We take an updated look at this Tolkien-inspired massively multiplayer game and get more details on future plans for the game at launch.
Massively multiplayer games often let you play as a lone adventurer in a fantasy world, joining other players to hunt monsters and seek fame and fortune. Developer Turbine Entertainment is working on such a game set in the original fantasy world, the realm of novelist J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. We recently had a chance to try the game out, and we also got an update on some of the future plans that Turbine has in store for the game.
The game offers four playable races--human, elf, dwarf, and hobbit--and three of the four can be either male or female (only dwarf males are available at this time). The game offers seven character classes--minstrel, captain, guardian, hunter, lore-master (the wizard profession), burglar, and champion--each of which plays a specific role in battle, which is outlined in a brief in-game movie that can be watched as you decide your character's profession.
Once you've created a character, you start out as a prisoner of a Black Rider (one of the evil minions of the dark lord Sauron), and you must escape your imprisonment with the help of a human ranger, as we've discussed in our previous coverage. Once you escape, you begin in a small village surrounded by pastoral hills and small farms that have occasionally been attacked by bandits. Much of your early career involves performing brief quests for your village neighbors, such as clearing out pesky wolves and hunting wild boars for meat. However, as you continue through the lowest-level series of quests, you quickly find that all isn't right in the village, and that the bandits that seemed like small-time thugs actually pose a much larger threat--they're allied with the minions of Sauron and eventually lay waste to your village, turning it into a burning ruin. This development shows how the world will change over time using "story events"--cinematic sequences that happen in real time in the game that make players feel like they're much more involved in the story.
We chose to play as a captain, one of the game's melee-combat classes, which is a very group-oriented character. Captains possess various "aura" abilities that strengthen their teammates' abilities and heal them over time; they can also attack their enemies in battle with heavy melee weapons and with their distinctive battle shout ability, which can be heard from quite a distance. Even though captains look to be best suited for group play, they seem to do just fine when fighting solo, so long as they keep themselves well provisioned. Captains, like other characters, may engage their enemies in standard "auto-attack" combat, which causes them to repeatedly whack their foes until someone falls over and dies, though characters also possess various special abilities that can be used at a cost to the character's energy. Eating certain foods helps characters replenish their spent energy and depleted health, though when not in battle, you can recover from your wounds fairly quickly, at least at the lower levels.
We also had a chance to catch up with representatives from the developer who discussed some of the intriguing new developments that are planned for the game. To encourage community involvement, the game will implement functionality that resembles some of the most popular Internet technology. An example of this is a map system that resembles search engine Google's Google Maps site, as it lets players zoom and pan around world maps to better find their way. Turbine will also apparently offer an online "wiki" similar to the Internet reference Wikipedia, which will let players build their own reference compendium for monsters, weapons, quests, and other information. Finally, the game will reportedly feature a built-in social-networking-site builder that will let players create their own personal journal site on the Internet for each of their characters, which acts similar to sites like MySpace or LiveJournal. Turbine suggests that its community-management team will help police those sites for inappropriate content, and that these character-created sites should help players continue to connect with each other even when they're not playing the game.
In addition, Turbine is encouraging devoted players who have gained access to the game's beta program to preorder the game by allowing them to keep their beta characters even into release. The game shows a good deal of promise as something that should appeal to both online-game veterans and beginners who are fans of Tolkien's lore. Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is scheduled to launch later this year.
I don't got this game yet but it looks great! i have been playing WoW for some time and i desperately need a change of game play. OK this game might be like WoW but the feeling of being a hobbit owns! i will definitely pick this game up. Also the graphics to me seem pretty good, much better than of WoW in my opinion
This game is actually pretty good (was in the beta) and I like what they've done with it. I'm not all that big with the lore but it seems very well-done. I'd recommend everyone to check it out - I like it enough to get the lifetime membership.
What will make this game seem so much better and "finished' is if you go play Vanguard first. I swear, this game was more complete in Alpha than Vanguard is now, it's amazing. Think the difference is LotRO seems to planned ahead a bit better, and it shows.
jpc1978, goddamn, how dumb can ppl get?, " I have top of the line graphics." how about "i have a top of the line graphics card" u fukin' idiot. As for myself, i have played the open beta and the visuals are pretty impressive. and the gameplay is actually pretty good too. and i also have a top of line rig, only its not built by dell cuz' they're **** homosexuals; here's my rigs specs: Intel Core2Duo E6600 2gb of DDR2 2x 250gb HDD GeForce 8800 GTS 640mb
del lol , i think the graphics are pretty good but very different to wow the character screen is a bit of a let down and a few silly little things .But the game-play has a good feel and the story events put some iceing on the cake something wow was missing?. i for one need a break from the daily grind of wow.
