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Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
This game has, by far, the best writing and atmosphere of any MMO thus far. It's serious, kinda dark, and all around awesome.

Sodomy Non Sapiens posted:

I have to say after a long absence I'm ridiculously impressed with this game now. Started a Man Captain and a Dwarf Guardian and everything is just so much...smoother... than it used to be.

This was my impression as well. Release compared to now is like night and day, especially after the big update last Monday.

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Conduit for Sale!
Apr 17, 2007

LOTRO has a story? :wth:

Geektox
Aug 1, 2012

Good people don't rip other people's arms off.

Sheep posted:

This game has, by far, the best writing and atmosphere of any MMO thus far. It's serious, kinda dark, and all around awesome.

I think I'd have to give that particular crown to The Secret World. The atmosphere is great... the gameplay, however, needs work.

I think LotR is the best blend of everything I look for. Story, gameplay, community, crafting, those are all good if not amazing.

By the way, Snoopykins, do you have any details about the Brandywine kinship you were talking about? I'm online in really weird hours so I've never seen most Brandy-goons online :(

Dark_Swordmaster
Oct 31, 2011

Conduit for Sale! posted:

LOTRO has a story? :wth:


This is the first, and only MMO that has kept me from mindlessly clicking through quest dialogue.

Pendent
Nov 16, 2011

The bonds of blood transcend all others.
But no blood runs stronger than that of Sanguinius
Grimey Drawer

Dark_Swordmaster posted:

This is the first, and only MMO that has kept me from mindlessly clicking through quest dialogue.

As was mentioned above, take a look at The Secret World. Absolutely amazing writing with ok gameplay.

On topic- are there any kins on Brandywine goons are congregating to?

ruffz
Dec 20, 2007

Sheep posted:

This game has, by far, the best writing and atmosphere of any MMO thus far. It's serious, kinda dark, and all around awesome.


I was going to post almost the exact same thing. This is why I keep returning to LOTRO ever since I bought it shortly after release in 2007. The latest expansion is fantastic, too. The only thing I can warn people about though is if they're expecting significant end-game raiding or PvP then this is not the game for them. It is, however, the best solo/small group/casual MMO I've ever played.

WhiteBoyShuffle
Nov 1, 2004

ruffz posted:

It is, however, the best solo/small group/casual MMO I've ever played.

This is why I have come back. I just don't have the time for raiding and pvp isn't my bag. So a game geared toward solo play is a big bonus for me.

Conduit for Sale!
Apr 17, 2007

Dark_Swordmaster posted:

This is the first, and only MMO that has kept me from mindlessly clicking through quest dialogue.

I'd like to read the quest dialogue and story and poo poo but I'm such a sperg that I only care about leveling and numbers.

MartianAgitator
Apr 30, 2003

Damn Earth! Damn her!
About the story: the LR itself is about Gandalf playing the long game. He has basically lost and is trying for the desperate Hail Mary pass. Is LOTRO that dramatic? No.

What it is is basically the best D&D game ever: You tool around in the best, most important fantasy world ever watching things and people turn to evil and stopping their encroachment, story-wise, but then also you run around baking pies and scaring off crows because this is still a living, beautiful world that has normal people going about their routines even when evil is closing in faster than they believe.

So you get to know a little bit about the people you are saving: the cat lady, the hobbit who gives you a mathom (literally an heirloom thingy, like the fruitcake that has been regifted 200 times) for scaring off "ghosts", the elves who don't live in impossible crystal spires but in actually gorgeous houses in an unpaved, wooded city.

There isn't an ounce of false drama. You aren't the most important people in the world because it's a really big world. Even the most important people, like Gandalf, Radagast and Saruman, can't do everything by themselves. But you ARE important and you know you are. It's the neatest thing and it makes me happy.

Givin
Jan 24, 2008
Givin of the Internet Hates You
How are dungeons nowadays? It used to be so hard to get a group together for stuff like Barrow Downs or that long rear end dungeon in Lone Lands and more often than not when you did find people it typically ended when the healer had to go 15 mins after entering the dungeon or everybody falling over top of themselves and dying 10 steps from the door.

Is there anything like WoW's dungeon finder?

Mandragora
Sep 14, 2006

Resembles a Pirate Captain

MartianAgitator posted:

There isn't an ounce of false drama. You aren't the most important people in the world because it's a really big world. Even the most important people, like Gandalf, Radagast and Saruman, can't do everything by themselves. But you ARE important and you know you are. It's the neatest thing and it makes me happy.

