

 

EDIT: And no, the game is not done with gondor and mordor. There are two AAA Hobbit movies coming up and we've not seen anything Dale or northern Mirkwood related... We've not seen the grey havens, rhun or harad. They already released Evendim and Forochel, zones rich with lore... They would be stupid as heck if they just plonked down Gondor and Mordor and called it a day with so many cool zones untouched (what do you think would happen if they released a lonely mountain expansion christmas 2013 with the hobbit craze at its peak)...

Originally posted by Meridion

Complaining about loading screens and invisible walls in a game like LotRO is ridiculous, sorry. Want loading screens and invisible walls, how about you try Everquest 2, oder something newer? How about Guild wars2?

I personal rather have huge zones with zoning between them rather than having to zone each time I want to enter a damned house, a cave, or even a smallest hut. It's only personal opinion of course, but zoning is way less invasive when done between huge zones in which you stay for a long time before changing, than when you have to load each time to want to have a drink at the local Inn.

It's been a pet peeve of mine since beta of LOTRO, and still is. That alone doesn't make it a bad game of course, but it is annoying. Zoning to enter every single indoor area. Bleh.

MEO would be great. Lotro is more or less 8 years old and you can feel it at every corner. Turbine should develop a new game but I guess MEO is to complex for Turbine. You need a better development team to manage this game.

 

 

Originally posted by pwain

MEO would be great. Lotro is more or less 8 years old and you can feel it at every corner. Turbine should develop a new game but I guess MEO is to complex for Turbine. You need a better development team to manage this game.

 

 

I agree with this.  I wouldn't touch another Turbine game even if it was MEO. 

Originally posted by BruceYee

While I was playing LOTRO the other day I realized that we are probably around two expansions away from our stories in this game coming to an end. I see two more expansions, probably 'Path to Gondor' and "Fires of Mordor" or something like that but after that we will all technically "finish the game" and $$$ going to Turbine, WB and The Saul Zentz company will go down considerably.

The recent hiring of multiple devs http://www.gamespot.com/news/turbine-hires-elder-scrolls-designer-ken-rolston-6398568

makes me think that they are gearing up for a new MMO project, and if so then what is it? MEO? AC3? Harry Potter MMO?

There is no doubt that MEO had the community support back in the day that any developer would love to have today. I do not see the creation of MEO conflicting with LOTRO at all, seeing as one is themepark, and the other is sandbox both set in different ages. When you play one you "might" get the urge to play the other to experience a different time in Middle-Earth.

I also believe there is a shift in focus going on behind the scenes with many game companies, and they are all looking to make either the first successful "Sandpark" or just cash in on the fact that there are many players fiending for a good AAA (ground based) sandbox MMO. I think Smed might've spilled the beans on it here http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/10/23/sony-online-everquest-next-design/

And last but definetly not least, I started to wonder about Blizzard's next project Titan and how they said that it would still "be growing strong" in 10, 15, 20 years as stated below and how it plays into everything. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_%28Blizzard_Entertainment_project%29

We all know as proven with EVE that sandbox games retain their playerbase quite well and that their numbers actually grow over time, which has me thinking that Turbine's next project will be a sandbox style game.

For all the reasons stated above I believe MEO: Days of the King

What do you guys/girls think?

 

I don't think that Turbine will use the LotR IP for another MMO.  Pretty sure you can guess that their next game will be a D+D MOBA.  All the clues are there.  I don't know how Turbine feels about continuing with MMO's in general on the business end.  They seem pretty skeptical lately and the market kind of holds that to be true.

Originally posted by mnwild1998

Originally posted by pwain

MEO would be great. Lotro is more or less 8 years old and you can feel it at every corner. Turbine should develop a new game but I guess MEO is to complex for Turbine. You need a better development team to manage this game.

 

 

8 yrs old you say?  Actually its just over 5yrs but whos counting,

But copied its gameplay point for point from a game that is 8 years old, which in turn copied its game design from an MMO from 1999...

LotRO is a very outdated WoW clone. I wish they hadn't scrapped MEO.