Ive been playing the closed and open beta versions of this game and so far, i really like it. The graphics arent even bad, I have no idea what some people are talking about the graphics being horrible. Sure, the game is very similar to WoW, but dont forget WoW is a good game, so if its similar, it is most likely good, to most people. Mostly, I think this game is for LOTR fans and for people who are now tired of WoW. Which is perfectly fine, I like this game way better than WoW or any other mmorpg out there at the moment.
jpc1978: The beta was not the RETAIL version of the game, therefore do you really expect the visuals to be finished? I played the Beta and it was enough to justify my purchase and ATLEAST the first month of play. Oh yeah, you're very brave saying you have top of the line gear on a PC game community and not disclosing what model card you have to justify it.
To helljumper0st I have a brand new gaming computer from Dell with top of the line graphics and the game still looks very poor. I noticed that you are new to gamespot are you perhaps connected to LOTR? or Turbine? I have played the Beta version that was recently release. I was not at all impressed buy this game. It's basically World of Warcraft in the Lord of the Rings the graphics were poor even at the highest settings. I would waste my money on it.
The prisoner of black rider thing is the beginning for humans (and hobbits too I think). Elves and dwarves start off in a different area. I got the free key awsome craft system so far.
I hate to say it but I do feel this game is very very similar to WoW. But that isnt a bad thing, WoW was excellent before it became all alts with no time for noobs. And after the quests got boring as hell. This is a bit of a WoW clone, but LOTRO is new and a breath of recycled but fresh air. New quests, new world, new characters, new game. I cant wait to get my teeth into this and I expect that it will keep me going just as long as WoW if not longer. So yes, a WoW clone it may be but I expect it to be hugely successful.
I've never played an MMORPG before, but now I'm hooked. The graphics are fine (DVD instead of download). The quests are interesting and the scenery and mood shifts a lot from place to place. I've found myself increasing my time in the game from day to day. I've played Elder Scrolls Oblivion, but got bored by the repetitive quests. This game has a lot of variation. I hope it sticks around.
I'm a big player of WoW and I am currently playing LotR in the open beta test and let me tell you, those are two totally different games! Of course they"re both MMORPG, and all about killing mobs, "levelling" up, selling stuff, making stuff. But, from what I've seen so far, LotR is much more complex in terms of gameplay. And the fact that your quests finally lead to a cinematic that will change some of the places you've encountered, is just fantastic. Of course the simplicity and addictive play of WoW still makes it a wonderful game worth playing and spending a lot of time in, but I think LotR is a great addition for the MMO industry and should also be played! Rivendell or Darnassus? Kazak Dum or Ironforge? Minas Tirith or Stormwind? You decide!
Definitely worth a look for MMoRPG's and tolkien fans. Played the beta for a week and it seemed like a minute(in heaven).
Well it should be noted that there are now separate quests for characters starting as Elves or Dwarves then that described in this Preview. Additionally I really didn't realise there were extra textures on the Pre-Order DVD so thanks for whoever pointed that out. (installing now hehe). As a llllloooooooonnnnnnnnggggggggg time WoW player I can honestly say that comparisons are inevitable and welcome in the basic functionality, some things cannot be re-invented easily. However the 'feel' of LoTRo is intensely more sophisticated then that of the WoW world. For people who would actually like to try the RP aspect of an MMORPG LoTRo is a hands-down winner. For a game yet to launch I have found it incredibly stable and responsive. And the visual aesthetic; well it's like comparing a cartoon to Jackson's movies. ;-) And for those people still preaching at the altar of WoW - what part of slaying Nefarian 20+ times waiting for your class drop did you find entertaining? WoW is not immortal and the best thing you can do as a gamer that loves playing MMO's is spread the love around. Give it a try.
Good God. I decided to throw my name into the hat for the open beta test, got accepted, and started playing on the 6th. I installed the thing, played it for an hour and un-installed it. How the hell can people play these fun blackholes for months on end? Horrendous.
To the ones who are complaining about graphics, you haven't seen the best. Most likely, you haven't pre-ordered which means you didn't get the DVD which is the only way to get the high-res textures. With these on, the game looks so much better and clearer. Why did they not give you these before you say? Well, it makes the game over 6 gigs instead of the 3.5 gig download.
I've been playing WoW for nearly two years, and thought I'd mention that the interface layout is addicting. Out of all the MMO's I've played (not many, granted) it is the best. However addicting it is, I plan on playing LotRO as well, and deciding between the two of them (or playing both :P) after about three months. Those of you noobs comparing WoW and this game, just stop: the only thing I see them having in common is the fact that they're both MMO's.
