For me its mostly the scenery.
Even quest repetition on alts and instances is a bit "offset" by middle earth itself.
Nice escapist environment after a hard day.
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For me its mostly the scenery.
Even quest repetition on alts and instances is a bit "offset" by middle earth itself.
Nice escapist environment after a hard day.
The music, the wonderful people I met over the years , the story, I love the fact it feels like 'home' , my server, all the memories, hobbits, the Yule festival, my ponies, Rivendell at night, meeting Frodo , feeling part of the epic quest , Bingo's quests every week, hobbits ( again ) ....I think there is more I may come back later :o
Depends on the day. Sometimes I just grind slayer deeds and I'm happy as a clam in mud. Sometimes I go through the quests and read the words, fully, even though I've done them a dozen times before.
Sometimes it's sitting in Bree listening to impromptu concerts.
Duo-ing skirmishes with my BFF was one of my highlights, but life has intervened, and our schedules don't mesh any more. Now I has a sad.
Very good thread. This is the type of forum threads I wish we would see here far more often. So I thank you for starting this.
Like for many others, merely to be able to step with a character into an online visual recreation of Tolkien's world was a long wish that came true. Apart from that, I love the Laurelin server. It is the main reason my enthusiasm into this game was greatly rekindled many years ago when I first started to learn more and more about its different nature and community, and then experienced it for myself. I say not that it has no flaws, nay. But as many others, I am far more content on that server, and it gives much more reason to log in to the game. This is all in a very brief form, there are many things one could talk/share about it, and for those interested, there is even an essay written about this server. It is my forum signature below.
Apart from the world and the server, the timeless story of The Lord of the Rings, and of course the lore. The music for the game is also worth mentioning. Shadows of Angmar, Mines of Moria, and Riders of Rohan (and I think, Mirkwood too) are all blessed with the skill and quality of Chance Thomas (though I love the music we got for Minas Tirith; it seems to me on the same level, or at least almost so). All that music that people love, such as the one that plays in Trollshaws, in Rivendell, at the Walls of Moria, in Lothlorien, and in Rohan, are his creations for the game. Would that he was still working for LotRO. Ah..
In brief, the World, the story, the lore, the Laurelin server and its community, Middle-earth role play, and the music.
What i like in Lotro is to explore and look at he nice scenery game has i feel like i find something new when explore i like to find little stuff from the lore you can see, but its also the other players i met and some I've been talking to since day 1 when i started, and my kinship which i love, also its fun to do some raiding/instance once in awhile :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldwiley
I completly agree. If it was not for the fantastic environment (and people) I would soon tire of the pedestrian missions. But because even egg gather and mail delivery is immersive in the environment they are tolerable
My favorite moment is sunset in Celondim. I park Aranindir (my Elf Lore Master) on the rocks above the Harbor and inlet, and watch the water turn pink, and then the stars come out.. Never a better spent 15 minutes of unwinding after killing beasties. The music and atmosphere is Celondim is captivating.
Seeing a healing minstrel duo with a bleed warden die in the moors makes me happy.
Otherwise, being in an mmo inspired by Tolkien continues to be a pull for me.
Aye tis my no.2 favourite after Tâl Bruinen. Same reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by HardestyGrimwall
Can heavily relate *.*Quote:
Originally Posted by Thorgrum
What makes me happy in LOTRO?
The diversity of the landscapes, the music (especially that composed by Chance Thomas for Riders of Rohan), the richness of the lore (even though I find some of the interpretations questionable), the unparalleled cosmetic system, and the many player created events.
At this moment, the most thing in Lotro make me happy is "EU servers are in Amsterdam" !!! :o;)
Oh you! :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Elgrind
;) What's not to loveQuote:
Originally Posted by siipperi
They have their man looking into it as we speak ^.^Quote:
Originally Posted by Elgrind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0O-2oAvNTo
Grouping with kinnies and other LOTRO friends. Cracking jokes with them while we run through the easier stuff, trying to find new challenges, learning tricks of the trade for parts of the game some of us know better than others.
Definitely the scenery. Love to go on long riding expeditions mining nodes for the scenery.
