I Remember When...

[Lizzi123]

I remember the day when I tried to kill a Barrow-down wight with a sauce-pan.

HEHE Your post made me recall the time (embarrassingly, it was not that long ago) when I ran the Solo Skirmish Rescue of Nan Gurzsh (sp?) on my warden with my fishing pole equipped. I was successful believe it or not. Didn't notice it until just before I started fighting the last boss. LOL

Have to say that I was very glad I was in a SOLO skirmish cause no one saw what I did. Of course, now everyone knows so maybe this post wasn't such a good idea. LOL!

[Tiempko]

(1) My wife and I started playing on our anniversary. It was a present - something we could do together. I created a hobbit. She created a woman. We both found ourselves in Archet.

We went through Archet together - even the final instance. Then . . . everything got confusing. I suddenly found myself in the Shire. She was still in Bree. We tried to figure out what we had done wrong. Eventually, she ran all the way to Michel Delving where we met up again.

Um . . . wait . . . there's a swift pony for that in Bree?

(2) My wife and I got to the old forest. Gad! you're supposed to survive in here? The trees would eat you for lunch. The last thing we wanted was to get one of them trees mad at us. This was the original old forest - the dark and scary old forest.

Then, it rained. Lightning and thunder.

It was great.

(3) My character was a tailor. I needed to get to EVendim. My wife and I went to the north downs. Half way to Evendim, we came to a bridge. There was a bear on the other side. The bear saw us. After a minute of fighting, I think I hit it once. We decided that we would get a couple more levels before I tried to complete that quest.

(4) My wife and I reached 35th level. It was time to get a horse.

I woke up early and went through the quests - the three delivery quests, and the racetrack quests. The racetrack quest frustrated me. I kept making wrong turns. But I got it done.

My wife woke up. The first thing she did was walk the track. She made a note of where the gates were and considered shortcuts. Then, she got on her horse and completed the loop the first time through.

Then . . . we got on our horses and rode - from the stables to Michel Delving back to Bree and to the top of Weather top.

(5) We got to 40th level. Mines of Moria came out. Level cap increased to 60. I begged Turbine for an XP disabler so that my wife and I could enjoy the Level 50 areas we had not explored. We waited for several months - but none came. So, we formed a list of all the things we would NOT explore together. Forochel. Goblin town. The book quests. Most of Angmar and most of the Misty Mountains. All of Eregion. Annuminus. Orodost. Haudh Iarchith. (Originally a vast Level 50 maze). All . . . taken away. Instead, we would complete our Level 45 class quests and go straight to Moria, in the hopes that we would not have outleveled half of Moria before we got there.

(6) I remember going into Moria for the first time. My wife and I had done the preliminary quests. She got ahead of me a bit. I got on my pony and rode to the gates of Moria. I remember - I have a picture in my mind - seeing her standing there, outside the gate, waiting for me. I got off my pony, we turned to the mountain, and entered Moria.

[Fawulf]

- Kinships not being something you change as much as your undies

- When housing was just released, and our kinship found ourselves a Bree neighbourhood to call home. That day was probably the last time I ever saw a neighbourhood crawling with activity... so much promise gone to waste.

- When quests weren't dumbed down to just be run solo. I remember Bree chat being filled with "LFF 1.11" and quests like A Blade For A Life and Bone Man. Lone Lands also had an abundance of group quests; the ones at the Forsaken Inn were always enjoyable to run, too

- The fun of joining a PUG not knowing who you'll be fighting aside!

- Bloodtusk needing to be duo'd on a couple occasions!

- CD being the endgame instance and everyone fighting over Slime of Helchgam

- Farming for Ring-lore

- The event at Trestlebridge in 2007 (maybe 2008) where large groups of orcs were attacking the town, and people would band together to fight them off even though there were no rewards involved - just pure fun



- The old character selection screen



- Getting lost never being so fun! I remember in Open Beta starting from Bree and running off into the wild with no sense of direction, and eventually feeling ultimately lost (wasn't too familiar with the map and chatbox at that point). All of a sudden I reached the crest of a hill, and found myself gazing down at Hobbiton from atop Bag End in the early morning glow. That was probably the moment I decided I'd definitely pay for this game, haha.