I'm personally not a fan of LOTR, nor do I have much knowledge of Tolkien's lore, but I'm looking forward to this game. I haven't been in beta but from the looks of it and after reading some user comments, I can easily assume this will be successful in many cases. I also don't think there should be any reason to expect many new elements to this game. Just because it is a new mmorpg doesn't mean it has to be a new genre altogether. MMORPG's have a formula that makes it what it is, the same way an adventure game is what it is, and a racing game is what it is. All I'm trying to say is that nobody should have insanely high standards because they'll only disappoint themselves afterward =P. So look forward to this game not for something new, but for a new mmorpg that will actually be fun.
This game is surprisingly fun and gets away from some of the most boring MMO conventions, Beautiful graphics and a polished overall feel - I thought I was over this style of game but after playing the open beta I will be placing my pre-order today, Check out the beta and see what you think!
For the people talking about the graphics. I don't believe that any downloaded version has the high res textures in place. They will only be delivered on CD from what I understand. Personally I find the game just about right for my style of playing. I'm not PvP er and I don't have lots of time to play. I just want to play for a few hours a week and enjoy an escape that still has other people to interact with
Looks promising. At least worth checking out in the open beta. If its any good it could very well be the game to tide me over until Warhammer: Age of Reckoning.
Believe me you guys, I am in the closed beta and open beta. So far, in the closed beta, I have found the game to be extremly entertaining, so much that i decided to pre order and im going to buy it. The graphics are amazing as well as the things you face. Everything is excellent about this game BUT THE THING THAT I THINK OWNS THE MOST IS...........MONSTER PLAY. OK just think of it like this, your a low level and you want to play with the big boys fighting for control of middle earth. Well, you can have two choices. 1. Keep leveling up until you reach a high level like from 40-50. or......2. Play against the high level players as a monster. You start off at level 50!!!! It owns, I especially like being the wargs. Monster play just makes the game way better. I really cant think of why this game wont sell. I dont know why the WoW fans are saying it wont be succesful. Well, in my opinion (and im sure anyone who has played this thinks the same) LOTRO has all the potential to be better or at least as good as WoW. Sure, WoW we all know will not die for a very long time but its getting old. I just plainly like this game much more than any other mmorpg I have ever played. c u guys in open beta ;)
Hehehehehe.Are you real ppl?How is this game destined to die???Have you been in beta?I don't trust anyone here who says he left beta.LOL.THIS GAME ROCKS.I never played better MMO since WoW,but WoW is now OLD.New age of Lord of the rings is here:so be fast not to miss because WoW is gona die in slow agony of old.
Ive pre-orderd this game, the graphics definatley beet that of vanguard: soh, and though i have not yet played the game, the system looks great as well.
I've been in the beta a couple of days and I absolutely love the game! It has a lot of features seen in other MMORPG's but also alot of new ones. The quest-system is great and DOES have alot of variation, unlike som people have been saying. There is a huge diffrence playing hobbits versus playing dwarfs for example, the quests available are really focused on the diffrent races and you get to learn what it's all about is a nice manner. You would be a fool if you pass this up as a "WoW-clone" (don't make me laugh...), it has alot of new things going for it. I've played quite a few MMORPG's before (DAoC, AoE, EQ2, WoW) and this is the only MMORPG that has gotten me excited since DAoC. No doubt in my mind that I'll get this on day one.
Take it from someone who is in closed beta. This is the best mmorpg that's been released since World of Warcraft. I had a lot of doubts about this game because Turbine developed it (and I lost a lot of faith after Asheron's Call 2 and DDO). However, I've been playing this game for a while and I'm totally in love with it. This game actually does a lot of new and fun things but some of the previous posters seem to have glazed over that. What did World of Warcraft did that was new? Not a whole lot... they just perfected the existing genre. I think the same will be said for LOTRO. Vanguard did a lot of "new" things but look at how well the game is doing. It's floundering because Sigil had a lot of great ideas but couldn't implement the most basic elements very well. I think people should actually play the game before giving their two cents... but that's just my two cents on this subject. Peace out!
*Cough thisgameisjustarepeatofeveryotherMMORPG /cough* No seriously though.. where has the effing originality and creativity gone? Gee wiz people! To actually be excited for yet ANOTHER onine fantasy game with nothing spectaacular about it except for being set in Tolkein's world is ridiculous. I can't even begin to describe how appalled I am that people actually think this is going to be a good game after what they've seen and read. Well, I take that back. If you've never played an online game, or read about the many, many of them out there, than this game will probably rawk your sox, as they say. Oh, and using a pre- existing world with already devised lore just frustrates me. We all know it's just to attempt to draw in the tons of LoTR fans out there. ( And I am one... I just have the sense to see through this game and not support what they're doiing) That's all for my ranting.. over and out.
