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Planet MMORPG turns sloooowly

Re-installed Lotro on Sunday. I don't really intend to start playing seriously but as the holder of a life time subscription I thought I may as well install it on the new computer.

I spend a couple of hours in game trying to remember how to play my level 43 loremaster.  After months of playing single player games it was a shock to remember how sloowly everything happens in an mmorpg. Picking up a quest, travelling to the quest location, finding the mobs, killing (all ten of) them, looting, travelling back handing in, selling stuff and re-organising loot and gear all take forever. Remind me why people do this again? Its the multi-player part isn't it? Trouble is the game is a lot quieter  than I remember it and not having a level capped toon more or less condemns me to playing solo. My kinmates are all doing end gamey stuff. I did check out the new skirmish system - a kind of instant "pick an instance" form of game play that you can play solo or in groups that offers an alternative form of advancement to questing. The tutorial was easy enough so I jumped into my first real skirmish with plenty of confidence. With my pet soldier and a helpful archer we had to hold off a bunch of ghosts who were assaulting our camp.  I was doing pretty well until the big bad boss arrives and kills my archer helper ending the skirmish and booting me out. Say what you want about Lotro but the solo gameplay is far from facerolling.

Comments

Anton said…
I've played 20-30 levels of LOTRO and I think it is slower with less eye-candy than most mmo's. I can't imagine playing it single player, either. The story is supposed to carry it, but with all the side-quests you have to do to be strong enough to progress, the story is utterly lost in the shuffle.
Tesh said…
The biggest reason I'll reinstall it when they make the "free play" conversion is to look around and take pretty screenshots. The trial I played ages ago agreed with your thoughts, Anton.

And yet, it's pretty, so it's worth looking around a little.
mbp said…
You have to admit there is a compelling quality about this type of game though. I really don't intend to get stuck back in but I can feel myself slipping back into the old "just go to do one more quest" mindset.

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