[AltitudeAvalanche]

I'm going to get way old-school here:

- The anticipation of MAWorking hitting 10,000 posts
- footsie lighting up noobs in the kinship section for the use of improper lore
- Thingol's kinship map
- Cogline


Any other old school members?

[Maravathar]

I'm going to get way old-school here:

- The anticipation of MAWorking hitting 10,000 posts
- footsie lighting up noobs in the kinship section for the use of improper lore
- Thingol's kinship map
- Cogline


Any other old school members?

Does November of 2005 count? I remember these names well, although I was much more an observer than a participant at that point. Good times indeed!

I remember when (in no particular order)...

- I joined my first kinship, having never been part of an online community. I was well initiated (considered changing my username to "n00b" as it seemed to be used far more often) and forged friendships that are really the only reason I'm still around.

- I received my beta invite. I'm assuming I slept during the next couple days, but don't quote me on that.

- My leather-clad and claymore-wielding Captain was approached by Amdir amidst a burning Archet. Goosebumps ensued.

- I ran out the gates of Archet into the welcoming sway of that field of flowers. More goosebumps.

- A friend invited me to a Weathertop instance group. A troll titled "Nemesis"? Right, like this is going to end well. It eventually did, but I spent the next few days recovering.

- The call went out for the mandatory Rivendell Marathon at level 15. What seemed like hours of terror followed by a faint glow through the Gates of Imladris...a view I will never forget.

- I met my Herald. LOL for real. So many non-eventful journeys turned into train-of-death fleeing thanks to my path-deprived friend.

- The plumed hat was instituted. Adventurers rejoice!

- I ran so very, very far. I frequently wonder what the to-date pedometer reading of my Captain would look like.

...and so, so much more. It seems that my most fond memories are from before the game existed or during the first few months after release. So many new experiences, and so many great people who were just as excited as I was for the opportunity to step into Middle-earth.

[Fawulf]

The first time I ever saw someone playing a musical instrument in-game. Was in Open Beta and I was running down to the lumber camp between Combe and Chetwood at night. I remember seeing someone standing on top of a lightpost, wearing a hooded cloak and playing a lute almost flawlessly. Don't know why, but always thought that was a magical moment for me in Middle-earth. Wish I took a screenshot of the player!

[Aldereld]

.... i remember when I and my friends Maubryth, start from Chetwood to meet ours hobbit friends in the Shire, take the bonus mount (24h only), my fist time with a horse, and started the trip at level 10, crossing Bree like a child in an candy store looking all people and stopping at every corner to see this place, after we cross the west gate and adventure in stranger land (for us), every animal are dangerous, but the emotion i had when arrived in front of the Brandywine bridge are immense, the same as in the book (the lord of the rings), a magic place, i dismount from my horse and sit down see the water running down slowly....

....i remember my first time in weathertop.... i can't believe, i'm at weatertop where frodo are wounded.......

..... i remember the first time i enter in the old forest, and i and my friends are attached by spider, and all have to running out in buckland scared....


I think no other games can give me those sensations

[Panahasi]

Barad Gularan... that was this game's end game instance during its Shadows of Angmar era. Yes, Barad Gularan was the ORIGINAL "BG" instance and YES it was impossible to complete for an inattentive group. In fact, Barad Gularan still wipes level 75 deeding groups who aren't up to snuff.

Other than that... this game has seen its difficulty reduced to a noticeable degree and that is what I now remember most (sadly).

[Tangaar]

I remember when i struggle in BG for sooooo long to get that weapon
it took me about 44 tries to get it and i was almost in tears when i got it




Btw yes i remember Old forest without map was such a dreadful place

[Aisolon]

I remember Frostmantle.
Don't let him see you, or he'll charge.

Bring back the old Thorin's Gate area please

[sensyi]

I remeber my first 6 man Fornost and my first ever raid, Rift of Nûrz Ghâshu

If everyone in this thread joined the same kinship haha happy days

[NothingToSay]

I remember when I used to play this game [from launch for 4 years]. Now, my main is level 67 and I can't bring myself to grind to level 75.

When this game first came out, it had the BEST MMO community! Helpful, good-natured, friendly... those are the things I remember.