Nothing much new here, except for the Token theme. It's sad (and I agree) when people say Lineage 2 looked better. How long ago did that come out? Yes, I've played the beta. Had to stop. Like I said, nothing new here. No PVP (monster arena's does not cut it, in any way shape or form), no fun soloing (a must since WOW, nothing wrong with having solo, you can still have groupings, etc), same old class's (almost/close enough), graphics are blah, sound is ok, crafting predictable, and poor end game content. Did I miss anything? (yes I love LOTR, MMO's, liked WOW then got tired of endgame/stopped (but not a "hater", but I'm not taking her out on dates anymore)) Really think Conan and Warhammer are the only potential fresh MMO's since WOW. So far I have not been proven wrong.
Man another bloody MMO for the PC only. They need more MMO's for the X360. I wish this would go to the 360.
Can't wait for this myself - finally something that may take some time away from WoW. BTW - do not pre-order this or any other game from Best Buy. They will deliver - but not until they have stocked their stores, which means you will be forced to wait possibly weeks until after the release. The only store that delvers pre-order games on time or even early is Gamestop.
It doesn't matter what game it is, so long as it is a MMO, you WoW idiots will always do the same old thing: "Looks just like WoW...meh" (insert other clueless random drivel they spew only having ever played WoW)...ad nauseum.
I played beta 1 and was invited to beta 2, but I never went back after the first few hours I initally spent playing...I love the world of Tolkien the way that Jackson portrayed it in his movies. As for this rendition of the world of LOTR I think that it is a great concept, but as for the way I like to play my MMO's, I think I will stick to WoW. I hope it does succeed though, I just won't be playing.
I'm in the beta and I just can't get excited about this game. On the plus side, it looks great and has some really nice music. On the minus side the action is really slow, the quests are boring and repetitive, and I never felt like I was immersed in the world. The sad thing is, I'm a fan of Tolkien's works and wanted to like this game, but I'm afraid it just bores me.
Playing BETA now , came from WoW and had a brief stint with Vanguard. In My Opinion: LotR: Online is not for powerlevelers, PvP only players or Hardcore MMO players . Its geared at RolePlayers and Casual players. Leveling initially goes fast, and eases you into the skills you initially recieve with your character, a short series of Intro quests - literally a mini shared instance (shared with other new players) eases you into the game system. The leveling then slows down a bit and allows for exploring, grinding mobs will not level you up significantly,so dont expect to grind some levels out...you will go insane. Questing relies ont he player taking time ot enjoy the world, and a player rushing to level will soon run out of quests an d get annoyed. Crafting - Not too complex, but the professions are interdependant on each other to a degree, which s designed to encourage player co-operation. Has been stated the items gained via crafting will be viable even at end game. PvP is none existant, there is rather a different system which at the moment needs tweaking to sort out. PvP in LotR:O is called PvMP (Player versus Monter Player) whic is basically a normal player character enters the PvMP arena, and fight NPCs and Monsters controlled by players, these monster characters can be leveled and upgraded and enhanced via playing in the 'arena'. Graphics are a meduim between the low spec WoW and the High spec demand of Vanguard. Pretty visuals but some shortcuts taken to lower specifications, run pretty much flat out on my AMD 3800+ 2 gig RAM 512 7900 GT setup. Sounds is ok, music is intresting but nothing to really get involved with. Final Note: At the moment we are only playing with the BETA, and things are getting changed, Turbine / CodeMasters (for EU) are taking notes...sometimes in a bad way, more often in a good way. Guys who have claim this is another WoW or generic MMORPG havent given the game enought of a chance.
I tried the beta and wasn't to impressed. I have nothing against Turbine and I wish them the best. I'm also not getting good feelings from their decision of letting beta players keep their characters. To me that just says they they don't think there is much interest in the game and it's a last ditch effort for launch. Good luck to them though.
