What is new in the store, armors?????

[Bryos]

We WILL see raid armor in the Store in the future.

Count on it...

[Jeffor]

This is the kind of thing that does make it feel likt LOTRO is just a WB testing grounds for micro-transactions.

[KualaBangoDango]

I'll wait a few days for an official response

Not likely to get a response for the next few days since it's now the weekend and the workday for Turbine (Boston) is pretty much over.

[MoonwalkIntoMordor]

No gear is permanent. Characters 'out grow' their gear.

That is a very dangerous viewpoint when deciding what could be sold in the store. A 2nd age LI is also not permanent in the way that you will replace it if you get your hands on a 1st age LI. Or level cap teal gear is not permanent since you will be replacing it when the level cap is raised. Would you dare sell those in the store, claiming they are "temporary buffs"?

This is a step in the wrong direction. I can only hope you folks are reasonable with how far you take this.

[Lestache]

I'm still wondering at which point the following passage will be quietly deleted from the F2P 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.

Frankly, it hasn't been true since day one considering that stat tomes, being ultra-rare drops from loot chests, can hardly be considered anything other than premium loot, but I still hold the naive hope that the FAQ will someday remove the falsehood quoted above. (On an unrelated note, I'm in the market for any bridges that might be for sale.)

Sadly, the move to sell armor in the Store doesn't surprise me. I'm not even surprised that it appears to be armor tailored to take advantage of people who are ignorant of how long the armor will actually be useful.

Well done, Zynga. Er, Turbine.

[Crell_1]

That's the intention. As others have mentioned, it's not top tier gear, there is better available through game play.)

What EXACTLY are the levels assigned to these gear pieces?

It certainly seems 'better' than what I'd envision the levels to be.

With the levels we can give more HARD data and reasoned comparison. Thank you.

Also, you've added 'Effect: Halted Experience' to the game. ; There's no reason a character ever has to out grow their gear now.

[Moondog548]

Going from not selling statted gear in the store to selling statted gear is a bold line that is much easier to follow/see than "well we will sell stated gear up to a point".

Bingo.

Yup.

[KitCaboodle]

If they're willing to sell equipment with stats (for any level) then they're willing to sell everything.

Bad, very, very bad - as in, potentially drive away a huge chunk of players bad. The only people who will like this are those who want to be able to pay for everything you can achieve in game and, although they might be the most profitable store customers, I'd be very surprised if they were numerous (or spendthrift) enough to make up for the loss of money from other players who will un-subscribe, refuse to pay any more money or just outright stop playing at such a blatant step over the convenience-advantage line.

[Malachi108]

SAPIENCE

Let's ignore the fact that purchasing any gear isn't necessary at lower levels - you get everything you need from quests (which are free for all). Let's ignore the fact that on 3 servers my low-levels alts are the AH is filled with low-level gear at incredibly small prices - because people are leveling their crafts and getting rid of by products.

This change is a very bad move in principle. No self-respecting gamer would suggest to his friend a game that sells gear for real money. Where before I would say "LOTRO is not like other F2P games! They don't sell gear - only fluff like mounts, cosmetics and housing items." I might also add "They also sell things like relics packs, stat tomes and in-combat curative potions" - because a non-LOTRO player wouldn't know what exactly those things are, even though we know that those DO give you unique advantage in combat. But now that's all gone. When asked about LOTRO, I will be forced to admit "Yeah, they sell gear in Store" and for most sensible people that would be enough to mentally erase the game from being worth trying. We can add "It's only lower level gear! It's not as good as instances and raid rewards!" all along, but the fact is that won't matter squat.

People DO. NOT. WANT. to play RPG games that sell gear for real money in principle - and they're goshdarn right. The result is that you'll gain some small immediate gain but hurt the game in the long term horribly. Less new players would join because "Games that sell you gear for money suck!" (and yes, they do) and existing players - both VIPs and Premiums would leave in disgust because they wouldn't want to be associated with such game any longer.