And especially the fact that it's Middle-Earth.
The look of the characters. It's fun to do people watching in places like Bree.
The system of buying, selling and trading with other players.
Hanging around the South Bree gate with others just goofing off.
In past posts about this theme, I have given many examples similar to the above, and more. But to be super honest, I sat a moment thinking about what actually makes me feel "happy" in the game these days and the answer today is: Mithril Coins! Silly I know, but after going around the block a few times there is some times a feeling of "ugh, back there again?". Then it hits me. Cha-ching! Very un-lore like, forgive me. But it can be very smile-inducing.
Sweet tangent, so its being able to skip to where ya wanna be.Quote:
Originally Posted by Schmidster
When I wonder what the future of books will be, I often think about horses. Before automobiles existed, everyone had a horse. Then cars became available, and their convenience, compared to horses, was undeniable - Susan Orlean
1. That tin whistle you hear when crossing the Brandywine Bridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al03mfJwA1Q
2. Seeing iconic areas for the very first time (e.g. Imladris, Minas Tirith).
3. "I'm having an adventure! I've paddled all the way from Frogmorton!"
4. Dances with Wargs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSLkU6rbJBc
5. Saying "hi" to PvEing freeps with a friendly killing-blow.
The music in the CG AH I never leave.
This beautiful song composed by LOTRO composer Chance Thomas - not in game but written for LOTRO
I am sure I have many more things I love so I may come back tomorrow ....Ni Ni lovely people :o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkPM2y0Jib0
I have to say mainly it's that it is Middle Earth. I am on my first real volume/book quest and approaching Durin's Doors. I thought to myself, better not get too close to that water because of the creature lurking there. The fact that I know that, the familiarity of the place. The excitement of making my way to the doors and seeing them. So much fun.
Experiencing the atmosphere and dedication to the IP the developers have poured into the game. Everywhere feels like a "place", handcrafted, rather than copy & paste like several games out there.
Completely agree. Someone else mentioned the music, and I would add that to this. The scenery, and the music. Ken Uston called the old Intellivision game Astrosmash "electronic whittling." I think it applies to some of the quests and deeds in Lotro.Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldwiley
Not my taste, but thank you for sharing. I prefer Caspar Reiff's interpretation this Tolkien text:Quote:
Originally Posted by Amorey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEUqk8Cq18w
My aurochs calf! :D
That is my all time favorite version ever since I first listened to it (and over the years I have found more than a few other covers of this lament). When it comes to Middle-earth, I was 'enchanted' of her voice from that very first moment I heard it start. For to me, that is how Galadriel from the books sounds to my mind when she sings this. Deep longing and much wisdom is somehow reflected in the voice of this singer, and just as it is described in the books, it is sad and yet sweet, mingled with a sense of melancholy. I cannot imagine another more fitting voice and music for Tolkien's Galadriel and this lament in the books.Quote:
Originally Posted by oldbadgerbrock
I never grow tire of it, and it has inspired me more than a few times while working on LotRO projects as I have used it as background music.
A creation worthy of the magnificence and profoundness of Tolkien's work. Ai, Galadriel..
The fact that the world builders did a top notch job in making this game look and feel like Middle Earth. And the story lines are just amazing. I love this game.
I very much enjoy myths, legends, and folktales from around the world. This game captures the feeling and spirit of those ancient writings far better than any other I have tried. When I was younger I hiked and biked constantly. Middle Earth reminds me of so many real, wild places I have seen, so many ruins, that playing pulls me back into happy memories.
The World Builders and Quest Writers did something else very right--they exercised restraint. In legend and folktale, most of the world remains completely mundane. Moments when the hero or heroine moves from the real world into the magical world occur rarely, and often pass rather quickly. Most of Middle Earth is open spaces and wild animals. Some of the wild animals tend to the fantastic, like worms and laethbears, but even in those cases, the World Builders used dinosaurs and ice age animals for inspiration, and the creatures, while strange, do not feel alien. The moments when we come face to face with real magic, when we transition from the mundane world to the magical world, happen rarely, and that is exactly as it should be.
