Lord of the Rings Online Forum » General Discussion » Yet another WoW clone... why is it number 1?

Originally posted by wickedpt

Thats why i said arguably. :)

The best looking armours in LotrO are heavy armours. Specialy if you are a crafter you can see where all the little materials you used went to, like the leader bidings and the pieces of chainmail.

:) , yeah a lot of the stuff is pretty good, I think up close the NPC's are pretty amazing, but there is a few things that are  pretty  bad. My 2 big complaints are the PC's walking down a sloping road look like Night of the Living Dead rejects and most of the hats and helms  are historically accurate but ugly as sin.

Originally posted by mnkymn161

ure, there will always be some similarities, but there are also games that go off and do new and exciting things (Guild Wars, for example). Obviously, not every game will be that much different from the rest, but I prefer to see MMORPGs that actually try.

I still don't see what makes LOTRO the number 1 game on the site. It's possible that I never will.

I used to play GW and agree it is one of the few games that dared to be different, but then again the game is more of a CRPG with PvE thrown in.  I really appreciated the uniqueness of the skill system, and the gameplay mechanics. After GW I went to WoW and played for over a year. IMO Blizzard got so many things in that game. The classes are diverse all the major elements of gameplay are there for exceptional PvE, and decent PvP. I too like the factions system. After leveling my druid to 70 it all sort of felt meaningless. I didn't want to raid, and although PvP was fun it wasn't as good as GvG was in GW. My biggest issue though was the lack of cohesiveness in the world itsself. Each zone is uniqu and fun with lots to do but they seem randomly mashed together. For example leaving duskwook for Stranglethorn vale takes you from dark and mirky western europeon forest to a tropical jungle. :) 

After a bit of reading about LoTRO I found that there was a complete and cohesive world to explore, not just random zones. I'll admit that the early levels didn't do much for me, but at level 20 it all changed, and I haven't looked back. The lore, quest content, and feel of the game have kept me rolling in fun for nearly 7 months now. The community is the very best, and I definitely don't miss the kiddies from WoW. :) Yes there are simularites in gameplay between WoW and LoTRO, but enough differeces to set it apart. You know all books are comprised of words, sentences, and paragraphs. It is how those elements are put together that makes it an original.

Originally posted by JonathJCen

Please read this article:

Top Ten Most Misused Words/phrases...

It is pretty funny noone has replied to this comment.....

Thread won, OP owned. End of story.

DB

Originally posted by mnkymn161

First off, I'd like to mention that all I've done is the 14-day trial, so I'm in no way an expert on LOTRO. I may not have played enough to be fully immersed in the game, but I felt like sharing my thoughts nonetheless.

 

As the title states, I don't think this game should have such a high rating. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against it (I've been a Tolkien fan ever since I learned to read, and felt that the game perfectly complemented the books and movies); however, I don't think LOTRO is anything special. I could spend all day listing the similarities it has with WoW, but that would get boring, and most of you probably noticed them anyway. Mostly, though, I just thought LOTRO quickly got boring. The graphics are great; they're what drew me in initially. But for anyone who has ever played WoW, or any of its seemingly infinite clones, everything about this game will seem very redundant. In my 14 days of playing, I found absolutely nothing new or innovative. There was definitely nothing worth another $15 a month.

So, does anyone out there agree with me? Feel free to share your thoughts.

No, I don't agree with you at all, I can also already tell you that I'm sure you did not play enough lotro to say something about it. I also started with a 14 day trail, and I enjoyed my time in LOTRO so I bought the box and subscribed for a while. The last time I logged in was a few weeks before the expansion (MOM) came out, I went back to WOW for WOTLK, but I plan to resubscribe for LOTRO in the next few weeks. Like I already said, I don't agree with you, LOTRO and WOW are totally different games (and I've played wow for 3 years and  a few months lotro so I know where I'm talking about). LOTRO looks different, play's different, at some points I found that lotro was even better than wow, the quests for example (however, after playing wotlk.. ^^ I really had a great time with questing in northrend, lotro and wow are now equal for me when it comes to quests). It's quite hard to explain :) . The community for example is the most friendly I've ever seen in an mmo. I also think lotro deserves the rating it got on this forum, annyway You should really play lotro for a while to see what i mean.

Originally posted by Orb90

Originally posted by JGMIII

Alright Mr. one post.

Lotro is as far from a WoW clone as you could get.