[Sapience]

What EXACTLY are the levels assigned to these gear pieces?

It certainly seems 'better' than what I'd envision the levels to be.

With the levels we can give more HARD data and reasoned comparison. Thank you.

Also, you've added 'Effect: Halted Experience' to the game. ; There's no reason a character ever has to out grow their gear now.

Halted experience is an option. If you want to stop your character in their lower 20s (about the max level of the gear in question) then that's your choice. Like I mentioned above, it's all about options. Now you'll have more.

[Dokomo33]

It's lower level gear. Many players have given us feedback that there is a sparcity of gear on the AH at these levels and they wanted an alternative. We're trying to accomodate that.

LOL. Who do you think you're kidding? I'd love to see these "metrics" Turbine relies on that suggest low-level armor being even remotely near the top of customer's concerns.

[Ayrolen]

It's lower level gear. Many players have given us feedback that there is a sparcity of gear on the AH at these levels and they wanted an alternative. We're trying to accomodate that.

The irony of this is that crafters are going to be the most angry about this change, when they are the ones that could have prevented it in the first place by keeping the AH stocked with more lower level gear. I've mentioned in many threads over the past couple of years how fast low to mid-level crafted crits sell on the AH when crafters gripe about how they can't make any money. But I guess it fell on deaf ears.

[Crell_1]

Halted experience is an option. If you want to stop your character in their lower 20s (about the max level of the gear in question) then that's your choice. Like I mentioned above, it's all about options. Now you'll have more.

'About the 'max level' Ok? So this is gear that you will forciably unequip at a given level? (Ala-the RoI XP stone?)

Certainly makes my L20 One-shot crit gear comparison seem legitimate though doesn't it?

Even if you forced me to unequip at at 20 when I started grouping, why was it OK the entire time to be outfitting me in gear stated LEVELS ahead of my character level?

But how is that any different than selling draig. or crafting equiv. as there is better available in the game?

Going from not selling statted gear in the store to selling statted gear is a bold line that is much easier to follow/see than "well we will sell stated gear up to a point".

This. It isn't. You've crossed what was a very clear bold line in the sand, and people are going to be upset. Perhaps you should consider sharing the reasons you think this will generate more profit than ill will for you? Is it part A of some feature? Ala: (IJ->IF-> IF 2.0) ?

If you wanted to make a similar gear set available to all players, you know how to hook up things to a barter vendor.

I'm at least mildly relived these don't appear to be new skins so I wont have to know at a glance people spent money on these things.

[Feybobiam]

LOL. Who do you think you're kidding? I'd love to see these "metrics" Turbine relies on that suggest low-level armor being even remotely near the top of customer's concerns.

Gotta say I agree with this. Armour has never seemed to be in short supply on Arkenstone from my experience, and from what I understand it's one of the smaller servers.

Just being fair.

[Amphoras]

That's the intention. As others have mentioned, it's not top tier gear, there is better available through game play.

No gear is permanent. Characters 'out grow' their gear.

It's lower level gear. Many players have given us feedback that there is a sparcity of gear on the AH at these levels and they wanted an alternative. We're trying to accomodate that.
So, I applaud your decision to kick start the gear market on your server. Options are what it's all about.

What levels is this gear available to? Crell_1 has already posted a comparison of some low level gear that this stuff is better than. Why have you suddenly abandoned the claim made at the start of free to play that you would not sell gear in the store?

Halted experience is an option. If you want to stop your character in their lower 20s (about the max level of the gear in question) then that's your choice. Like I mentioned above, it's all about options. Now you'll have more.

Putting level 75 gear in the store gives "more options", so why should we believe that it will stop here? How long until you can buy raid gear or the actual legendary items (seeing as you can already buy the legacies, relics and other scrolls) in the store?

[cossieuk]

Never seem people complain that there is no low level gear on the AH. I stop making it as it never sold, even when putting it on for the vendor price.