I am so happy we do not have dragons, weird monsters, powerful magic spells, crazy mounts, skimpy female armor, and silly steam punk contraptions all over the place. Our heroines and heroes have legendary weapons, as they should, but they retain mundane proportions. I enjoy when areas 'go gray' allowing peaceful exploration or just sitting quietly in a secluded wilderness. Forced emotes and some cosmetic pets annoy me because they shatter the mirror, but in truth, the vast majority of players on Landroval respect the atmosphere.
Finally, I love that my avatars appear so beautiful, so serene, so legendary, without being comical or distorted or over sexualized. Yes, I know the graphics could be better, but all things considered, I enjoy them. They look right, the world looks right, the world is huge, and that brings me happiness.
Killing orcs, mounted combat, killing orcs and... And.... Oh... yeah... Killing orcs. :D
Being introduced to rp relations. Who thought any one other than a troll could have such fun under a bridge!
while dying of lags -
to know how it could be
if the game would work as intended
and still waiting for that day
________ flatline
Makes sense to me. Being Welsh is like growing up in Arnor.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vexendynamus
http://www.castlewales.com/dryslwyn.html
My poor reaver :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Dranoel_Dragon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDn7jfzvcv4Quote:
Originally Posted by LegOverLass
>.<
“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.” - John Lennon.Quote:
Originally Posted by fiorello
What makes me happy in LOTRO these days are the memories of all the fun I had over the years.
I really wish I could say the same about the newer Gondorian areas of the game, but for me they aren't the same, too many graphical/performance issues to keep me absorbed in the beautiful setting for hours the way I was in earlier areas. Now my level 100-ish gameplay is interrupted so often by various issues that when I do play, I stick to the lower-level areas on my alts. I still haven't made kindred with Minas Tirith and that's highly unusual for me.
But when I go to my house or visit my kinhouses, seeing all the items and remembering the fun I had acquiring them, that can still bring a smile to my face. :)
Being able to escape to Middle Earth, 7 years of wonderful memories, the gorgeous scenery (especially The Shire), seeing iconic figures like Frodo, Bilbo, Aragorn and all, Festivals, Cosmetics, and collecting Mounts. :)
When i log in and check my friendslist and see that i'm not the only one online (rare occasion nowadays).
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShireDweller
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lothloriel
Memories then ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by schlumpfencowboyjoe;7552 055
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j8mr-gcgoI
Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
And how we found
The same old fears
Wish you were here
Hobbits and chickens
And rainbows
In the sky
Dancing in the Shire
The Trollshaws
At night
Rivendell Elves
Lothlorien
In Spring
These are a few of my favorite things
Cream colored ponies
And Ents
In the wood
Picnics and parties
And cooking
Great food
Eagles that
Fly with the moon
On their wings
These are a few of my favorite things
Elves in white
Dresses with
Stars on their lashes
Dwarves and
Beards and
Mighty great axes
Forochel's winter
And fair
Evendim
These are a few of my favorite things
When the lag bites
When the game crash
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember
My favorite things
And then I don't
Feel so bad
:o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_YNnkY9mvY
With a special needs daughter and chaotic life both at home and work I look forward to my hour of Lotro late at night when everyone is finally asleep. My best moments include riding through the Shire. The jaunty music in the updated Tom Bombadil's house really lifts my spirits. When I really need to relax my hobbit goes to Rivendale for she, like the Bagginses has a fascination with the elves. I just got as far as the Misty Mountains but I'm told Forochel has amazing northern lights and I'm off there next. The view from the top of the statue in Evendim is amazing. With so many MMO games folding this year I am SO glad Lotro is still with us. We are so lucky to have this great game and I am glad to have met like minded and kind people to play with. See you all in game!:o
LotRO is one of my favorite things. :)
I've met many good people, including some of my best friends playing. Lots of interesting conversations and good laughs!
The music is great, too. I listen often to the soundtracks on Soundcloud.
The classes, gear, and weapons are all awesome as well. Not as many unrealistic pieces or just plain lame ones (though, there are many that could be better).
The instances are fun for the most part, and the quests can be wonderful!
