Lifetime Account Members Thread

[lordperrin]

Not that it really could apply to LOTRO I guess, but don't overlook the 32 point build. That's a pretty big advantage, so much that when you unlock it (the old fashion way) people would go back and reroll characters.

Absolutely. I mean, there Turbine is offering item mallers a fundamentally better characters in DDO for money. That is called a precedent.

[SgtAnderso]

http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/DDO_Store_Guide

Experience Elixirs that grant 10-20% bonuses to XP for 3-6 hours! Single and 5-Stacks available

+1 and +2 Tomes that permanently boost your character's dexterity, charisma, constitution, strength, intelligence and wisdom.

Jewels of Fortune that grant your character a +1 bonus to the level of treasure earned from opening treasure chests. 5, 10 and 25-Stacks available.

and many more. Does that sound like a level playing field to you?

No, but that is DDO. FAQ #7
"Will I still be able to play and enjoy the game without buying items from the LOTRO Store, or is that my only option for gaining weapons, armor, potions, and other goodies such as premium loot?
The purchase of items in the LOTRO Store is entirely optional. While items in the Store are designed to immediately enhance your in-game experience, premium loot and rare gear are the rewards of adventure and are only obtainable through gameplay.

And as stated in others posts F2P Players do not get Bonus XP or the ability to spend destiny points.

[Khafar]

If you think a free to play game isnt going to have XP pots, and buffs that cant be crafted, I have an invisible boat to sell you.

Maybe it will, but so what? I don't use much in the way of buffs or pots now, and what little I do use costs a pretty trivial amount of silver at the AH or from NPCs. I also don't see the point in using "XP pots" in a game where you can get to the level cap in ~175 hours total -- even as a casual gamer, I can do it in under 4 months. I've been here for 3+ years, so there's no "rush".

Selling more character slots, more storage, new mounts, housing fluff, cosmetics, and all that sort of thing won't unbalance gameplay, so I don't much care. If they start selling 1st Age weapons, raid gear, etc... that would certainly make a big impact on the game. I'm not holding my breath (nor do I want to see that sort of thing).

When I played DDO, I spent my TP on stuff like opening up classes, buying adventure packs, and buying Tomes. Big deal. I never once purchased any of the XP pots, because I'm just not in any sort of hurry.

Khafar

[SgtAnderso]

Just like how they told us this game would never be free to play with an item mall? Sorry, they've lost all credibility with me as of yesterday's announcement.

Who told you this game would never be F2P? This I would like to see, as I have never read since Closed Beta Days off a Dev or Community Team member state that. They are very careful about making statements like that.

[lordperrin]

No, but that is DDO. FAQ #7
"Will I still be able to play and enjoy the game without buying items from the LOTRO Store, or is that my only option for gaining weapons, armor, potions, and other goodies such as premium loot?
The purchase of items in the LOTRO Store is entirely optional. While items in the Store are designed to immediately enhance your in-game experience, premium loot and rare gear are the rewards of adventure and are only obtainable through gameplay.

And as stated in others posts F2P Players do not get Bonus XP or the ability to spend destiny points.

You have a habit of not reading before you post. I have said above that I am not even remotely concerned with free to players. I am concerned with VIPs that heavily item mall for advantage and the un-level playing field it creates. How many times mut I reiterate this before a single one of you gets it and stops mentioning froobs as if I care about them one way or another?

[ArahadEketta]

Maybe this is where people are having such a hard time understanding me. I have nothing whatsoever against the free players. I dont care about that. My issue is with VIPs being able to spend hundreds of dollars for serious advantage on the item mall creating an un-level playing field amongst VIPs.

Who in the hell cares if idiots burn through the damn game that they run out of things to do the day of the patch. These idiots are always around, we even had them in Asheron's Call. I am not in competition with them and I don't give a damn about their idiotic obsessions

However, back to your point which does not exist anyways. There will be NOTHING sold in the LotRO store that is going to give an advantage to ANY player and that has been pointed out to us by the Blue Names multiple times in the last 24 hours plus. I have been a Turbine customer and player of their games since Nov 2001. I have yet seen Turbine put a shotgun loaded with deer slugs in their mouth yet. You however keep stating that is exactly what they will be doing.

[SgtAnderso]

Maybe it will, but so what? I don't use much in the way of buffs or pots now, and what little I do use costs a pretty trivial amount of silver at the AH or from NPCs. I also don't see the point in using "XP pots" in a game where you can get to the level cap in ~175 hours total -- even as a casual gamer, I can do it in under 4 months. I've been here for 3+ years, so there's no "rush".