I think this is a huge mistake and another bold face lie

I expressed the general player concern over whether the store will give the moneybags-player too much of a leg up over others. I was told that they're being careful not to offer any unbalancing buffs or items -- for example, Turbine decided from the start that the store would not sell gear with any stats attached. There will, however, be purchasable tomes that give your character a one-time bump in a particular stat (such as vitality), but these bonuses are more designed to aid a low-level character than a level-capped one.

http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07...-with-turbine/

What ever next

[WinterStar]

WB you greedy sod, leave this game alone! Enough is enough
LOTRO was so much better before you came

[tenineteen]

I too must state my disappointment in this decision. Even if the gear were for Level 5 characters, you are breaking the player-based game economy with this. It's one of the delicate things about MMOs with crafting, people who invest time in training up their crafting skills with the intent of making a quasi-business out of them typically do so to fill a demand.

Any players who are stating they have trouble finding armor at lower levels shouldn't be given paid armor, they should be given better in-game advice how to seek out better gear in-game (see how often I said in-game there?)

[cossieuk]

It's lower level gear. Many players have given us feedback that there is a sparcity of gear on the AH at these levels and they wanted an alternative. We're trying to accomodate that.

If lack of supply is the issue and the gear is only good for low levels why not just add it the armour vendors in Bree and let people buy it with gold?

This would solve the lack of supply issue would it not

[Kantaryo]

If you were selling in the store Lev 75 gear that only drops in raids I may believe that many players may have suggested, listen LOTRO we are lev 75 but dont have time to raid 20+ times to get a piece of armor and we want you to put these armors in the store, I may for a minute said you know what that is believable but level 20 gear??? Gimme a break, my crafters are right now crafting level 58 gear, any level entry player that joins a kin can get a good well crafted level 20 gear.

Who are you kidding? Gimme a break we are not 10 years old.

[Amphoras]

It's lower level gear. Many players have given us feedback that there is a sparcity of gear on the AH at these levels and they wanted an alternative. We're trying to accomodate that.
So, I applaud your decision to kick start the gear market on your server. Options are what it's all about.

Just thought of another point on this. You say you've introduced this gear because of a lack of crafted gear. What happens when new players don't bother upgrading their crafting skills because they can just buy gear that's as good/better. Then they get a little higher level, and there's no crafted gear available there, because no one bothered with it because they could just buy the gear from the store. Will you then add more gear for those level ranges, then higher and higher as it continues?

[Ronigard]

Halted experience is an option. If you want to stop your character in their lower 20s (about the max level of the gear in question) then that's your choice. Like I mentioned above, it's all about options. Now you'll have more.

I hate to say his, Sapience, but this really is the thin edge of the wedge. How can we trust Turbine not to go whole hog sometime in the future and sell raid-equivalent gear. You know, because 'people complain there isn't enough gear in the AH at that level'?

[Borafin]

It's lower level gear. Many players have given us feedback that there is a sparcity of gear on the AH at these levels and they wanted an alternative. We're trying to accomodate that.

Did these lower level players ask around in chat channels for any crafters that could help make them gear? Most people when crafting at that level normally only make crit armor for themselves and then grind the rest of the crafting level to get to the next tier. If I see people are asking for gear in chat channels, I'll generally help them out with whatever they want.

I strongly disapprove of this move to sell gear in the store with stats; yes, it's low level stuff now, but who's to say where the line stops now?

[Kantaryo]

Right now I am level 54 and I can tell you that at least in m y server there ARE NOT decent gear that you can buy from the AH better than what I already have so listen LOTRO I want some Excellent Gear Level 54 so I can replace the gear I have and you can go to Imladris AH and check and you will see I am telling you the truth about quality gear level 54. So where do we draw the line?

[megaboy]

regardless of stated intentions....
(we all know from past experiences that no matter what the reps say, if a suit decrees it, it will happen)

i am worried that if these sell even slightly well, we will eventually see purple, teal and orange gear.