[cdq1958]

I remember hearing about a game called LoTRO around its 3rd anniversary, and kicked myself for not knowing about it, though it had launched in April 2007. I had bought a custom built computer just for flight simulations and writing computer programs in 2007. Bummer . I put in for the F2P beta later that summer (2010) and was accepted. I was introduced to the works of JRR Tolkien while at the University. Here was Tolkien's world come to life and I could live in it. It brought tears to my eyes. Many folk were upset with the introduction of F2P, but for me, that change meant that I could enjoy the world of Middle Earth even though I could not pay for a subscription regularly.

[RamiroS]

I remember when

• Middle earth was unexplored
• The beryl shards were above one gold... and then the flakes... and then ...
• Amarthiel attacked in the moors and the epic storyline felt very alive
• When BG and The Rift were End Game
• Dailies was something related to Sarnur and other now-below-50 places
• There was no fishing, cosmetics or housing
• Reaching 50 and still have a ton of tweaks to do
• Grouped with amazing people
• Spending hours and hours (still do)
• Epic wins (and defeats) in the Moors, reaching rank 6 when it was a very slow process
• Exploring Celondim for the first time
• First steps into Moria
• And the immersion in some places like Gondamon sorroundings (the music there is amazing), Mirkwood trees, the dark, closed atmosphere of the game. The balrog session play with the dwarves

Still an amazing game. Player quality has lowered from time to time but it is still an amazing game that continues to amaze me.

[iydiyd]

I remember me and my friend trying out the trial. We played wow but he didnt liked hobbits cause they were fat and numerous other things. I on the other hand thought the game was quite good.

[auximenes]

The first time I ever saw someone playing a musical instrument in-game. Was in Open Beta and I was running down to the lumber camp between Combe and Chetwood at night. I remember seeing someone standing on top of a lightpost, wearing a hooded cloak and playing a lute almost flawlessly. Don't know why, but always thought that was a magical moment for me in Middle-earth. Wish I took a screenshot of the player!

I've got a shot from SoA Beta of a similar occasion. It was in Combe and I came across a merry little gathering of people dancing and cheering a lute player near the current stable location. Good times.

[Rampagingdeath]

I remember when I was in the first wave of players to hit level 50 and constantly getting pestered to help out lower level groups who were struggling.

I remember when a 10k signature (Snowback) could hand you your butt if you weren't careful.

I remember getting accused of buying gold by someone on the old Codemasters forums because I'd bought all the original Auroch armour set for my hunter and spent 180 gold getting it and was still sat on 100+ gold, they really couldn't grasp that I used to spend 16 hours a day camping beryl shard droppers seemed perfectly normal to me.

I remember when you had to wait until lvl 35 to get a horse and it costing 4220 silver.

I remember feeling immensely proud that my then kin (Nazdar) were the third or forth (can't remember which) kin to take down the Balrog. Anyone that was there is probably still deaf from me screaming down vent. I remember swearing at it and corpse jumping it's head for 5 minutes as well.

ahhh memories

[Stormhide]

I remember when the high levels weren't jerks. I remember when I created a kinship in Combe and had no idea what to do. I remember when my Hobbit questing in the Shire got so lost I had to ask my friend to lead me to Bree. I remember when I tried to go to Isengard as a level 25 and ported back to Bree as soon as I started exiting Trollshaws into Eregion. I remember nearly fainting when I actually realized what the heck was going on. I remember when a level 20 Fellowship instance in Lone Lands went wrong, and my level 42 friend was killed by a level 20 troll. I remember my first time in Gollum's Cave, crying when my friend told me Gollum wasn't actually there, laughing at his little wood boat for the heck of it. My most favorite memory was skydiving from Weathertop and having to hire a bunch of Captains to revive.

[gregorik]

I remember when two of my friend and I scraped together the silver to buy a kinship and to celebrate, we as level 15 to 17 decided to journey to Rivendale on foot from Bree. On the way there, we had to stop at Weathertop and jump off the top killing ourselves in the process. We arrived in the Trollshaws at night. Well, we made it a little further then Thorinhad when suddenly, we found ourselves being pummeled by a Troll. After multiple attempts and a little help, we finally defeated the troll. We were off to Rivendale! The rest of the journey was uneventful. Alot of mob dodging and kiting involved. Finally, we arrived in Rivendale. This was my first memory of LOTRO. Just me and two friends taking on this memorable journey. This kin was formed just after LOTRO went live, that kin is still around today and we still have two of the original three members.

