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- tbarney, on 10/12/2007, -44/+6I'm in beta and this game is fun !
- WFUIcefire, on 10/12/2007, -44/+6It's a GREAT game. If you're interested in a true Middle-earth experience, you have to try this game!
- atheistp3ace, on 10/12/2007, -41/+5it is an awesome game. I am in beta and I really enjoy it!!!
- Jrr6415sun, on 10/12/2007, -16/+10i'm in the beta and i'm addicted. It's a lot like WoW but concentrates more on a story line. A good story, as it has got me interested in reading the books.
- JAWS, on 10/12/2007, -17/+8I dropped WoW for this game. It's pretty and far more addictive than WoW ever was for me. The only drag is that there aren't 3rd party addons yet.
- spiderland, on 10/12/2007, -2/+22Direct link to information: http://www.lotro.com/stresstest
Just say no to paraphrase/click-through spam. - praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -13/+11Man...I'm sorry but I'm in the beta as well and this game is not good at all. Horrible interface...horrible combat system, and even the graphics are not that good. I suggest getting the other Turbine game: Dungeons and Dragons: Online. Way more fun and way better looking.
- otheruser, on 10/12/2007, -6/+5Turbine did a great job with Asherons Call 1 (for a while...), so I'm definetly going to check this one out...
- Suspected, on 10/12/2007, -4/+30I recommend everyone digg down the first three comments considering that they seem to be fake accounts. I thought so many people praising the game so quickly was a bit odd, and thus I decided to check out their profiles. Tbarney and Wfuicefire both have only commented on this story only, while atheistp3ace has only commented in very few stories. Jrr and jaws both seem to be legit accounts, though.
- gekkotron, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6@inbred
Man, if D&D online is better than this, LOTRO must come to your house and drive spikes through your knees. I played the beta of D&D and it was painful. - erzz, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Here is a fairly balanced assessment of the game http://tf.erzz.com/2007/02/20/lord-of-the-rings-online-preview/
- mazza558, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3The graphics are pretty on par with Guild Wars.
http://www.guildwars.com/images/screenshots/nightfall/gwn-scr062-lrg.jpg
http://www.guildwars.com/images/screenshots/nightfall/gwn-scr060-lrg.jpg
http://www.guildwars.com/images/screenshots/nightfall/gwn-scr041-lrg.jpg
http://www.guildwars.com/images/screenshots/nightfall/gwn-scr034-lrg.jpg - praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -4/+4gekkotron, I was in the beta as well...but liked the game and had an account for a few months. I really think the party system was awesome and doing dungeons with a group was actually fun, as opposed to how it is in WoW where people have to have elaborate battle plans just to take on a boss. It was a lot more action-oriented then WoW.
mazza, I don't think the textures are as good. - SirNoobius, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5I played it for couple of hours and wasn't very impressed. graphics aren't all that great compared to something like GuildWars. the physics leaves much to be desired controls are a bit awkward and aren't very responsive. I couldn't even get the first quest, I couldn't find the damn guy. oh I am an elf. (can anyone help with taht) lvl 2 or 3 i can't remember. I kept killing damn goblins they are all ***** hostile.
i haven't played wow but i will definitely give this game another try. - EvilCheeseWedge, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3@ inbred "elaborate battle plans" are you serious? What dungeons in WoW (and I'm talking 5-man dungeons) need "elaborate plans"? What fun would a dungeon be if there wasn't some element of strategy necessary to beat the bosses? Most bosses in WoW really aren't that hard. They just have a lot of HPs. There's no elaborate plan needed to beat 'em... just live long enough to do enough damage to drain their HPs. Boom. Done.
I'm in the beta for LOTR, and I have to say, I find it an almost miserable experience. I've played a handful of MMOs, and this one just does not do the trick for me. The story? Great. Read the books, saw the movies, and own 'em all to boot. If I want the LOTR story I'll open up the book, or pop in the DVD. I'd rather have a game that focuses on the fun aspect first. I'm not sure this game is it. Honestly, even looking aside from all the bugs, there's just not much here. The classes are dull, the landscapes are dull, the play experience... dull. If this had any other name other than "Lord of the Rings" it would be widely panned. - Reese268, on 10/12/2007, -7/+8actually the reason there were a lot of comments praising the game is because of a post on the LOTRO beta forums asking people to digg this article. They are probably real accounts of people who didn't yet have a digg account and wanted to help out.
- praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -5/+1EvilCheeseWedge, I'm talking more DoTs!!
http://www.kontraband.com/show/show.asp?ID=3713 - omnithought, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4Also in beta and loving it.
btw, if you're digging people down who say they're in beta because you think they're violating the NDA, it was lifted a couple of weeks ago. Just a heads up. - SlvrEagle23, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1I just can't wait until LotR Online releases its first expansion pack, fixing the countless bugs and playability issues that had plagued the game from day one, only to kill the servers a few months later while still raking in sales money from the software they refuse to take off shelves.
Don't think it'll happen? They've done it before people...just be careful. That's all I'm saying. - Harbinger67, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1I was in the closed stress test/am in beta, and I can sum this game up in one simple sentence:
Asheron's Call 2 and WoW had a one-night-stand.
Turbine was a one-hit-wonder with Asheron's Call 1. How they are still alive is mind-boggling. - NikoKun, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6It looks like a nice game... O_o i'm not sure why so many people praising it are getting dugg down... lol
Although... as much as I really want to play it... and really want the special items and lower price... I just can't comit myself to an online game that requires a monthly fee... @_@ especially not the way my life is right now... I wouldn't be able to play it enough... =/
but man... i really wanna play it... XD oh well... not like i couldn't play it later... Still looks really good... I hope it kicks WoWs arse... that game has been too popular for far to long now... we need more competition to 1up WoW and make even better games. lol - Reese268, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2why the hell was I dugg down? it was a truthful statement, and one which involves no matter of opinion you could agree or disagree with. diggers are freaking idiots sometimes.
- jshanman, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8I'm in the Beta and will be pre-ordering 2 copies (one for my wife :) It is a very beautiful game and Turbine is working hard to keep it consistent with the lore.
I am building an online database for this game as well. Currently only the in-game map is available.
This is built using the Google Maps API: www.arda-online.com- jshanman, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4Link: http://www.arda-online.com/map
For convenience :)
- jshanman, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4Link: http://www.arda-online.com/map
- Hulapop, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5If you loved the books and like a traditional style RPG, this game scores high in all areas. This is the first RPG I've ever played that has not crashed on me once(currently at level 8). I do have problems starting it sometimes. The download can be very long, I highly recommend taking the bit torrent option. The normal download process can go on indefinitely if there are any CRC errors. Depending on your system, the graphics are stunning and the quests are immersive and surprising. Death is not the end of the world here as you lose no possessions or experience. The code has not been optimized yet as its still in beta so even with 2 7950 GTX cards(1 GB total RAM), and twin AMD processors i can only run it at medium settings. Check this game out!
Garthe of Bree (Brandywine).- Reese268, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Yeah, the download can take some time simply because it is a huge download, but I find their servers to be incredibly fast... both for the client download and for patches.... i've never played a game where the patches download so quickly as this one. If you don't use bittorrent (I didn't, the torrent was going rather slow for me) just make sure you use a download manager so you can resume the download if something happens.
- praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -1/+4Dude, I got an FX-57 processor and a single 7800GTX and can run on all high settings.
- BugMeNot2, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1The 7950 GTX is a laptop graphics card.
- Ghil, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3in the beta too, and I can't stop playing :)
- Sultaana, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4Pre-ordered and ready for the stress test! :)
- Reese268, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4amazingly fun game, come join us for the stress test! Let's bring the servers to their knees.
- robdarwin, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3Their stated goal is to crash the servers, then pick through the rubble to learn why they crashed. If you haven't checked out the game yet, this is a great chance to get a peek before open beta begins. But be aware that there will be login issues, lag, and downtime that are not part of the typical game experience you can expect when it goes live. I've had a blast so far in closed beta, heartily recommend you check this game out!