And (probably the coolest part) we get to adventure and explore in Middle Earth. Along our heroes and heroines. :D
The scenery, the music, the people, and the ability to step into the shoes of a character with their own story to tell.
Escapism :) aye. Its purest appeal methinks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seeker
Enough fan to power turbine solo =) Cool dude.Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Warg
Its pretty open world and thats a big plus.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon_Blackbird
Lord of the Rings is the first epic story I ever read on my own. It was an incredible and fascinating journey. I relish every new yet familiar place I visit for the first time. Just made my way through Moria. Being able to stand on the edge of the broken bridge of Khazad Dum and knowing how it broke. And then riding into Lothlorien, knowing those white trees with golden leaves are called Mallorn trees. Simply fantastic.
Data breaches (especially of the non-disclosed variety) and the lawsuits which inevitably follow. ^.^
Did you jump?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheaezra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8P80A8vy9IQuote:
Originally Posted by The_Jagannath
I'd imagine the rest would look pretty good in 3d too =)Quote:
Originally Posted by kylepc
Another vote for the scenery then ^.^
With great care, a car will absolutely outlast the life expectancy of a horse. CANTER places the cost of owning a horse at about $3600 a year (without a stable, or initial price), way more than a car. And horses don't come with AC or heat, they're relatively slower by far, and that whole sleeping/resting thing. Parallel parking with a horse is a breeze, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldwiley
I own over a score of books over 100 years old, a few over 200, the oldest printed in 1776 (that's 240yrs old, for those math impaired).
It's going to be centuries before they can make an e-reader last that long, or be price-equivalent to a book. Any change in the future of books will be far in the future.
I'd be far more worried about myself being replaced by a robot or computer, than worried about the future of books. It's easier to replace something living with something mechanical, not so easy to replace something already mechanical (and perfected) with something else mechanical. It takes a huge paradigm shift to re-invent the wheel, I don't think we're quite over paper and ink books just yet.
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Back on topic: I love the northern lights in Forochel, the little bird that hangs out at adso's camp, Trollshaws when it thunderstorms, cosmetic weapons, fishing in the Shire while listening to the breeze, the moths around streetlamps, shield-bashing, the new white squirrel pet, playing tag with the children in Bree, how Moria is huuuuuuuge (the waterworks...my gods!), Blizzards in the Mistys, the water (anywhere, seriously the water graphics are sweet), that wind-chime sound in western Ered Luin, the fact that much of ME looks just like Tolkien's own illustrations, listening to random bands hanging out in south Bree, and a whole ton of other stuff. :)
Lets hope so, I'm a fan of books.Quote:
Originally Posted by OicheSidhe
Then again: as with a light bulb that can last effectively forever, what they could do and what they want to make are slightly different things. It would be well within our capabilities to make an e-book that could last 300 years. Its just there is little point or economic sense to it. That said, at the rate technology moves... The amount of electronic information and records stored will probably leave book held information behind as a small percentage of written work in the not too distant future.
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Aye when people talk about the scenery its easy to not mention the atmospherics that form part of that.Quote:
Originally Posted by OicheSidhe
Yes, I like running around this world, or sometimes walking, which is why, in Everswim yesterday it felt like I was taking a very long time to swim, like the olden days, got back onto the land, and realized I had been walking before I got into the water because I do that sometimes.
It's not as fun walking in this game as it is in Swotor with female body 4 though lol but there I am not looking at the scenery.
I mean, just running around Bree is fun, it's a well fleshed out NPC city.
On the plus side, teh internets has given me unparalleled access to rare books that I would never be able to own or even read in person, like The Liber Arcanorum Cancerorum.Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldwiley
-------------------------------
Last week I was able to see Slayer, front row center FTW, and surprise, surprise, there were a ton of Slayer fans there. With no more movies coming, LOTRO is now the only place I can think of where I will find tons of LOTR fans. Another reason I love this game, is the love shown not only by the creators of the game, but by the players as well. I can chat with players about Earendil slaying Ancalagon and the (literal) fall of Thangorodrim, and actually hear a mini play an original song written just about that battle, in game. I love most of the players here as well as the game. :)
Fighting goblins. The voice acting on them is hilarious.