LotRO

LoTRO: Exploring (again)

stargrace March 26, 2009 0Comment

As I mentioned yesterday, Turbine is offering a few “free” days of game play (Lord of the Rings Online) for people who had accounts previously – and I completely forgot that I actually don’t qualify for it, because I played the 10 day trial and then the 1 month of free game play but had not actually paid for a subscription. Not about to let that hold me back, I subscribed this morning and before too long jumped into game with Kasul to explore what I didn’t get to see the first time around.

Now keep in mind (yes, stressing the point here because apparently some people still don’t get it) that it was not because I disliked the game that I stopped playing. Only so many hours in a day (main factor) only so much money to be dedicated towards subscriptions (secondary factor). The secondary factor has eased up a little, and I’m working on time management still. With friends playing (Kasul, Tipa, Malfi to name a few Nostalgians) I had been wanting to play again for quite some time. It just never seemed to work out.

I had logged out in the midst of a bunch of dwarfs, after picking up their quests – as had Kasul. One kill managed to net me level 5 easily enough, and after we meandered our way through more quests we each dinged level 7. We ended up in Celondim (I believe that’s where it is) where I was introduced to crafting and decided that I really like this game – a lot. Then I realized there’s also housing. I know this is all stuff that I should have already realized, but I don’t typically research games a great deal, I’d rather just play them and explore (like I have been) so if I sound like a complete newb here, well. That’s what I am.

The best part of playing (aside from playing with friends of course) is my new hat. I love this feathered hat. I mean, I adore it so much. It’s completely awesome.

I’m still getting myself acquainted with the interface again, what commands do what, and I picked up my new skills and am getting into the habit of learning which ones to use and when. Nothing has taken very much time to kill, so a lot of my skills go unused. Then again I’m typically also in a fellowship (I think that’s what the groups are called) so with the added person, things die, fast.

I know this introduction is not filled with very much information, but I decided to take a break for lunch and write about the experiences so far. I’ll keep posting as I adventure. I’m having a lot of fun though (as I thought I would) and it’s great to get back into it again and give the game a proper go this time around. There are still other games I’d like to play, but I’ll have to figure out a way to work them into my schedule, and still play EQ too. So many games, and just not enough time for them all! How does everyone else deal with this? Especially when people (friends) are scattered across multiple games all at once.

Gaming

LoTRO ‘Welcome Back’ Weekend

stargrace March 25, 2009 2Comments

Kasul and I had been talking a bit about playing LoTRO – or rather, I was talking about going back to the game because the little bit I had played was not nearly enough time, and because when I had activated my account, it was smack dab in the middle of my adventure to San Diego and I was quite busy doing a million other things. However, I tend to bounce around games and play more then one at a time (especially since it relates to my job) and I have a lot of time on my hands (typically, minus the two weeks of deadlines I have hanging over my head). Anyhow, I was talking about picking up another game. I’m currently playing EQ full time, and I have EQ2 and VG on the sidelines but there’s nothing really drawing me to them right at the moment. Especially with the new RMT headed to Vanguard.

I am still playing EVE, but I know I probably won’t stick with it. Nothing against the game at all (I have future posts coming as soon as I find the time to write!) but it’s just not going to hold my attention long term. There are 10-day ‘come back again’ WAR trials (for people who have closed their account) that I’d like to take advantage of some time (I enjoyed that game but was enjoying other games more, so I cut back due to subscription prices). I’m playing Hero Online for a review I have upcoming (F2P so nothing to worry about cost-wise there) and I also still want to give AoC a shot, but again I’ll have to find time for that. I love playing with friends (even though I know I infuriate them with my game bouncing, most are used to it) so anyhow! Kasul and I decided we would play LoTRO – or at least I would reactivate my account, and he would try it since he hasn’t played.

We decided to start playing on Thursday, and we decided this a few days ago.

I happen to check Twitter today and saw a post about how Turbine is holding a Welcome Back weekend from March 26th-31st where there will be free game play for former players (who have an account in good standing of course) and a +25% bonus experience boost on mobs you kill!

You can read about the ‘Welcome Back Weekend’ on their site here, and in the mean time – wow is that a sign or what! It really floored me that it starts on the exact day that I was planning on re-activating my account to begin with. Yes, I’m pretty excited about this.

