Mines of Moria - First Thoughts

[Adjanah]

Nope, didn't get to the mines. But well, if the game didn't catch me outside, I don't see how they'll fix it by taking us inside. My problems with LotRO are pretty deep-rooted, and since much of my griping is based on how they've designed the world, the shots I've seen from inside Moria didn't do to lift my spirits about it. The characters and architecture remain as awful as ever. But mostly it's just the feeling of having done it all before, ya know? That isn't LotRO's fault as such, that's just me being a long-time player of MMO's that follow the same formula.

2009 got some interesting things in the lineup. The MMO companies are starting to realise people like me are getting tired of playing the same game over and over with a new skin, and so are being a bit more inventive from what I've seen. The Next Generation is coming, and it looks promising.

[Haelewulf]

...as finances are tight for me at the minute (ah, Christmas...), I wouldn't be keeping up a LotRO sub if I wasn't already paid up for life. As it is, I'll keep poking in when I get chance.

CoX has reawakened the urge yet again, since my PB is the most fun I've had on a character in ages, and my latest foray into the land of the defender (fun concept, awesome set...) have made it fun again, and if Champions Online lets me duplicate the joy, bring it on! I do miss playing with you guys, though.

[Archibold]

Uh uh.... so I see the picture. There probably wont be the(complete) Thorns in LOTRO anymore ever again. Sad ... In fact , is there anyone except Kelli that plans on actively playing this and next month ?


As for Adjanah. I hear you. It is something that we very much agree upon. Yet still , 2008 - the year of "Next Gen MMO" was such a dissapointment. I honestly lost any hope we will actually see anything worth while.

Heroes might be good , and i hope they will be. But you can not hope they will be released in next 6 months.

Darkfall could be a killer, and yet who can say for sure ? Game is supposed to be released next month , and there was not a single journalist or non associated person that ever seen it or played it. Is that genius marketing or the fact that game is still not quite ready? We can not really tell right now...My estimate is that the game will not come out until may.

Same goes for Jumpgate Evolution... This is all some wait.

Until than , we may need a MMO to play. Wulf will play COX .... Lira will play WAR....thats the way it goes

[Adjanah]

I'm being blissfully mmo-free for the moment, and rediscovering the joys of singleplayer-games in what spare time I can scrape together. Budget looks to be a bit too strained for getting Darkfall this month, but well...some time off from the scene probably wouldn't hurt either. Maybe even get a bit outside?

But the sun...it burnzzz uzzz...!

[Archibold]

Hehehe! Good one Adj ,

for singleplayer goodness I recommend you Fallout 3 ! Remember exposure to sun can be lethal!

[kellidir]

I'm playing a mix of Fallout 3, Knights of the old Republic and Lotro.

I don't think there will be a thorns presence in lotro. I play because its free for me to play. I do think the game has improved, and for my RP fix i've joined a nice rp light guild.

I do miss the blackthorns. so if we ever get properly motivated to another game I'll definitely come.

[Archibold]

You dont think the game improved....

Now i am in serious doubt if to purchase the expansion and re-sub again....

I just dont get one thing. You (and Adjanah - at least) purchased the expansion. And than Adjanah decided to stop playing even before entering Mines of Moria. You also seem to be not very amused.

It sounds like the expansion is than very "meh" and brings no real incentive to continue playing?

Or perhaps you can give me some other solid reason? Even if its "I didnt like LOTRO to start with"


p.s: How is the server population?

[Adjanah]

Keep in mind that, as always, I am a cranky bitch. ^^ I've heard good things of Moria from more faithful LotRO players than myself, and the new classes are pretty decent. If you liked the questing and levelling and lore in LotRO, then you'll like Moria. It's more of the same, just done better, in an all new location. If you like me had some big problems with how the game is made in general, even before the expansion, then you'll likely be as "meh" as me. Moria is just that - more of the same, done slightly better.

The server population seemed healthy. I ran into plenty RP in my few days online, mostly centered around Bree.

Also, Fallout 3 is win. I am currently waiting for the next patch before I start playing again, since I got my game ruined by game-ruining bugs a few times now, and had to start over. But apart from that, it is EPIC and I love it. I'm also poking Heroes 5, GTA4 and Overlord. At the same time. Which means I have time for none of them. X_X

[Haelewulf]

Heroes 5 is awesome.

Also, Moria, unfortunately, ticked a bunch of boxes that aren't on my lists.

I have trouble navigating without a map (RL and ingame.) Thus, ACRES of new area and a nigh-useless map because of depth and impassable terrain slows me down, stops me doing quests, and just makes it effort instead of fun.

Also, I love the outdoors. Endless caves? Sure, there are some great showpieces, but hell, I can't find 'em!!

Thanks to the changes in combat, I'm now squishier than I ever was. Hurrah, more repairs, less money for better gear, the cycle continues.

I'll keep playing, because it's free. And the legendary items? Very win. But overall, Moria hurt my enjoyment far more than it increased it.

[Archibold]

Ok , thanks guys. This is very valuable input.

I can well understand how one thing can be great for one and bad for other. Exactly like Wulf said here. He is fan of open spaces , on other hand i always felt that MMOs lack the "Dungeons"

As for general LOTRO gameplay. I tried almost every MMO released. And I was subscribed to 80% of them.
Yet LOTRO is the one i played the longest. I would probably say WOW is the best of them - but LOTRO has more of D&D Baldurs Gate-ish feeling. And as D&D fan I like that.

So , i will still probably go on with my purchase...

Funny thing though. They even didnt bring it to shops...i will have to digital purchase it ...


Concerning Fallout 3

I love the game! I had big fears they will ruin the franchise. But they went and made great game.

Problem is that on my PC the game started to crush. And not only crush, it is freezing the computer and i need to cold reset it. And its very bad for my new PC...so i simply had to stop playing

[Swampland]

Difficult to say. I got somewhat motivated to play again when i bought Moria. Checked out alot, but the general game mechanics the game builds upon kind of shoved me away. Just enjoying to run around and explore for a while, and getting my gear all mushed up isnt so fun. So got no cash, and 1 gold repair bill. Anyway, Moria is done much better than before, but i kind of asked myself 'why am i doing this?' and realised that in the end i would look back and think it was a waste of time... as i did last time. Even tho it keeps me busy and i continue doing it anyway.

Been taking it easy, and now its school again so wont be much MMOing untill Darkfall. Still think Mines of Moria is nice, and a good improvement for LotRO... but im honestly looking for something fundamentally different myself.

[kellidir]

It's not all dungeons for Mines of Moria.

first off trollshaws expands into the massive area that is Eregion, and from there i believe theres a path into the mountains, but also the gates of moria before the mountains. And I know from people I play with that you can come out the other side and explore the lands on the otherside of moria and you can get to Loth lorien. future books are likely to expand out from there too. I'm not sure how big it is though.

[Swampland]

Ah, yes. Eregion is gigantic.... probably the biggest zone so far? My favorite zone in Eriador

Lothlorien isnt that big tho. I visited it a quicky, and they cut it short at Nimrodel. But thats ok.. they decided to focus on Moria here, and made it galactic instead so im fine with that.

They will probably add more in that area next update or somesuch.

[kellidir]

Really? thats a shame. I'd have imagined there would be a lot of above ground stuff to abuse to finish of the fellowship of the ring books.

[Swampland]

Suppose they want to move slowly along the content, so they dont run out to fast.