The Lord of the Rings Online

[Strider]

So, I was considering getting this, but I had a few questions first:

1. I've heard that it's free to play now, is that right?
2. I have hardly any MMO experience... I played Disney's ToonTown (4srs) when I was like ten, and that was about it. So is this a beginner friendly game?
3. How's the community? Is there still quite a few people that play it?
4. Should I just get the Mines of Moria expansion pack since it has the original game packaged with it?

I know that there's a couple of people that on CCGR that play this, so help would be appreciated.

Also, consider this the official discussion thread for this game.

[Orodrist]

It is free to play now. Kinda. See below

As far as it being beginner friendly... I managed to jump in fairly quickly, but YMMV.

I've never ran out of random strangers. Most are decently nice.

So far as MoM goes, and this ties in with the FTP thing, I'd just buy quest packs in the ingame store. You get like 200 some quests to start with, all throughout Bree, the Shire, and Eriador.


Now, personally, I've a few characters. I'd be happy to jump on and give you some support. Other than that...I've not been able to invest enough time in it to make it worthwhile. IDK, just can't keep up with MMO's.

[ohnolookout]

I just re-downloaded this about a week or so ago.

I'm on the Landroval server as a hobbit if anyone is interested in joining me.

[Syksy]

In Theory it is F2P, but if you _really_ want to play it (reach end-game raids and all that), you're bound to pay at some point. Either to buy Turbine points (to buy content zones X or Y or features Z) or by buying the monthly subscription which covers most of the content. But once your subscription's out you can't access the content again. I went for the Turbine points, since now I've bought the content permanently and can keep a break as long as I want or play an hour or two every month and not pay extra. I got bored before I got to endgame (got a 54 burglar), but as a fan of Tolkien's books it was nice to see some familiar faces and places.

I played on a roleplay server, and the people were really nice. Get a good kinship (=guild) and you'll feel at home. Don't know about the normal servers though, but the roleplay ones were nice and people were 98% of time mature.

Definitely worth a try though, as you can play free for quite a while and see how it feels like. As a MMO it's not very unique though.

[ohnolookout]

That seems to be what I'm trying to do.

Except I'm going through the deeds and quests to get the Turbine points.

I haven't done a lot of deed grinding yet, so I don't have a whole lot.. and at some point I'll buy the Moria expansion pack.. but I aim to get all the Turbine points solely through the game.

[glamdring]

I found the game to be relatively easy compared to most MMO. If like the idea of F2P and options to permanently buy content, but they don't start you off with a whole lot on F2P. I agree with the fact that RP servers are more mature especially with the addition of F2P players increased the number of little kids. My only complaint about RP was I found trouble finding a kinship that wasn't only RP, now yes I was in the RP server so no big deal. I'm just not a fan of RP, but it was worth getting away from the annoying people.

[ohnolookout]

If like the idea of F2P and options to permanently buy content, but they don't start you off with a whole lot on F2P.

I would have to disagree, personally. AFAIK, if you save Turbine points right and you buy the appropriate quest packs with said points, then you can go all the way to the F2P end-game (which is right before Moria). And there's a ton of side-quests aside from the main quest line.

Buuuuut.

I would agree with you on the degree of difficulty. I find it a nice change of pace, actually. I can jump on for an hour, make some progress, and then go on with my life. As compared to Lineage 2 where it's impossibly difficult to progress anywhere in a reasonable amount of time. Man that was awful.

[Syksy]

And you should definitely keep your eyes out for good bargains on the content. Often they gave -75% or such discounts on quest packs you were bound to buy at some point anyway - so keep some Turbine Points at hand in case they'll have a deal out for you all of the sudden.

At first I was also trying to just live off the F2P achieved Turbine Points, but somewhere at level 25+ I just thought it wasn't just worth it to grind 200 or 300 mobs to get 5+10 or such turbine points. It just kills the joy out of the game; so I thought I'll just buy TP to be able to enjoy the game more when there was a double bonus Turbine Points offer available, and I didn't regret it afterwards. I was enjoying the game much more when I was able to stroll through different zones depending on my mood instead of being stuck to one that I had barely been able to buy, plus I got all the skirmishes and other fun stuff as well.

[ohnolookout]

That's primarily when I plan to buy the quest packs, and since Lone Lands became free not too long ago, it's one less thing I have to buy.

I've been questing in the Barrow-downs lately, and I've been finishing deeds and such in groups; yesterday and today I earned about 30 Turbine points. But, only time will tell when I get to the higher deeds and just switch to VIP such as yourself.

[airpa]

(I know it is an old one but I didn't want to make a new one) I just started up again with Darth. Level 18 and our Kinship is called All for Rum and Rum for All. Been questing in Bree-Land mostly, and almost to 500 Silver from making swords. I'm a Captain of Gondor.