Combat system is different, classes are different, endgame is small group focused, Lotro has near no pvp system. Graphics are totally different style.

Crafting in Lotro is more complex, Lotro has a housing system.

Anyone who thinks Lotro is a wow clone is a clueless newb.

 

 

That's incredible. 

 

Let me start out by saying I've only played LOTRO for a few days, and I've played WoW for over a year.

 

1. "combat system is different" Really? The only difference is that the pretty little squares on your toolbar look different. The combat system could not be any more similar.

2. "Classes are different" I'm pretty sure that if LOTRO came out with the same exact classes, Blizzard would have grounds for a lawsuit. You can make a tank, mage, rouge, healer-DPS guy, hunter, it's all the same

3. "Graphics are totally different style" This is true. WoW is slightly cartoon-ish, while LOTRO attempts realism. I don't count this as a significant difference though.

 

As far as housing, pvp and endgame, I have not gotten to those parts of the game yet.

 

Even so, nearly every aspect being identical to WoW definitely makes it a WoW clone. Sorry.

What a sad sad post.. hmm 10 posts.. could be a troll right? No one is this stupid right? a lawsuit if they had the same classes that have existed in countless earlier MMOs and RPGs? That IS incredible! Maybe you're just being heavily sarcastic..

Let's take a look at Turbines game that was around before WoW shall we?

AC2


Hmm aside from their aa and textures being low the UI looks familiar... now Turbines next game LOTRO






 

How dare they use their own UI in their next game whose engine is only a highly upgraded version of their previous game!

Sorry, don't need to go all the way back to EQ to solve this dispute - so many posts, not a single one mentioning AC2.

I always have to be the one to point this out, why can't some of you figure this out on your own?

A lot people forget Asheron Call was the first real mmorpg. Everquest was more of a quest game, Asheron's Call was a lot about the pvp and the depth of character costumization, and we can transalations in that in LotrO character costumizations with a more slimmed down approach that won't scare people away from the game. Traits system , armor sets and weapon all have attributes that effect you character. I've never played WoW but I never heard of any other game really hone in a system to define your role in a fellowship.

People say everyione has the same traits, again false, everyone finds the traits that works best for them and the play style. Most people will rank up the Virtue traits, that is just 1/4 of the trait system, mising and matching class traits and race  as well as Legendardy give a more dynamic range to each class.

IF I'm correct Asherons Call used a points sytem, and in a sense LotrO uses one but in a way that wont scare new players, and I think you will some form of points system in all of Turbines games, cause it would seem that it a trade mark.

With the ability to refine a system , this will make a console mmo even more commercail friendly , and something a wider audience can enjoy.

"First off, I'd like to mention that all I've done is the 14-day trial, so I'm in no way an expert on LOTRO. I may not have played enough to be fully immersed in the game, but I felt like sharing my thoughts nonetheless."

OK..Stop right there.

The minant you have said that, all you are looking for is a FIGHT.

"As the title states, I don't think this game should have such a high rating. (So you don't think?) Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against it (So what are you realy saying?)(I've been a Tolkien fan ever since I learned to read, (And how long has that been?)and felt that the game perfectly complemented the books and movies); however, I don't think LOTRO is anything special."

So you are looking for something SPECIAL?

"I could spend all day listing the similarities it has with WoW (LETS SEE, its a computer game, you play it online, its a mmorpg(ops sorry), it has gody Armor (ops sorry not this game), it has addons (ops sorry not this game) , but that would get boring (anyone borned yet?), and most of you probably noticed them anyway(O I've been looking, for about two years now....."

Just to let everyone know..I've readed JRR Tolkens work (all the books)over three times in my life (age 46). Played WOW for 4+ years. This Game is what I've been looking for. NO ADDONS. NO THOTBOT. NO ONE TO TELL THE NEWBES WHAT/ WHERE TO GO TO LVL/GOLD/MY LVLING WEBSITE SPAM....AND ALL THAT OTHER #^%$@#%^^%$#.

"Mostly, though, I just thought LOTRO quickly got boring."(Is it the game or you?)

"The graphics are great; (YES there are)they're what drew me in initially. But for anyone who has ever played WoW(Yes I'm listening?), or any of its seemingly infinite clones, everything about this game will seem very redundant. In my 14 days of playing, I found absolutely nothing new or innovative. There was definitely nothing worth another $15 a month."