- gambit94541, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4This game is fantastic if you are a LOTR fan. For being almost 2 months away from release it is better than some complete games out there. I highly recommend signing up and giving the stress test a shot. Don't be swayed at first if it takes a while to get in on the first night with the flood of people trying. After you are in and stable it is a blast. On piece of advice is that this game is NOT World of Warcraft and should not be compared to it at all. If you are a regular WoW PVPer you probably will not like this at all.
- Snorii, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3I'm in game and I'm addicted. Even if you aren't a Lord of the Rings fan, this is a very fun game to play. If you do try out the stress test, try to remember that stress tests are for the purpose of pushing their machines to see how far they can go. During the stress test, the game may freeze or lag a lot. All part of fixing and polishing this great game.
- Archidamis, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3Pre-ordering the game next week. I've been in since Alpha 2 and have realy enjoyed myself.
- BaxterK, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13Windows Only??
- cassusfett, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0Miss type.
- Ghil, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3yep, windows only for now.
- eskay, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10It's worth the reboot.
- Laylow, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4We always crash the servers during a stress test, so be prepared for downtime.
Some lag is also to be expected. I'll see everyone in game this weekend.- bsolidgold, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4"We"?
Do you have a mouse in your pocket? - daofma, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3How's one person going to crash the servers on his own? Of course it's a "we."
- bsolidgold, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4"We"?
- MourningZoo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7This is kind of inaccurate. It's been free (the beta). The stresstest's are just scheduled for certain dates.
- EvilCheeseWedge, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Not really. If you pre-order, you get to join the beta at some point (I think it's the beginning of March or something like that.) So truthfully, there are non-free ways to get in the beta.
- DyDx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Free, sure, but it's a CLOSED beta.
- Travisrd, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3yeah im in the beta, its great fun! WAY better than i expected. runs smooth + gameplay is awsome, pretty bug free and combat is a great experience!
- Sengara, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10I really don't know what people are talking about. Unless I missed something, this game isn't that great. I mean it does have a good story, a MUCH better story then other MMO's out there... but the game play isn't fluid at all. The classes are very basic with little or no innovation. Every member of a class is almost exactly like every other member of that class. Pathing is bad. I play WoW/CoX/GW for the good game play... I read books (Like LotR) for story.
- EvilCheeseWedge, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3This has been my experience as well.
- Tollboi, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I have to agree. I am in the Beata as well and I find it hard to sit down at this game for more than 30 mins. I really had hoped this game would be a wow killer as well but it is not. Here is a break down of the game "go kill this many things" To ddo this move toon by bad guy hit special moves as they light up. Thats it, I have never been so bored or dissapointed in a game I wanted to like.
If you want a WoW killer look at TCoS I may or may not have given this one a test run as well.
- Tulwen, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4Its Been a long time since I've had this much fun! Take a chance! You will love it! see you in game!
Remember its BETA! - captainkool, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Looks interesting...
- thearrow, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Even though I despise Lord of the Rings in almost every way, I will give this a shot considering every experience on the comments has been positive.
- bwpayne, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3Most of them are fake, look at their accounts. Created: Feb. 22, 2007
This game is mediocre. - praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -3/+8Also notice how all the positive posts are from members who joined today just to comment on this story.
- turrican, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8"Most of them are fake, look at their accounts. Created: Feb. 22, 2007"
"Also notice how all the positive posts are from members who joined today just to comment on this story."
They're probably beta players; I'm sure there was a post in their forums about this story. - Palatial, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3I didnt even know this site existed until I found the link on the LOTRO beta forums. So that's why there is a flood of new people. Oh and for the record I too love this game. I pre-ordered it already and will be getting the lifetime membership.
- Reese268, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I didn't just join today to comment on the story, and you ***** dig down all my comments simply because I say the game is good.
Who cares if they are new users? I highly doubt there is some guy out there creating 20 digg accounts and making random positive comments about the game. They are probably all legitimate new accounts.
- bwpayne, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3Most of them are fake, look at their accounts. Created: Feb. 22, 2007
- HaggisMac, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3Dugg it. See you all this weekend!
/played CoH/CoV since 2004
//played WoW for about 6 months of 2005-2006
///Went back to CoH.- bsolidgold, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4Your point?
- turrican, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9///Don't slashies belong over at fark?