Selling more character slots, more storage, new mounts, housing fluff, cosmetics, and all that sort of thing won't unbalance gameplay, so I don't much care. If they start selling 1st Age weapons, raid gear, etc... that would certainly make a big impact on the game. I'm not holding my breath (nor do I want to see that sort of thing).

When I played DDO, I spent my TP on stuff like opening up classes, buying adventure packs, and buying Tomes. Big deal. I never once purchased any of the XP pots, because I'm just not in any sort of hurry.

Khafar

Khafar, one of my kin leveled a Warden in 2 Weeks and Maxed out his Soldier during this time as well. If anything the first time an XP Pot shows up all holy hell will break loose as there has been a Huge Push by a portion of the community to slow the XP gain or offer the ability to switch off earning XP because of how easy it is to earn XP. It took me less than a Month to get my Warden to 65. So I agree that XP Pots would not offer any benefit other than causing additional issues.

[lordperrin]

Who told you this game would never be F2P? This I would like to see, as I have never read since Closed Beta Days off a Dev or Community Team member state that. They are very careful about making statements like that.

The concern has been brought up numerous times over the years since launch and we were placated thusly very early in the game's lifespan. Not proof, I know, and Im willing to bet a considerable chunk of change that that dev/GM post/s was/were deleted long ago when they discovered DDO worked as f2p. If you dont believe me, that's fine, I understand, I realize my recollection is not proof. But I distinctly remember (and so do many others who were around then that have mentioned it since yesterday, even in this thread) the occurrence.

[lordperrin]

However, back to your point which does not exist anyways.

Poster on permanent ignore.

[Anubias]

Poster on permanent ignore.

Long time, no see Cen. How have you been doing?

[ArahadEketta]

Just like how they told us this game would never be free to play with an item mall? Sorry, they've lost all credibility with me as of yesterday's announcement.

Sorry, but Turbine has never stated anything at any time using the qualifier of never. Turbine has always used the phrase "not at this time" and they are quite religious about that.

edit:YES!!!!!! I have made it on someone's ignore list!!!!!!

[lordperrin]

Long time, no see Cen. How have you been doing?

I've been better, lol. Presently Im perplexed and baffled by how many people in this thread seem perfectly happy to turn this wonderful game into a pay to win item mall. Oh well. Not like Turbine cares what lifetimers think anyways.

[SgtAnderso]

The concern has been brought up numerous times over the years since launch and we were placated thusly very early in the game's lifespan. Not proof, I know, and Im willing to bet a considerable chunk of change that that dev/GM post/s was/were deleted long ago when they discovered DDO worked as f2p. If you dont believe me, that's fine, I understand, I realize my recollection is not proof. But I distinctly remember (and so do many others who were around then that have mentioned it since yesterday, even in this thread) the occurrence.

Apparently use the quote option means I don't read any of your posts... Go figure.

Anyway, if a Blue Name was to have made such a BOLD Statment I would also find that there would be another Blue Name to follow that up Marketing make a correction to the statement. So once again I serious doubt that has happened without a retraction

[ArahadEketta]

Apparently use the quote option means I don't read any of your posts... Go figure.

Anyway, if a Blue Name was to have made such a BOLD Statment I would also find that there would be another Blue Name to follow that up Marketing make a correction to the statement. So once again I serious doubt that has happened without a retraction

Expect to be placed on his ignore list as well I think.

[Khafar]

Who told you this game would never be F2P?

Nobody ever said that -- I've been reading the Dev Tracker for years, and it simply wasn't said. What was said was close to "We have no plans to move LOTRO to a F2P model at this time". That's marketing-speak (also much-used by politicians), and we all know it's used to avoid getting pinned down, leaving options open in the future.

To be honest, I read that as "we aren't going to move LOTRO to F2P unless it gets into the sort of financial trouble that DDO was in". But that was apparently just wishful thinking on my part.

Khafar

[lordperrin]

Anyway, if a Blue Name was to have made such a BOLD Statment I would also find that there would be another Blue Name to follow that up Marketing make a correction to the statement. So once again I serious doubt that has happened without a retraction

As I said, I cannot prove it, but it happened. I dont expect you to blindly believe me so I suppose this line of discourse finds itself at a station.

[FCRoosterQ]

If this is necessary for continuing the march to Mordor. then so be it. I want to see Mount Doom and Minas Trinth. This game hasn't gone beyond The Fellowship of the Ring as far as the story goes, so their is much to see and do yet. I was hoping for an announcement of material coming out soon that is pulled from The Two Towers, so this announcement sort of bums me out in that respect. Looks like we will go more than a year without a big expansion, and that seems slow for what happened in the first year or so.