NOT that I plan on giving up my other games or my adoration of them any time soon, but it’s still always great to get things for free (which reminds me, I should activate WAR for my 10 free days some time.. maybe..)

Hopefully I’ll have time once all my current articles are completed to post some in-depth bits on my own site. In the mean time – back to work I go!

Gaming

LoTRO: Day 3

stargrace January 12, 2009 2Comments

I did manage to get a little more time in LoTRO this weekend, which was nice. Not nearly as much time as I had wanted, but I’m still learning and meandering my way around. The quests I’d gotten were much the same they are in any ‘mainstream’ mmo, go kill x number of y creatures, or loot x number of y items, or go talk to random_npc_101. Things along those lines. While this may seem like a ‘grind’ and it’s not ‘new’ that’s fine by me. I enjoy these type of quests, I’m familiar with them. I don’t mind ‘grinds’ in the least bit. I can stand for hours in one location killing the same things over and over and it doesn’t bother me. I suppose it comes from camping items in EQ1, specifically those rogue clicky masks to add to my collections. I actually miss the way EQ1 groups would go, where instead of constantly roaming through a zone you’d find a ‘camp’ and park yourself and your group there for a while. In EQ2 you are never standing still, you’re constantly on the go, and moving. These camps are not around any more.

So I killed boars for meat, wolves, a spy. I gathered together some plants and that’s where I learned that you have a ‘quest’ bag where that sort of stuff gets dumped into, and not your inventory. WAR works much the same way, and I love that. In other games I’m always cranky when my bags get filled up with quest objects and I can’t actually loot anything any more and then I’m not sure what to delete.

I looted a few furs off of a wolf that says they’re able to be used in crafting though I haven’t the slightest idea how to start crafting, what it intails, what sort of crafting there is or if it’s even useful. I’m hoping that it gets explained to me some where along the way.

So far nothing has been overly difficult. I realize I’m still very low level (I’m level 5 now) but it’s been nice to play here and there and not feel overwhelmed. I have seen a few people running around, and I’m enjoying taking my time to learn the mechanics. Where as in EQ2 I tend to rush by everything because I’ve already done it quite a few times now.

I haven’t had any issues with the game running so far, I did turn down some sound aspects (npc’s talking is great, but their voice was booming out at me louder then anything else) and I’ve changed some of my key bindings. We’ll see how it goes the more I play! Hopefully I can meet up with some friends there and we’ll see how it goes.

Gaming

LoTRO: Day 2

stargrace January 9, 2009 6Comments

First of all, it took me FOREVER to figure out where the screen shots for LoTRO go. I checked in the game folder, and there was nothing there. I ended up doing a search on my computer for ‘screenshot’ and found it way off in it’s own little folder some place completely different where I’d never have found it without doing that search. I realize I’m not the most computer savy person out there, but experience tells me that most of the time, the screen shots are within a screen shot folder that is typically located some where in the game folder. Not so this time around.

I still haven’t had a whole lot of time to play, but I’m hoping this weekend I’ll get some time in. I’ll be honest, I read people’s write ups and experiences about their games of choice and what I remember most are not the mechanics of a game but how they enjoyed it and what their personal views were. That being said, I know almost nothing about LoTRO. I don’t know anything specific about the classes, I didn’t know there was housing, I don’t know anything about crafting. In a way it’s almost refreshing. It’s also scary, because I typically pride myself on what I DO know about a game.

So my hobbit minstrel is level 3 now, and let me mention that it took a good 10 minutes for me to try to fit my chubby (and cute might I add) frame through the doorway pictured above. I honestly thought I was going to have to re-create just in order to fit, it took that long. Something new I learned, when you log off in the middle of an instance (quest?) you start back at the beginning when you log on. Or such was my experience. I’d already killed a spider and gotten a pack with a knife in it, but when I logged back in there I was at the inn (again) headed back out to speak with Bounder Boffin. Deja Vu or what.