- technotimber, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4i am in the stress test. probably as far as i will go.
- TwiNCannoN, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Ah, stress tests... I love the smell of burning server racks in the morning.
- gregharmon, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Turbine developed this game and after playing the original Asheron's Call -- I strongly dislike Turbine's work. Me and lots of others actually loved Asheron's Call, but that's mainly because it was the first MMORPG that we played and certainly not because of production quality.
I just don't think Turbine has what it takes to make a huge, successful online RPG and I won't believe it until they prove me wrong, if ever.- legatus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I liked AC1 well enough just did not have the time back then. I wanted to toss my cookies on DDO, but I just un-installed instead. I will till wait a few weeks after release to decide on this one.
- cheeseron, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3inescapable and long introduction sequence kills me. Don't quit WoW for this.
- Artifez, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Hitting the escape button worked for me.
- juicebag, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3And now that this is on digg servers are gonna be down all day.
- Angmar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4That is the purpose of the stress test, to crash the servers to see how well the servers respond to high demand.
- bsolidgold, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2Now all the little kids who play WoW so they can be "Legolas" or "Gimli" can get what they really want and play this cheese-ball game.
- jshanman, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4FYI : This is digg page is linked to in the Beta forums as well as the lotro.com community forums, so many of the new people commenting are coming here because they are fans of the game, they are not 'fake' accounts.
- markdall, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3Based on what people here are saying I will try the stress test. However, Turbine has a very bad reputation as far as I'm concerned, based on how they treated their customers during Asheron's Call 1 and 2.
(Note - the above is my personal opinion only.)- foooey, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5the customer mistreatment from AC1 and AC2 was mostly because of Microsoft's involvement
Turbine itself was a very friendly, customer oriented company
I've never played other mainstream games where the developers were so public and accessible
- foooey, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5the customer mistreatment from AC1 and AC2 was mostly because of Microsoft's involvement
- animus, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2NERRRRDDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSSS
- evetsleep, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Ogre...is that you?
- bergur1, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Most people who talk smack about this game have never played it. It is very much like WoW interface wise but offers more in the beta than WoW did when the game was released. I am a hobbit in the shire and the area is HUGE and for those that say they didn't like WoW because of the kiddie look they can give this a try.
BTW There was a "FREE STRESS TEST" about a month ago for everyone who wanted to be in the beta. Those who played over eight hours got into the closed beta. - Mimizan, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0It's just a shame it's only open to the half of the planet that likes to shoot each other and rub taco sauce on each others arses...
- idontnoah, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I was really excited to play this game as a beta tester. I was really let down by a few things. A lot of the characters look the same or similar the interface didn't do if for me with all these random rainbow colors for text and the icons look silly. I don't think that the game is a waste and I'm sure a lot of people will convince themselves that it's the best game ever because it's LOTR but you'd probably be better off sticking to WOW. I also play Guild Wars a lot and the graphics are a lot better than this game. I would recommend trying it for free if you have the chance just don't get your hopes up.
- delightfuldemon, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Just finished dl'ing the client, and I"m looking forward to finally trying the game. I've been doing my best to ignore the hype and the bashing (I'll make my own judgements, thanks).
Now if only WAR would start doing betas... - thisissayantan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Just curious how this game will compare to established MMOs like WoW, DND and GW.. I have played WOW and GW extensively and have loved them both.
What I am little concerned about is the lack of caster classes in this game. I play casters usually; this game doesnt seem to give as much option to be a caster.
Also, @evilcheesewedge.. i do not think you have played WOW beyond ZG; and you definitely have not played TBC. None of the high end raid encounters in WOW is the typical tank-and-spank fights that you seem to think they are. There is a lot of strat, and a high amount of teamwork and coordination is required to prevent a wipe-fest.
Being a huge fan of LOTR, i am looking forward to this game. Just curious as to how imaginative the designers have been with the game structure and playing experience.- Rodalli, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Your casters consist of Loremasters (think Gandalf) and Minstrels (think...I have no ***** clue where this class came from, maybe Tom Bombadil). Loremasters are your magic DPS class whereas Minstrels are your healers (although they can do some decent damage as well).