[SgtAnderso]

If this is necessary for continuing the march to Mordor. then so be it. I want to see Mount Doom and Minas Trinth. This game hasn't gone beyond The Fellowship of the Ring as far as the story goes, so their is much to see and do yet. I was hoping for an announcement of material coming out soon that is pulled from The Two Towers, so this announcement sort of bums me out in that respect. Looks like we will go more than a year without a big expansion, and that seems slow for what happened in the first year or so.

I'm hoping the expansion we get this Fall will be a Large one. Hopefully we get to find out how large it really will be in the next week or so. I'm also hoping that Rohan isn't too far away.

Wonder if I will be able to purchase Mount Doom in the Store...

[imptown]

as a lifetime account holder, my point is this:

if i discovered this game for the first time today, i would not purchase a lifetime account, i'd wait for the F2P to start.

based on my game view, the extras that lifetimers get are not enough of an enticement for me to pay for this game.

the basic gameplay will be the same for everyone, so why would i want to pay anything?

that's why i would appreciate a refund or a pro-rated refund based on the amount of time i have spent in-game.

[SgtAnderso]

Personally for me this is a Huge Win. I have two accounts 1 Life Time and 1 Month-Month for my kids to play from time to time, now I will be converting the month to month over to F2P in stead of cancelling it.

I bet there are others out there that will do the same. Especially now, when we other expenses are sky rocketing. Since our school system has been forced to cut it's operating budget in half they have cancelled alot of programs or double\tripled the costs of them.

So for me personally, the kids get to continue to play and I get to save $10 a month, Yippee.

[mac173]

....... suddenly PUGs want to know if you're using such and such a buff from the item mall or else they'll drop you (this happens in Turbine's own DDO all the time).

Anyone claiming that the in-game experience won't be changed significantly by this implementation is fooling themselves.

This happens in LOTRO now. I have been denied a Fellowship because I was not well enough equipped. This has happened in almost all the MMO's I have played. It is a playstyle, nothing to do with F2P.

Not that it really could apply to LOTRO I guess, but don't overlook the 32 point build. That's a pretty big advantage, so much that when you unlock it (the old fashion way) people would go back and reroll characters.

I re-rolled ALL my characters when that was introduced. I also did not see a distinct difference in my play. It did give an advantage, but not a significant one. And you did not have to spend $ to get it, you could have earned the points, so it was available to anyone.

You have a habit of not reading before you post. I have said above that I am not even remotely concerned with free to players. I am concerned with VIPs that heavily item mall for advantage and the un-level playing field it creates. How many times mut I reiterate this before a single one of you gets it and stops mentioning froobs as if I care about them one way or another?

Just what advantage? XP? It's too fast as is. Healing? Same thing. I do play DDO for free, and wish I could get a lifetime there like I have here. THe advantages outweigh the detriments.

[ArahadEketta]

as a lifetime account holder, my point is this:

if i discovered this game for the first time today, i would not purchase a lifetime account, i'd wait for the F2P to start.

based on my game view, the extras that lifetimers get are not enough of an enticement for me to pay for this game.

the basic gameplay will be the same for everyone, so why would i want to pay anything?

that's why i would appreciate a refund or a pro-rated refund based on the amount of time i have spent in-game.

I on the otherhand, if I had the option and money to get a Lifetime sub right now I would do so. If I had the money I would make that 2 lifetimes. Then I would have a subscription to give to my son and one to my daughter. This game is not moving to a true f2p format. It is remaining a p2p subcription game with a f2p and premium ala carte options with heavy restrictions on game play.

[0rdinary0wl]

I re-rolled ALL my characters when that was introduced. I also did not see a distinct difference in my play. It did give an advantage, but not a significant one. And you did not have to spend $ to get it, you could have earned the points, so it was available to anyone.

I know. 1750 if I remember correctly.

[Khafar]

As I said, I cannot prove it, but it happened.

Sort of. You may be thinking about an interview by Mersky a year ago where he said that they had "no plans" to go this route with LOTRO both because it was a different type of game and because it was doing well with a traditional business model. "No plans" doesn't mean "never", though. Not in business. At that point, they had no idea just how successful DDO was going to be. I'm sure that changed things.

Khafar

[imptown]

I on the otherhand, if I had the option and money to get a Lifetime sub right now I would do so.

or give me the option to officially/legally sell my account to someone who really wants it.