This is what I like best about the game. It gives you much more realistic goals than most heroic fantasy rpgs. You aren't personally out there saving the world by slaying giant god-eating dragons or what-have-you, but you might have a campaign to say... Gather up a bunch of allies and make a quick strike on an orcish training zone, because Sauron will have to pull some of his forces off the front line and use them to reinforce his flank, which could give the Fellowship that thin sliver they need to slip through. Or delving into Moria and setting up a defensible base in the upper levels so that the orcs aren't able to launch a full out assault on Lothlorien and keep Galadriel from aiding her allies in Mirkwood (which in turn destroys one of Sauron's major power bases in the region).

It's like Aragorn gathering up the remains of the army and making one last attack on the gates of Mordor not to be the big hero and "win" but because it'll distract the enemy from his friends long enough to give them a chance, but written across months and months of great questing.

You also get to play out some flashback scenes from the histories, like the incredibly badass Fall of Moria where you end up in that last chamber with your scribe writing the "drums in the deep" line, and as more and more waves of orcs and trolls spill in your quest objective changes from "destroy the orcs" to "survive the orcs" to "die with honor" :black101:

Mandragora fucked around with this message at 12:39 on Dec 27, 2012

WhiteBoyShuffle
Nov 1, 2004

Mandragora posted:

end up in that last chamber with your scribe writing the "drums in the deep" line, and as more and more waves of orcs and trolls spill in your quest objective changes from "destroy the orcs" to "survive the orcs" to "die with honor" :black101:

That was one of the best quests I have ever completed. As it progressed you knew what was going to happen, but you press on anyway.

Edit: Givin: I am not sure myself. I know there is a dungeon group finder in game now, but when I last played there wasn't one but someone else would have a better idea on how or if it works.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

Givin posted:

How are dungeons nowadays? It used to be so hard to get a group together for stuff like Barrow Downs or that long rear end dungeon in Lone Lands and more often than not when you did find people it typically ended when the healer had to go 15 mins after entering the dungeon or everybody falling over top of themselves and dying 10 steps from the door.

Is there anything like WoW's dungeon finder?

There's a dungeon/party finder and no more running to and from instances either.

Edit: most people tend to use lff/glff channels for organizing groups though.

Sheep fucked around with this message at 13:56 on Dec 27, 2012

Beach Party
May 2, 2012

"I took the most excellent hit of my life. Next thing I knew, I was on the beach taking in some cosmic rays gettin healed by mother nature. Takin in a little brewski, holdin on to a beautiful babe. And I'm fine today!"
Never played a MMO for the story but you guys convinced me to give it a try so im downloading as we speak! Are all personal stories the same or does it depend on what race/class you choose? Also, I would prefer to group as much as possible but if i choose to play something like a rune master or a minstrel would i be expected to heal every time or are their enough of them around that i could play it as a DPS class? The war speach part of the ministrel seems pretty fun from what i have been reading. Oh one more thing, are the race traits just kinda "fluff" or do they somewhat matter in the late game? If i choose a combination like Hobbit/guardian would i be pretty rare? I saw a few pictures of Hobbits in full armor and they definitely look pretty dapper! If im not good at my class i at least want to look good playing it. :3:

Hysterix
Dec 4, 2011
Runekeepers are frequently dps, but minstrels are not. Minstrels in warspeech blow through their power too quickly to be sustainable on a boss fight. You'll do fine questing, but it's all burst with no staying power. RKs, however, can do mad dps in a sustainable fashion, and are great healers. RK healing is a bit boring compared to Mini healing, though.

Captain Candiru
Nov 9, 2006

These hips don't lye
The epic quest lines start off differently based on your racial choices but all of the quests merge together after you complete the Prologue.

You probably would be expected to be healer, yeah, but it's not like you won't have attacks to throw in between heals. As far as playerbase goes, LOTRO has the lowest IQ I've ever seen, so I usually expected to be shoehorned as a healer in random pickups.

Racial traits, like the stuff listed during creation, are fluff but there's at least one racial skill you can get as a Man that is ridiculous which is a massive self heal.

EvilWookie
Apr 4, 2011
What would you guys say is the least played class or most in-demand?

Oxphocker
Aug 17, 2005

PLEASE DO NOT BACKSEAT MODERATE

EvilWookie posted:

What would you guys say is the least played class or most in-demand?

least played? your hand...
most in demand? your mom...

serious answer - play whatever you want.

Hysterix
Dec 4, 2011
As a Captain, I almost never have to wait for groups. Captains are relatively slow levelers, though. I love the captain in a group- very dynamic gameplay.