- EvilCheeseWedge, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1No, I have played past ZG, I'm almost level 68 right now, and I've played plenty of the new dungeons =D I think the new dungeons and raid content are different than most Azeroth 5-man dungeons, which is what I was talking about in my post. I forgot to clarify it by noting that I meant mostly the older dungeons. And this is true, there is a lot of strategy involved. But not for stuff like SM and the pre level 60 dungeons, of which there are many. I mean, seriously, if you have trouble with those dungeons... well, I don't even know what to say. Who would want a dungeon they could totally master on their first pass though? That doesn't sound very fun to me.
- Artifez, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Lore master is the most caster-like class, overall magic is understated like in the books.
- SharkyTech, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I'd have to say that the lack of casting is completely faithful to the books.
I mean, there was no widespread use of obvious loud flash and bang kind of magic in the books, only the wizards and other particular characters had that. For the rest of the population, such as the elves, it was more subtle magic, i'm assuming that magic will only really be in the form of enchanted items.
As much as you might like casting in WoW, to just make this game exactly WoW, but with LOTR characters and monsters, would have been lame.
- Rodalli, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6I was in the beta and was very unimpressed. I was very hopeful for this game, I figured a company like Turbine would take this license and make an awesome game as Middle-Earth is a world that screams out loud to be fleshed out into an MMO. But what was delivered is just a mediocre MMORPG much like the last few pieces of trash to hit the market since WoW. But don't take my word for it, try it yourself.
Here's hoping Conan or Warhammer have what it takes to dethrone WoW. My druid is 67, my warrior's 65 and I'm going to need a new drug by the end of the year. - veza, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1I'm not from States/New Zealand and it's whine's about my birthdate.. "Please fill out the birthdate field properly. Eligibility is restricted to those at least 13 years of age." Is there somekind of ip-location resolver on that site??
- veza, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1shame on me, it's month/date/year .. i just type monthDateyear.... I need some sleep now.
- Wolfboy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1"Link Directly to the Source: Save people time by linking directly to the original news story."
http://www.lotro.com/stresstest - Asmir, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2If your into PvP and level grinding this probably isn't the game for you. Some love it some hate it and that's OK, its not a game targeted to please everyone. In beta, I am finding a much more mature crowd over all. Those like me who do enjoy playing seem to be the more casual sort of player from my experience so far. I think the graphics are beautiful, I spent the day in Rivendell a few days ago and never wanted to leave. The detail there is better than I've seen in the other MMOs I've played, and I've played as much as any.
Trying to compare it to WoW or other MMOs is pointless, try the stress test and decide for yourself if its for you. - mrhaines, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3I despise this game. If you have read the book then there is pretty much no wonder at all in the game. For some reason I find WoW much more addictive. I played LOTR Online for like 3 hours and was already getting bored. Perhaps I should give it another shot though...
- joojoobee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0"I despise this game........Perhaps I should give it another shot though..."
Uhh ya right. Possibly medication time?
- joojoobee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0"I despise this game........Perhaps I should give it another shot though..."
- Laytonx, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3I played the closed beta. Game is over rated, i wont be buying it.
- ArgusSmith, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1All those that are complaining:
1) You don't know how any MMO plays out if you are only "(currently at level 8)", so stop complaining when you haven't even touched the game yet.
2) Guild Wars people: Of course GW has better graphics; it's not an MMO, it's one giant instance. It can AFFORD to have better graphics because only 8 people are fighting at any given time in the world.- thisissayantan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I agree with both the above statements.. All MMOs have a ridiculously huge learning curve often going on for months, which is often times the fun part. E,g how many mages realized how useful "Amplify Magic" is in WOW till then fought Rajaxx in AQ20. And even to reach that stage takes like couple of months for new players.
GW is uber graphics.. But, the rendering is easier because of the above reason.
An MMO is restricted by several factors regarding graphics--
1. Number of players at a zone at a time
2. Server Lag
3. Intensity of action
4. Resources available to user.
These are a few.
- thisissayantan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I agree with both the above statements.. All MMOs have a ridiculously huge learning curve often going on for months, which is often times the fun part. E,g how many mages realized how useful "Amplify Magic" is in WOW till then fought Rajaxx in AQ20. And even to reach that stage takes like couple of months for new players.