OK good luck to you ....BYE

PS...Please take your freinds, family with you.

Originally posted by solareus

A lot people forget Asheron Call was the first real mmorpg. Everquest was more of a quest game, Asheron's Call was a lot about the pvp and the depth of character costumization, and we can transalations in that in LotrO character costumizations with a more slimmed down approach that won't scare people away from the game. Traits system , armor sets and weapon all have attributes that effect you character. I've never played WoW but I never heard of any other game really hone in a system to define your role in a fellowship.

People say everyione has the same traits, again false, everyone finds the traits that works best for them and the play style. Most people will rank up the Virtue traits, that is just 1/4 of the trait system, mising and matching class traits and race  as well as Legendardy give a more dynamic range to each class.

IF I'm correct Asherons Call used a points sytem, and in a sense LotrO uses one but in a way that wont scare new players, and I think you will some form of points system in all of Turbines games, cause it would seem that it a trade mark.

With the ability to refine a system , this will make a console mmo even more commercail friendly , and something a wider audience can enjoy.

Asheron's Call does use (still running and approaching 10th anniversary later this year) a point system. At certain levels you get additional skill points. Depending on the skill depends on how many points it costs, this allows for a lot of different character builds.

Asheron's Call was one of the initial big 3, as much as I love AC I wouldn't call it the first MMO though. However AC2 did set the standard for modern MMOs, that same system you see used in WoW, LotRO and everything else people like to call a WoW clone. But yet since most of those people started with WoW they do not realize they are actually all AC2 clones.

It is very much like wow.

Wow is much ilke everquest, they are both everquest clones.

Ppl have got to stop assuming wow is somehow the origin.

Originally posted by Illthala

It is very much like wow.

Wow is much ilke everquest, they are both everquest clones.

 

Ppl have got to stop assuming wow is somehow the origin.

 

LotRO is an Asheron Call 2 clone, get it right or get out of town :D

Originally posted by brostyn

For some reason people who love LOTRO hate WoW. No clue why. They are almost the exact same game. I think they just want to seem different, and its cool to hate WoW. Nevermind the fact its almost the exact same game.

Just not true i'm afraid. I've maxed out characters in WoW and LOTRO and enjoyed playing both. I got bored of the cartoony graphics in WoW and i still play LOTRO, but i don't hate WoW. I might give it a go again some day. As for the silly argument about WoW clones etc... they are all clones of EQ, the original first person 3D mmorpg and then DAoC which upped the anti with decent crafting, RVR and questing. WoW wasn't original when it came out so who cares if mmorpgs borrow from other mmorpgs? I don't.  If something works use it. In fact LOTRO gameplay more closely resembles original DAoC thesedays than WoW.

Originally posted by Illthala

It is very much like wow.

Wow is much ilke everquest, they are both everquest clones.

 

Ppl have got to stop assuming wow is somehow the origin.

 

I'm just trying to think what WoW did have that was original apart from in game post. Quests, mining, crafting, hotbar skills, minimap, banks, PVP zones, races, classes, level based system, RVR PVP... all been done before.

Anyone think of anything else that was original besides post boxes?

Originally posted by Matt_UK

Originally posted by Illthala

It is very much like wow.

Wow is much ilke everquest, they are both everquest clones.

 

Ppl have got to stop assuming wow is somehow the origin.

 

 

I'm just trying to think what WoW did have that was original apart from in game post. Quests, mining, crafting, hotbar skills, minimap, banks, PVP zones, races, classes, level based system, RVR PVP... all been done before.

Anyone think of anything else that was original besides post boxes?

The one thing that does come to mind is the little exclamation marks over the heads of quest givers.  It may have also been the first MMO to let you track quest objectives on the side of the screen.  Minor innovations, but thay have been copied by nearly every subsequent MMO.  Similar systems  have even been patched in to a lot of older MMOs (e.g., DAoC, EQ, EQ II).  The druid and shamen were fairly unique class designs for the time. I can't think of any previous MMOs let you drop items on the ground that grant support abilities in a radius (Shamen) or shape change to fill different class roles on the fly (Druid). The rest of the classes were all pretty standard stuff I'd say.

And yeah, apart from that I can't really think of much that hadn't ben done by AC II or EQ.   By and large WoW was Blizzard doing what it always does.  Borrowing the best ideas from games in an existing genre and putting them in a product that's accessible enough to go mainstream.  Even Diablo was arguably nothing but a gussied up roguelike.