Good guardian tanks are always in demand. They are also slow levelers until 50+, but with the overpower changes are good dps at higher levels.

Minstrel healers are always in demand, and are quick levelers.

ruffz
Dec 20, 2007

A question for you guys that have gone through the Hytbold grind. I have an 85 captain that's almost Ally with Wold and Sutcrofts, and Kindred with both Entwash and Norcrofts, but hasn't done anything in Hytbold yet. I'm thinking about using that captain to get set gear for my burglar, who is almost level 77 and at least a week away from being able to start Hytbold. Would I be saving much time using the captain to outfit the burglar, based on the fact that my burglar isn't going to have nearly as high of rep when she hits 84? I used a few of the store-bought reputation tokens to get my captain as high as he is, and don't want to spend TP doing the same for the burglar.

Valatar
Sep 26, 2011

A remarkable example of a pathetic species.
Lipstick Apathy
Anyone complaining about players being the B-listers in LOTRO are apparently overlooking the fact that the extent of the Fellowship's activity consisted of the following:

Walking.
Running away.
Being kidnapped.
Being rescued by other people.

The only big action they ever saw was from being present for some of the big battles, and sadly no MMOG is really set up to let players be involved in battles with hundreds of NPCs, so that's more a technical limitation than a shortcoming of story design.

Fried Sushi
Jul 5, 2004

ruffz posted:

A question for you guys that have gone through the Hytbold grind. I have an 85 captain that's almost Ally with Wold and Sutcrofts, and Kindred with both Entwash and Norcrofts, but hasn't done anything in Hytbold yet. I'm thinking about using that captain to get set gear for my burglar, who is almost level 77 and at least a week away from being able to start Hytbold. Would I be saving much time using the captain to outfit the burglar, based on the fact that my burglar isn't going to have nearly as high of rep when she hits 84? I used a few of the store-bought reputation tokens to get my captain as high as he is, and don't want to spend TP doing the same for the burglar.

I believe you have to complete all the hytbold rebuilds in order to buy the armor for your alts. It will be way faster to raise rep on the burglar while earning tokens and unlocking the armor that way. It really doesn't take to long to get rep any way with the 4 dailies per faction.

Edit: It takes 44 days not counting getting tokens for armor to fully rebuild Hytbold, so you are much better off just getting rep on the alt as well. Nice guide here http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?482751-Hytbold-A-Guide-to-Rebuilding-and-Armour

Fried Sushi fucked around with this message at 03:16 on Dec 28, 2012

WindowLiquor
Feb 8, 2011

Oh no no, this simply will not do!

The Walker posted:

As was mentioned above, take a look at The Secret World. Absolutely amazing writing with ok gameplay.

On topic- are there any kins on Brandywine goons are congregating to?

I know there's a goon with a kin on Brandywine, I believe he's mentioned in the OP. I also know that my kin is semi open recruiting, so I can get you in if you want in.

JStix
Apr 24, 2012

If I were to purchase the Triple Pack on steam, would I receive the VIP months associated with each of the expansion pack codes mentioned in that post?

quote:

...I purchase a Mines of Moria expansion (Turbine, not Codemasters) box/code and apply the code.

...

- You gain a month of VIP access (or extend your existing subscription by a month) and all of the benefits that entails (including the 500TP stipend)


Basically, do I get 3 months of VIP + 1500 TP if I buy the triple pack?

alfheimwanderer
Jun 1, 2011

Oh brave new world that hath such people in it...

JStix posted:

If I were to purchase the Triple Pack on steam, would I receive the VIP months associated with each of the expansion pack codes mentioned in that post?


Basically, do I get 3 months of VIP + 1500 TP if I buy the triple pack?

No. There is no VIP time from the digital versions, only the boxes.

WarLocke
Jun 6, 2004

You are being watched. :allears:
Just came across this thread and decided to reinstall LOTRO on a lark since Steam makes it so easy to do so.

Is there any listing of all the new things/changes that have gone into the game for someone who hasn't touched it since shortly after release?

And is the Undying feat still a pain in the rear end to complete? I really get into games with feat or badge achievement systems but when you can permanently get locked out of one because you DC at the wrong time (happened to me once) my gamer OCD starts freaking out.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

WarLocke posted:

And is the Undying feat still a pain in the rear end to complete?

Nope. I did it on three characters this month.

As for what's changed for someone who hasn't touched the game since release: pretty much everything.

ruffz
Dec 20, 2007

I've played off and on since release, and the game is pretty much completely different now. The number of changes would be immense, you could probably just look at the highlights of the patch notes to get a general idea of things. They've added tons of quality-of-life additions to make the game more streamlined, revamped lots of the original zones, and updated the graphics to DirectX 11. That's not even close to listing 1% of the additions in the past 5 years. Just play the game, it's awesome and fun.