I’m also sporting a new pair of gloves (I think they were gloves, it was a slight blur as I was distracted by a chicken) and have a few coin to my name. I trained in my first skill. The UI is very easy to understand, although EQ2’s maps have spoiled me over the past few years. Once I was dumped off in the little starting village I ran around looking at things and poking random people to see what they’d do. I saw a few others also running around. I haven’t quite gotten the hang of my quest journal yet, and I’ve got a way to go before I can remember what hotkey does what. At least attacking is exactly the same as what I’m used to, so I’ve got that taken care of and just need to figure out the other aspects.

I feel a little like an awkward teenager fumbling my way around, but it’s enjoyable and hopefully I don’t mess up too much. Look for me in game as Petites, my impressions are still pretty favourable in the mean time – not that I can justify them since I’v barely stuck my little baby toe into middle-earth.

Happy gaming!

Gaming

Another Title to the List

stargrace January 8, 2009 8Comments

Why I never picked up LoTRO before now is still a mystery to me. I’ve picked up pretty much every other title out there from EQ1 to WAR and gave them all at least the free month that came with the game. Since I don’t typically play console games myself spending the $40-50 every few months to test out a new game has become some what of the norm for me.

KTR was kind enough to toss a 10-day trial my way, which happens to be on a founders account. Before I even stepped into the game I was impressed. While other games do typically have some sort of ‘recruit a friend’ program these days having a reduced subscription and the offer of the life time subscription is a huge bonus. I was going to start downloading the client, but not being a huge fan of 2+ day downloads, I picked up the box at EBGames. Vlcan pointed out that Best Buy is going to have Mines of Moria (the complete edition) on sale for $19.99 so if you’ve been on the fence about this game get a hold of a founder and maybe think about picking it up. I didn’t mind paying the full price for it because I got a lot more then I bargained for – EBGames here in Ottawa happened to still have pre-order copies kicking around and I snagged one of those.

Not only was I already impressed before I logged in due to the recruit-a-friend (and a very smooth set up for that might I add, the interface to set up an account was really nice) but I love the goodies that came with the pre-order. What did we get with EQ2? Well, that pewter bear that collects dust on the top of my desk. What did I get with the LoTRO pre-order? A CD of all of the music, the ability to subscribe myself for $9.99 a month or get the life time for $199, and three unique in game items. A cloak, a title, and some in game tokens that I have no idea how to work yet but they were in my bags when I created.

When I upgraded my account from trial to a full member they didn’t just take away my 10 free days either, it was added to my account along with the free 30 days for purchasing the game so I have a bit of time before I’ll start to be charged for it. At $9.99 a month I won’t be complaining.

Installation went smooth, it took less then an hour to install the two DVD’s, patch the game, and create my first minstrel hobbit, Petites. After the advice of others on twitter, I created on the Landroval server which is where I believe a few CoW members are hanging out amongst others. I honestly don’t know enough about the servers to have a secure preference yet.

The introduction videos were a lot of fun to watch, I’ve always enjoyed them the first time through no matter what the game. I didn’t get to play a whole lot since by the time I got everything settled, (yesterday was another day of family stuff) installed, patched and what not I was looking to play a little EQ2 before bed, but what I did play I really liked.

I enjoyed the character creation process. The characters look good. They look crisp and clear and while there are not a HUGE amount of options, there are enough to let me have fun playing with it. The characters themselves sort of remind me of WAR in colour and graphic, not necessarily a bad thing. Of course like every other game I play the first thing I do is re-map all of my keys to something I’m used to and more comfortable for me. That means getting rid of the WASD keys and changing them to the arrow keys on the number pad. After 7 years of gaming if I can’t move around in the way I’m most used to, it’s a deterrent. The game ran really really smooth, the UI was clutter-free even though it will take me some time to figure out how everything works, where it all is, and what it means. I picked up the first quest I saw after logging in (of course after putting on my cloak) and headed off down a road to talk to someone and smush some spiders. Combat was a little confusing to me but I was also trying to play EQ2 on the laptop at the same time which was a bad idea.

Over all though my impressions (so far) have been very positive, and I’m looking forward to exploring middle-earth. I should have more solid time this weekend to play, and for $9.99 a month you really can’t go wrong.

LoTRO: Exploring (again)

LoTRO ‘Welcome Back’ Weekend

LoTRO: Day 3

LoTRO: Day 2

Another Title to the List

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