As you might know, I have played LotRO since fall 2007. I was there for the first expansion (Mines of Moria), during the Codemasters – Turbine change, for the introduction of Free to Play (f2p), Skirmishes, some new classes, and a new race. I have seen the game evolve.
Some things I liked a lot, some a little, some I couldn’t care about.
The first thing I really didn’t like was the f2p. I think Codemasters thought people would try LotRO, like it, and spend a lot of money in the game. I believe it mainly brought people who tried the game, and left. So more people on the servers, and no money.
They also made the game much easier. I suppose to get more players. There are now items like the Gift of the Valar, or the mount trait before you reach level 20 (from starter packs). Why? Can’t people wait anymore?
Also, crafting got much easier over the years.
The game became more and more a WoW-clone. Based on fighting, raiding, skirmishing. But if I wanted to play WoW, I wouldn’t play LotRO.
LotRO has a unique combination of role-playing and action – you can play however you want. But the last few years they’ve done everything for the raiding/fighting kind of players, and very little for the role-players. Nobody that I know of wanted Epic Battles. Maybe some like it, and you get nice rewards, but if they weren’t there, I don’t think anybody would miss them.
And we house owners are waiting for the promised housing update for years now.
Another thing — Turbine, PLEASE update the site.
Do we really have just four races? Where are the Beornings?
Is level 85 still the level cap, and Rohan the highest level area?
And are these all the musical instruments?
I think not!
The downloadable Quickstart Guide has Siege of Mirkwood on the front, and is from 2009. In the guide they tell how to install the game on XP and Vista. Basics didn’t change, but why not update?
All these things give the impression that the people at Turbine don’t really give a shit about the game. And these are just a few examples, I know there is a lot of outdated information on the site.
And now… who in their right mind merges 29(!) servers into 10, and updates those remaining servers after the merging? And what about the ‘cultural differences’? The players on, for example, Snowbourne are different from the players in my world Evernight. It isn’t just a matter of another name. The world may look exactly the same, it isn’t.
After the server “upgrade” on September 11th, we are now facing day after day of troubles. Days during which many players quit the game. I have a lot of old LotRO players in my friends list, most of them were very often online. It’s been silent last week. I hope they will return.
Secretly I hope some players turn their backs on LotRO, so we end up with a group of players that love the game for what it is. A Tolkien fantasy world. The world of the Books (and Movies) come to life. Pay to Play, so there won’t be so many people that just try and leave, but clutter the servers.
But… in the end it all comes down to money. So I fear LotRO will become even more an easy to play WoW clone.
I still love the game, I really do, but the fact that I have been looking at other games the past week says enough…
Raebidus' Roving Thoughts 
WOW the hardcore are gettin cold feet too!
Its been a bad year for LOTRO and it does not look like getting better soon 😦
I disagree with your F2P stance but am 100% behind your lack of TURBINE viv to keep info up to date and fresh. If you are F2P your intro material needs to be alive and inviting, any free player giving it a shot will find the info presented outdated and wander off again.
Yes the game is marketed badly with the emphasis on endgame, raiding etc and not the actual better core MMO which is embedded in the game. There is a lot of MMO Middle Earth Madness to explore and the better part of that is in the first 50 levels of game play before the chore sets in! MORIA is weirdly my favourite part of the game yet it can be the most tedious and it does, for me, mark the division from classic MMO to hardcore grindfest!
The enjoyment factor of group play and interacting with others in such a well captured Tolkien environment should be the focus.. the ability to go off and reach level cap and explore later levels should not! Nice to do for some…
Ever played paper D&D? Ever get past lv20? The FUN was always in the first 15 levels and only sometimes was it fun to explore higher level mechanics but the game would be poorer without the possibility!
Oh I am ranting… a sign of a great post! Thanks mate 🙂
I hope the LOTRO players stick with the game, and more so, I hope TURBINE fix what they have broken…
This old gem still sparkles don’t let em stick a paper bag over it!
LikeLike
Tnx for the reply Tsu! And I DO still love the game, love to be in the wondrous Tolkien world. And luckily I have some friends that also like it the way I do. But I hear them complaining, and I sure don’t want them to leave. For me the #1 thing of LotRO is social.
I did play D&D, but decided after one day it wasn’t my game, haha. So I didn’t get past lvl 20 🙂
I won’t turn my back on LotRO just like that. But… and I don’t even have to go further. There NEVER was a ‘but’… and now there is. Pity.
Sparkles still there though 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I played DDO in early days…and gave up on it…..
Found it again post F2P….and spent 2 years on it
Havent been back since, although always considering
LOTR – during all of the above and even tonight….still consider it….even installed it a few times….dont think I ever got past a couple of levels…..
I have hope for LOTR and DDO to survive…simply because when my children are old enough I want to introduce them to it for a couple of years…but $$$ matter 😦
LikeLike
You are very right. And f2p isn’t a bad thing at all. But apart from good people, players that love the game, it has also brought many trolls.
My son has played for a few years too, first with a char on my account, later on with his own account, so we could play together. Hope you can do that with your children too.
LikeLike