Hello Sailor
May 3, 2006

we're all mad here

WarLocke posted:

And is the Undying feat still a pain in the rear end to complete? I really get into games with feat or badge achievement systems but when you can permanently get locked out of one because you DC at the wrong time (happened to me once) my gamer OCD starts freaking out.

As long as you can make it from level 1-20 without trying to challenge yourself on the content, you'll be perfectly fine.

Or you could be like me and try soloing small fellowship content and occasionally not making it.

Conduit for Sale!
Apr 17, 2007

I've never been able to get Undying because I always afk in somewhere I think is safe and then come back and I'm dead.

Pendent
Nov 16, 2011

The bonds of blood transcend all others.
But no blood runs stronger than that of Sanguinius
Grimey Drawer
I generally pull too many spiders next to that ruin in the middle of Midgewater Marsh. Specifically the pack around the queen. It's so easy to get greedy there.

This last time around I died when I was fighting those Cold Weather Elementals for the Yule event. Turns out it can get a little disorienting when fighting several at once.

Midrena
May 2, 2009
Speaking of the cold weather elementals, I feel like they went a little overboard with the "special effects" lighting on that one. I always feel blinded and the crazy bright whiteness gives me a headache so I don't even do the quest anymore. (I play in a normally lighted room, not in the dark. My eyes. :( )

ukrainius maximus
Mar 3, 2007
I'm level 19 on my champion and I am now just finishing up Ered Luin, haven't even touched anything in Bree yet. I just got hit with that auto-quest pop up thing to go to the Lone-Lands, should I just skip Bree? I hate skipping things, especially with deeds to be done and all that. I think the reason I've gotten so high in Ered Luin is because of the 25% xp pocket item and because I've mastered apprentice prospecting and weaponsmithing.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003
I really like the South Downs and the barrows and all that, but going out of your way to do those quests and stuff really isn't going to do a lot for you. That said, if you plan on doing it at all, you might as well do it now while you still get experience for those quests.

ukrainius maximus
Mar 3, 2007
Yeah that's a good point, knowing myself I'd probably get bored and burn out a little bit if I went and did Bree right now, I'm already doing mostly green and even some grey quests in Ered Luin as it is. The big thing I hate is how once you get to higher level zones, the kill deeds jump to "Kill 96428 [orcs/goblins/hendraval/whatever] and I can never bring myself to do any of them, except maybe orcs or whatever is really popular in that zone.

Conduit for Sale!
Apr 17, 2007

So I made a hobbit guardian, and I started in Archet. What the gently caress? What's the point of The Shire if hobbits start in loving Archet?

I guess I'll make a dwarf. I don't want to do archet/combe/bree yet a-loving-gain.

DangerDan
May 31, 2011

FULTON: The Freshmaker

Conduit for Sale! posted:

So I made a hobbit guardian, and I started in Archet. What the gently caress? What's the point of The Shire if hobbits start in loving Archet?

I guess I'll make a dwarf. I don't want to do archet/combe/bree yet a-loving-gain.

After you do the Tutorial Archet part, your Hobbit will be taken to The Shire at level 6. I have no idea why humans/hobbits share the same tutorial zone but there you go.

Sheep
Jul 24, 2003

DangerDan posted:

After you do the Tutorial Archet part, your Hobbit will be taken to The Shire at level 6. I have no idea why humans/hobbits share the same tutorial zone but there you go.

The same reason why dwarves and elves share the same starting zone, probably. Also effort.

It kinda makes sense given how close in proximity the Shire and the Bree area is, anyways. A fair bit more sense than dwarves and elves mixing, at any rate.

AskYourself
May 23, 2005
Donut is for Homer as Asking yourself is to ...

ukrainius maximus posted:

The big thing I hate is how once you get to higher level zones, the kill deeds jump to "Kill 96428 [orcs/goblins/hendraval/whatever] and I can never bring myself to do any of them...

You can complete the killer deeds later when you are much higher level. It will save a lot of time.

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Oxphocker
Aug 17, 2005

PLEASE DO NOT BACKSEAT MODERATE

AskYourself posted:

You can complete the killer deeds later when you are much higher level. It will save a lot of time.

Not nearly as much of an issue once you're +65 and killing them in packs of ten or more.. The higher kill deeds are usually gained by going on raids or completing the daily tasks for places like hybolt.

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