My first impressions

For those of you with a little Tom Bombadil in you. No bursting into song, please.
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Bubba Grizz
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My first impressions

Post by Bubba Grizz »

I just posted this on the Lotro forums but I thought I'd share here too just because.
Like the original poster, I have played many games. Also most recently Vanguard. I had been waiting years for Vanguard to finally come out. I had even played WoW while waiting for two years. When I finally got into Beta and then the release I was pretty much devestated that my dream game had pretty much been destroyed. I was a crafter there and I have to say that the crafting system they had was really pretty awesome. But when the only people that are playing the game are crafters (crafting game had lots of content that the adventuring sphere lacked) there was no point in playing anymore.

Heart-broken as I was I had vowed to kick the MMO habit altogether. Then some friends said that they were over on Lotro and said that I should try it. Now I had heard nasty rumors that it is a WoW clone only worse and such so I was hesitant to make the attempt. Then one day I found that I had some extra money (rare occasion indeed) so I bought the game.

I chose a Dwarf, which is my favorite in any MMO (though I was an Orc on WoW), and then I chose Champion as my class. Usually I play a rogue or spell caster so I wanted to change things up a bit. I have been playing for roughly a week now and here is what I have found that I liked (and a few disappointments).
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Likes:
From the very start I felt like I was part of the story and in the game. Like most who have read the books and saw the movies, I had a feeling that I was really part of the world. The opening quests that prepare you for the real world was great.

I love how the Champion works with AOE attacks and the animations that go with it. I felt like Aragorn at the end of the first movie where the orcs are charging up the hill and he just smiles and wades into them. That is an incredible feeling and I never had that in any other game.

The world itself is huge and small at the same time. I don't know how to describe it. There is so much to do packed into small area and it is done so in such a way as that it flows. Running through Old Forest had me thinking how I felt like I was deep in the forest. Very nice.

The quests may be the standard fetch this or collect that but they story behind them makes them all worth while. They make sense and good reading. Normally, like many others, I would just skip over the reading to get to the objective but in this case I am actually enjoying the storylines that go with it. I also like how you are provided with a history of the quest when you look them up in your list.

Deeds are just plain cool. Recognition for things you have done and that others can see it through the titles you are able to earn and present is great.


Minor Disappointments:
The crafting system at first glance seems a bit too easy. Granted I have not gotten far into it but that is my first impression. It may actually get better as I go farther in. It will be hard to please me after coming from VG's crafting system.

I am still getting used to the UI and learning what all the items are for. This will come with time I believe.

Traits and Destiny - These took a bit for me to understand. Well, I understand the trait system now but starting off I had no clue. The destiny points still have me baffled.
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These are my impressions thus far. I plan on staying for a bit and will see how I like it after a month or two and see if the Oooo and Ahhhh of the new game wears off. I like it though and it has my attention and that makes me happy.

Dohrum - Champion - Vilya
Fenna
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Re: My first impressions

Post by Fenna »

I would agree with you completely on your points. I'll add also that I'm really impressed with their first "expansion," which was free and came out maybe 3 months after launch. It continued the epic quest (the main story) and provided a ton of new content.
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