- bigp3rm, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3I am in the beta and this game is boring. I have beta tested a lot of the big games UO, AC 1&2, SWG, Lineage 2 and WOW. If you like running around doing WOW type quests with no form of PVP or danger then this game is for you. There is nothing new or exciting about this game. This is coming from a huge LOTR fan.
- Angmar, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3LotRO does have PvP, it is called monster play. You just haven't got there yet to see it. Also, WoW type quests? I thought that those types of quests were in many MMO's not just WoW.
- joojoobee, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0The game current state, for being in Beta, is in great shape. I especially love the scratch and sniff feature!
- Hamma, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Excellent game, lots of atmosphere, and great Immersion. I suggest if you have time time give it a shot! :D
- sunshinex, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1The contest (and prizes) are only open to residents of the United States. So, we all can help them load the servers, but only the US is eligible to win.. Lame.
- cprincipe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
- nibble128, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I play it free right now... Viva La Beta Testa!
- kingofrap, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I have been playin the beta, and I like it quite a lot. it is more advanced than WoW, less than Vanguard. the point of this whole thing is instead of relying on the comments of one clown or another on here, try the thing and out decide for yourself. that said, I have not yet decided if I will pre-order, but I do not see another game out there that looks more interesting.
- Artifez, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Vanguard may be "advanced" but it is so unendingly boring that id rather play solitare.
- H1tchh1k3r, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0BUAHAHAHAHAAA MY REQUEST FOR BETA VERSION WAS ACCEPTED!!!
- cankillar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Die.
- nikko11, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Also in the beta and this is one of the least entertaining games I've ever played.
- LightofArnor, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Anyone who's been on the official forums the last 4 years knows who this is. I was one of the first. I supported Turbine through immense difficulty, from the infamous 9 month blackout in 2003, through the many months of precious little information and droves of drive-by bashers, and was graced with being invited into Alpha 2, the first wave of testers outside the company+personal friends. I also have co-sponsored LOTROG I and II, the Rhode Island player gatherings we held the last 2 Augusts that boasted huge Turbine developer turnout. For those of you who know me and what depths I've gone to support this company and this game, you will fully understand what I'm about to tell you.....LOTRO is a very poor game. You will play it, and LOVE the landscapes. You will play it and enjoy the initial quest lines. You will play it and appreciate some of the graphics. Then you will notice the monotony. You will unconsciously begin to dread visualizing the SAME ruins and landscapes. You will agonize over inappropriate placement of beasts in what can only be described as "matrix" grids of random spawning..not even really random at that. Tom Bombadil and his house will be a brief flash of joy....it will pass. By Beta 1, I couldn't stand to log in again. Almost my entire guild, made up of some of the most highly respected forum members Turbine has ever had for LOTRO, have nearly 100% agreed that the game lacks so many necessary elements to make it uniquely Tolkienian, that it boggles the mind. I urge everyone to push for major re-vamps of this game, and either force the reversal of philosophy that caused a combat-centric mindset to overwhelm what this game-world should have been, or let it fade quickly enough that another entity can re-create the project focusing on the messages Tolkien held dear in his themes. In truth, the very act of panning this game, with those at Turbine inevitably seeing my words held against the friendships we've made over the last 4 years, causes me great amount of guilt. However, I feel compelled to at least plea with those cognitive enough to not suffer from overwhelming tunnel-vision to turn the microscope inward and really LOOK at what has been given to us after so many years of "vision". I would play this game if it offered even the slightest bit ability to capture one's attention beyond the first 10 levels...but it doesn't. The reviews may be mixed on this game, but I can assure you, as a gamer since the late 1970s, the version we are being given will leave only the most basic newcomer to the genre with a sense of enjoyment from this game. I'm sorry Turbine. I feel as if I've betrayed you, my good friends, but somewhere along the way, after Vivendi left the picture, an influence overwhelmed your sense of purpose to what Middle-earth Online should have become. Instead, you created a dreary 50-level endeavor in combat that does nothing but distract the newcomer, as well as the veteran, from even contemplating the beautiful landscape you worked so hard to create.
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