[amertsock]

I remember when a shard was next to impossible to get and there was no vendor you could barter with to get one. I remember when you couldn't go buy a book that gave you a +10 for a stat. I remember dying regularly trying to get through some of the tougher solos. I look back on that now and I actually miss it. It added realism. I can't remember the last time my guard was off'd, and I don't cherry-pick or out-level before working the harder quests.
I still love the game, but alot of the mystique and challenge is gone. You didn't have a map with a blue arrow, you had landmarks with names and other players to get lost with or get directions from. You didn't have TP or the store. You had the AH and NPCs.
I kinda miss not knowing where I was, making due with ratty gear, and on occasion, getting my butt handed to me by an on-level.

[Forgotten_Legend]

... the Old Forest actually moved, closing off roads that i had just run into the forest on, and kept changing and changing and changing! i think i was lost in that dreadful place for a good 6-8 hours the first time i ventured into it. all i wanted was to kill a few wolves. tracked one nearby, killed it. tracked another on the other side of a bank of trees. went around the bank of trees, killed a few more. tracked another wolf back where i killed the first one, headed back the way i went around the bank of trees, to find there was no longer a path. so i thought, i'd backtrack to "around the trees" and what do ya know? that path was now blocked, too... NOW where do i go?! i don't think i could D.F. or port anywhere yet... so my only options were to act like a beheaded chicken, or let something kill me... i chose the latter, but i couldn't find a path to anything i was tracking... i think i ended up discovering that little Hobbit village on the Brandywine by pure accident just because of the Old Forest...

... when the simple achievement of levelling up always meant an increase in all 5 attributes, and morale and power. it's really disheartening now, with the ratings system, when i level up and end up doing LESS damage until i replace gear, a LOT of gear...

[Kurru]

I remember when you didnt need a pack of 20 creeps to kill a warden

[Gwedon]

I felt so good looting a Baidril at level 50 from Helchgam.

When the Goblin Town Jewellery set was awesome.

Suicide runs to get to Carn Dum.

Giving up and going for Urugarth instead

Amarthiel's attacks.

When completing a Book meant at least one good tough Full fellowship fight and the sense of achievement that brought. (As a side note in the hopes someone from Turbine reads this. For me and I would guess a fair few others THESE are the quests we remember/hold dearest to us/look back on fondly. Would be great to go back to the old style books like this. I can still rattle some off now: LFF: Book 1 Chap 11, Book 2 Chap 5 and 15, Book 3 Chap 4, Book 4 Chap 8 etc etc. I miss these.

The Master Of Imlad Balchorth was probably the hardest quest outside a raid (must have been the least completed.

Trolls would send you flying and would moonwalk.

Spending hours trying to loot parts of boars in the Lone Lands.

Mirrored Armour (and when crafted gear was awesome)

Lost in the Old Forest looking for flowers and having to be summoned out.

The Old Bree Rep Dungeon and the fun you could have in the Elite part.

Having to take two groups to complete the first couple of Fellowship goblin quests in the Lone Lands.

Taking on the warg in Chetwood and getting 1 shotted... twice.

Codemasters running the EU servers.

Friends that have come and gone

Oh does everyone still remember Radiance lol


Thanks for the good times Turbine and here's hoping for many more.

[Ashrellion]

I remember, and miss, when the Barrows were one huge dungeon crawl, rather than a bunch of little ones. You could lose yourself for days, in there. I remember my first Helegrod raid, facing the power of Thorog. I remember being totally blown away by the beauty of Caras Galadhon.

[lalaith86]

i remember back when the Berghold was the starting area in ered luin

i remember frequently getting lost in bree in my early days!

i remember when the old forest was truly a place to be feared, before the map.

i remember seeing angmar for the first time and getting the armor set from the aughaire quest line.

i remember my first steps into Durin's Threshhold, even though its just a game, i could feel the weight of the countless years that lay upon those halls and imagined how it must have looked "in Durin's Day." ill never forget my first journey through the long dark of Moria.

i remember coming out into the Dimrill Dale after weeks of journeying through Moria and seeing the Beauty of Lothlorien.

i remember the first time i was killed by the Elf sentries, i was swimming in the river and i had no idea what the heck was shooting at me and only after i had been defeated did i see it was an Elf!

so many fond memories in this game, my first raid, my first RP at the Pony, Ales and Tales, the Haunted Burrow, the GLOBE theater event...looking forward to making more awesome memories!