The title of this thread shows that the OPer is clueless about mmos and their history.

As if WoW was the first fantasy mmo ever created.  /rolleyes

That's all I have to say.

The game has its own feel to it and thats what really sets it apart. You feel like your in middle earth interacting with the characters we all know and love.

Originally posted by Matt_UK

Originally posted by Illthala

It is very much like wow.

Wow is much ilke everquest, they are both everquest clones.

 

Ppl have got to stop assuming wow is somehow the origin.

 

 

I'm just trying to think what WoW did have that was original apart from in game post. Quests, mining, crafting, hotbar skills, minimap, banks, PVP zones, races, classes, level based system, RVR PVP... all been done before.

Anyone think of anything else that was original besides post boxes?

Fellowship conjunctions ? and Amazing graphics :)

LOTRO is a good game. I thoroughly enjoy the quests and the world is very beautiful (and open). AoC is similarly (if not more) beautiful, but more confined. Unfortunately, both the animations of the characters and their gear lack the polish of the environment surrounding them.

trhat is the thing, you are immersed into the world, not your character, and the world  introduces you to your character as you slowly become him. The approach Turbine took in game design is AAA.

I literally log in, and head anywhere and do battle with anything , simply cause I know my role in the world, and I feel the lore and cause , that we are fighting for, inside this game world. If that isn't immersion then I am for a loss of words .

You misunderstood me.

What I mean is that they did some great things with the DirectX 10 client, as far as the environment is concerned. For me the DirectX 9 client was bland and ... well, lets forget about it. Thing is, the improvement on the environment did not translate into improvement on the characters. Turbine needs to spend some extra time and improve the sharpness of the characters (in my opinion).

Perhaps not for others, but for me, the way female avatars run is an immersion breaker. I won't even talk about sidestepping. So yes, the animation is an issue in this game.

It has great PvE and good lore from what I hear.

Think that is the divide, of mmo players, some want character detail, others won't a detailed world. Think the people who want a detailed world are more incline to be the detail of there character, if you are following what I'm saying. People who want a detailed character tend to seperate or alignate themselves from the role play.

Originally posted by solareus

Think that is the divide, of mmo players, some want character detail, others won't a detailed world. Think the people who want a detailed world are more incline to be the detail of there character, if you are following what I'm saying. People who want a detailed character tend to seperate or alignate themselves from the role play.

what a weird conclusion.

/baffled

what he is talking about is character models and animation which falls behind the lovely landscape in length. Look at the screeny from Druz where on the left side Tierny the Wary is running... nobody runs like that unless he is performing ballet or something.

It is a matter of things not matching together, on the one hand you have one of the best world graphics and on the other hand one of the lousiest character animation. It is like putting bycicle tires on a ferrari and then saying with those you feel more united with the car while those demanding good tires can not drive so well.

And now analysing the WHY - behind the quality drift within one product:

Screenshots sell a game, Animation can hardly be seen on screenshots, so a smart company invests more into what can be seen on screenshots rather than what can not be seen. The same counts for the thin and linear content and the shallow brained skill system. Show a none MMO'er some screenshots of LOTRO and he will most likely say, wow lovely.Show him some u-tube videos and if you are lucky he finds the overlayed music good.

 I have started LoTRO several times, but every time was turned down by the horrible, not realistic, immersion breaking animation of characters.

I realize how many strengths this game has (community, content, lore) and the actual subscription offer is very attractive, but I simply cannot get over the animations and overall combat experience. Really can't. Tried many times.

Originally posted by Davit

 I have started LoTRO several times, but every time was turned down by the horrible, not realistic, immersion breaking animation of characters.

I realize how many strengths this game has (community, content, lore) and the actual subscription offer is very attractive, but I simply cannot get over the animations and overall combat experience. Really can't. Tried many times.

Animation quility is directly proportional to your system specs. LOTRO is one of the few that animates the faces, and has a unique animation for almost ever skill in game. But, they use a form of LOD on the animations too, removing frames.

Originally posted by Xasapis

LOTRO is a good game. I thoroughly enjoy the quests and the world is very beautiful (and open). AoC is similarly (if not more) beautiful, but more confined. Unfortunately, both the animations of the characters and their gear lack the polish of the environment surrounding them.

Eh?