LOTRO 5th anniversary & first players

[Boskone08]

Newbie by the standards of this thread - April 30, 2008 on my main (lifetime but not Founder) account, but had gotten started on a Buddy Key (remember them? I may still have a Buddy code or two...) a couple of weeks earlier from a RL buddy who was in-game. It's been great fun seeing the game grow - and some of the growth has actually been progress. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Turbine's version of Middle Earth!

[Skro-Noleth]

Oh my!

You made me realize that I wrote a review of the Beta more than five years ago (link in French), although I didn't know a thing about MMOs (yes, LOTRO's my first online game).

Seems like it was yesterday (even if I laugh at what I have said at that time...)

Regards,
Skro

[Cutter_Tal]

Turbine account says "Signup Date March 29, 2007". Lifetime Founder .

Don't play that much anymore though. Lost the love.

[Khafar]

I first logged into LOTRO in July 2006, and played until November 2011 - nearly 5.5 years! I'm on an extended leave of absence (from the game, not the forums ), but I'll probably be back playing by the time Rohan arrives.

I eventually got bored, but no game has ever held my interest for more than 3 years before... let alone 5. LOTRO definitely ranks in one of my personal top 10 favorite games over the past 30 years, and it's my 2nd favorite MMO. My first MMO (Asheron's Call) still has my fondest memories - hard to say if that's because it was first, because it's also a great game, or both .

Khafar

[boxmodeler]

In the spirit of old screenshots, I found this early one. What's wrong with this picture???

[Sapience]

What would you guys say if I told you there was a chance you could come to Boston (on our dime) and meet the dev team? All you have to do is show us you're the one fan to rule them all. Check out our Facebook page (like us while you're there!) for all the details.

[keithlm]

I eventually got bored, but no game has ever held my interest for more than 3 years before... let alone 5.

I also get bored... but always come back. Sometimes I miss nice loot drops or easier leveling so I go play something that has faster and/or more immediate rewards. Then I get bored and come back.

(Signup Date: April 6, 2007)

[FormulaTroll]

What would you guys say if I told you there was a chance you could come to Boston (on our dime) and meet the dev team? All you have to do is show us you're the one fan to rule them all. Check out our Facebook page (like us while you're there!) for all the details.

Any way for LOTRO fans who aren't Facebook fans to enter? The White Hand screenshot contest was on Facebook, but didn't require a Facebook login to enter. Any chance that could be replicated here?

[Xeroproject]

Applied for Beta: May 10th, 2006
Participated in Closed Beta and stress tests in Nov '06.

I still have the emails.

Amusing, a grand prize back then was an Nvidia GeForce 8800 video card....approximate retail value $499.99!

A lot of things change in 5 years.

-edit- Actually, Sapience, how far out would the NDA extend on that old closed beta stuff?

[Sapience]

Any way for LOTRO fans who aren't Facebook fans to enter? The White Hand screenshot contest was on Facebook, but didn't require a Facebook login to enter. Any chance that could be replicated here?

Sorry, you'll need to sign up using the official sign up on Facebook. It's free.

[Isharra]

What would you guys say if I told you there was a chance you could come to Boston (on our dime) and meet the dev team? All you have to do is show us you're the one fan to rule them all. Check out our Facebook page (like us while you're there!) for all the details.

I would say, "WOW! What do I have to do? . . . Oh, I have to move to the States and gain residency a.s.a.p. . . . Okay, let's see if the boss would go for that. No? Contract? What? . . . *sigh* Okay, back to work."

Fun times for someone, though, I am quite sure.

[mikalar]

Still here as well just not quite as active as I once was.

[Sapience]

I would say, "WOW! What do I have to do? . . . Oh, I have to move to the States and gain residency a.s.a.p. . . . Okay, let's see if the boss would go for that. No? Contract? What? . . . *sigh* Okay, back to work."

Fun times for someone, though, I am quite sure.

Re-read the rules. The Contest is open to residents of the US, UK, and Germany. You may need to click the appropriate link to see them but they are all there.

[Annariel]

Re-read the rules. The Contest is open to residents of the US, UK, and Germany. You may need to click the appropriate link to see them but they are all there.

According to the rules, the contest started on April 2nd... didn't that happen already?

I'd be excited, but I live in one of the 193 other countries...

[Faroguy]

I joined when they were last selling lifetime accounts, in May of 2009, I believe. I remember that my mother was not very happy with me spending $300 on a video game, but now she says that it was one of the best purchases I ever made. I've always been an LotR fan and the chance to finally go to Middle Earth was something I had to do. In the past 3 years, I've had an amazing experience and I'll be here until The End scrolls across my screen.

[Thane9]

I joined when they were last selling lifetime accounts, in May of 2009, I believe. I remember that my mother was not very happy with me spending $300 on a video game, but now she says that it was one of the best purchases I ever made. I've always been an LotR fan and the chance to finally go to Middle Earth was something I had to do. In the past 3 years, I've had an amazing experience and I'll be here until The End scrolls across my screen.

Yup, I've been telling my wife the same thing. Until the ring drops.

[Cwshugg]

Yeah that would be cool--I got it in the shadow of Angmar part, not the pre-release. (Unless that IS the pre-release, and I'm just stupid xD) buy yeah that would be cool.

[Erlindur]

In the spirit of old screenshots, I found this early one. What's wrong with this picture???

Nothing wrong with it. A beautiful horse running in the night. Oh wait, there is something in stealth nearby...

[LTStormy]

I first joined in July of 2007, but I had to take a break in 2009 while I was stationed in Japan.

[FCRoosterQ]

While I wasn't playing right at release, the game was still quite new when I first jumped into the game. Before LOTRO I was a MMO hateing FPSer, but LOTRO won me over and I never went back. As long as I have an internet connection, and the game is still live, I will be playing LOTRO.


Mordor or bust.

[sikonawt]

@sikonawt: wow.... wasn't even born.... how did you did it? Warp/time travelling?

Amusingly enough I wasn't even born either!

Also, you know how update 6 reintroduced a bunch of bugs that had been fixed in previous updates? Well, that may have been my fault. Time travel can sometimes have... unintended consequences.

[djheydt]

---

I'm not exactly sure what "out in the next few days" means? Do you actually mean incredisoon?

More like "soonish".

I date from alpha three, actually, and Eruanne was my first and still my favorite character (if you count innumerable server wipes in alpha and beta; but Eruanne now is the same character I made on the first day of open beta).

As to the forums, they were wiped and reset in 2007, for reasons probably having something to do with storage space.

[Hrodberht]

Here's a thought-titles for each year you've been playing. Give them retroactively for 1-5 years, then give them as they are earned thereafter. DAoC did this, and they were one of the most coveted titles.

[Iktomi]

Early access, founder, lifer. 03/06 Can't believe it's been over 5 years now, but I'm still having fun so I guess they did something right. 4 of my characters were made that first day of early access in a rush to lock in names.

[DreamMaster]

Still here. Not as active as I'd like, and since I couldn't buy a lifetime at the time, I've been paying the subscription for 5 years - could have bought a couple of lifetimes for what I've paid. )