Well to the some who have slapped me, lol I have a pretty decent system and WHAT AM I NOT seeing in LOTR, I guess i am missing out on something you all are seeing. I wrenched up graphics on this system and turned them way down on my other and compared the 2 HI def LCD screens that sit side by side and they just didnt look all the good either way. I am sorry I have my opinion, Still to date Lineage 2s graphics are the best I have seen for a MMO. And I dont smoke crack, though I have licked a few cracks in my time, and I am not a child. SHOULD I keep at while I am beta? Maybe I just have been not giving it enough time? OH and WHAT grind in WOW, is no grind there. In Lineage 2 we all ran bots to level up cause the grind was ungodly, in wow you got smucks going from 1-70 in 2 weeks. Not even on a bot train, thats crazy. So should I keep at it while longer? I will try it some more. Doc
I'm in 100% agreement with -Saigo- and sbourges. I must say I'm really enjoying the beta of LoTRO thus far. This game as some have said is a blending of styles of several games. The overall feel I find similar to DAoC, the crafting resembles EQ2, the graphics are similar to Guild Wars, and lastly it has some of the friendly features of WoW (Rested exp, and hearthstone for instance). Turbine did an excellent job of crafting a game that really takes into consideration the RP in MMORPG. Granted that won't neccessarily appeal to non roleplayers, and may in fact be a direct turn off from giving this a try. This game favors those who prefer a more story based enviorment ala DnD. Those whose main goals are to full time raid for the best equipment or PvP likely won't care for this game. LoTRO has the advantage of a setting that people have loved for close to 70 years. As a "veteran" MMO player I find these games to have the most enjoyable communities, not largest mind you, but quality. DAoC's setting of Arthurian times had it, as did SWG, and I can see this following in that pattern. That is of course from a roleplayers perspective... So in closing, if you are the type who enjoys adventuring with friends, and maybe tossing back a few ales while listening to a bard play a song at the local tavern, this is for you. If you are looking to get "phat lewtz" from the Nazguls, look elsewhere.
This game is destined to die, soon. Sorry, I do want it to succeed, I love MMO's and LotR. But this just doesnt cut it.
To be honest, the combat doesn't look all that slow to me, the attack speed is identical to wow, and i have seen people use special attacks that get some extra damage in. But I have solved the puzzle, the people who played rogues in WoW are the ones complaining, they ram down on the mouse button 1000 times a second just to get sinister strike when they can. Which doesn't speed up the combat one bit, just seems as if it does. Now I play a paladin which well is a slow combat class. I had to sit there untill the next attack up untill the expansion where I was able to use Crusader strike. Which every 6 seconds I could use, but it was brought up to 10 second cooldown, and I am fine with it. I love my pally. I hate PvP and I hate Raids, and I am still level 62 and I got the Expansion on the midnight opening. I just dont care. So this would be an excellent game to me, I would rather be immersed in some lore and some good wholesome story driven adventures then go crazy while people laugh at me because I am not the highest level and because I don't raid or PvP. This game is for people who appreciate games for what they are meant for, playing and enjoying. Not super fast combat soy uo can go uber and pwn everything while you get up to the highest lvl before everyone else, Laughing and jumping round while repeating noob over and over. SOOOO the people who say, well the combat is slow and there is no PvP... Dont be discouraged. These people are the ones that sit there for hours while theu let life and other things go unnoticed. Please if you are a fan of Lord of the Rings this game will be right for you. My only quarel with it is some things I am unsure of. Will it run on Vista Properly and how uber a video card will I need to make it run as smooth as WoW does.
This game is a major disappointment. I am a huge Tolkien fan and no matter how hard I tried to convince myself otherwise, this game just isn't good. This is with about 6 months of playing LOTRO (on and off). If you were unfortunate enough to play DDO, expect nothing more here. It's a tiring, uninspired collection of "borrowed" ideas. The world looks beautiful but the graphics are limited, pc quality is horrible there is almost no customization options and they are rendered lower than anything else in the game (imagine a tree looking better than your character) , 7 very uninteresting classes that do not stand out in Tolkien's lore (you couldn't have name the hunters rangers?), slow, boring combat, redundant crafting, no mount until lvl 35 (out of 50) and a laughable Windows 98-esque interface. *cry The sad truth is Turbine just doesn't have what it takes to make a good MMO. This game will be free to play within a year, guarenteed.
Nice article but an ERROR, sady. Para 2. 1st sentence "The game offers four playable races--human, elf, dwarf, and hobbit--and three of the four can be either male or female (only dwarf males are available at this time)." The Dwarf part is wrong. Dwarves are not limited to "male" only. And there won't be a "Female" dwarves anytime soon. Coz, in Tolkien lore, Dwarves appears the same to other races, regardless of gender. Yes, with beards and all that. So its up to the players to decide for themselves whether their Dwarf char with that nice bushy beard is guy or a girl. crazy huh? lol but thats LOTR for you. It was even mentioned in LOTR:TTT movie.
This game looks a little to much like warcraft...i would really like to see more from it then i think it would attract more people...its got its potential just because of the name all it needs its natural strenghts to show like its world
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