Update 15 Will make or break LotRO

[Almagnus1]

As the title says, the future of this game depends on the next update.

We've been hemorrhaging the wrong type of players since HD's launch and before. As many of the forum goers aren't especially fond of the raiding/PvMP crowd, they do generate a lot of free advertising in the form of YouTube videos and TwitchTV streams, among other medium. As many in the crowd as tend to be very into the game, they also act as evangelists that help bring in others to the game.

This also plays into what goes on with server life, and as you have those players grouping and raiding, you also get a bunch of others emulating it, which means that GLFF gets filled more with "LFF Peeps 4 Awesome Thing" rather than the usual old men whinging about the good old days.

Then there's systems and issues that have gone unfixed for so long, which (unfortunately) sends the signal to the playerbase that Turbine just doesn't care - despite that (likely) being very far from the truth. I speak of stuff like the LI system, and the insane grind and randomness associated with too much stuff in the game. A little randomness I can tolerate, provided it's doing something fun (like running through HoC to get the MBA), but not so much randomness that it's looks like Turbine lifted something from Diablo 3.

Then there's the system that basically killed alting for me: the LI system. While we have had the issue acknowledged, there's been little talk about what the fix is going to be.

Then comes timeliness, which brings me to U15. U15 needs to be out sooner, rather than later. While U14 provided decent solo content, and actually gave us an interesting set of group toys for about a week, the turn in grind - simply put - wasn't worth the effort as all it did was unlock solo quests that I could care less about. Many of us would have liked for the Paths of the Dead to have unlocked some form of group content, but it didn't. At this point in the game, as I have been basically playing a captain for as long as my account has existed, warbands hold little interest now, because they are generally too easy - with the lone exception of the Wildemore ones.

I came to LotRO expecting to enjoy Middle-earth with my friends through various instances and raids. That need was met for a long time, but it really hasn't been met for at least two updates as the recent content produced is too easy to hold any interest, and running through the old content for the 9001st time. The captain was an awesome class for that, but not having the difficulty needed to make support roles shine means that devolving to a part of the trinity is all that's left.

So yeah, here's to hoping U15 brings us another renaissance, cause we're screwed otherwise.

[Gandolf_TheOld]

" rather than the usual old men whinging about the good old days."

Your age discrimination and bias is troubling. As for me, when I think about the "Good old days." I think if I could go back to High School in the mid to late 60s, knowing what I know now, there would not be a girl safe and I would be a straight A+++ student.

[Caernach]

I agree that the game is not in a very good state. I believe this is due to some very poor decision-making by Turbine. I'm often confounded by the choices they make, as they seem to be assuring their own demise by catering to a single playstyle. With no reason or incentive to group, players don't form attachments and it makes it easy to become bored and walk away. In all the other MMOs that I have played, I kept playing longer than I really wanted to because I would miss my game friends/guildmates. Many of these people have become my friends in real life. And though my main character is in a fantastic kin that creates and hosts many player-created events, it's just not the same. There's no need for me to group in landscape, so I don't meet or socialize with people on my server outside of my kin.

Turbine seems to think they are a platform game and not an MMO. They have been ignoring the social aspect of the game for a very long time. Also, while the decision to offer both a F2P and subscriber model was reportedly lucrative at first, I think in the long run it has damaged the game. The developers can no longer create things purely for customer enjoyment. Now every single thing they create has to tie-in to the store, it has to lead the non-subscribing player to a purchase. This has cheapened the game, in my opinion.

Ah well. What the heck do I know? These are just my opinions. But I'd love to see the game flourish again.

[Celembar]

All they need to do is make 2 or 3 classic instances ( at least ).
Turbine need to address the problem of nothing fun to do at the level cap ( apart from PvP, but Turbine don't seem to care about that), instead of brushing the problem under the carpet whilst so many players are un-subbing each day.
They also need to create new loot for the instances we have already, there is little to no incentive to run T2 instances any more.
Please can Turbine address these problems instead of focusing on petty gimmicks such as hobnanigans etc

[Sthrax]

I don't like the decisions Turbine has made over the course of the last two years, but U15 won't be anymore make or break than any other update over the last few years. Most of the people playing now are here because its Middle Earth, not because of the fantastic raid content, or group content, or fun systems. It is easier and cheaper to cater to those players than the others and most of those players will stick it out to the end no matter what the stae of the game is.

[Rozalinde]

They have been ignoring the social aspect of the game for a very long time.

This is the highlight for me. In my opinion, the social aspect of the game is the most important "sticky" part of the game. By "sticky", I mean it encourages people to stick around even if they're feeling temporarily bored or disillusioned. Group play (raids, instances, skirms, and the like) are an important aspect of the social game (side-note: yes, I want this area improved). But group play is not the only aspect. There are other potential "socializing" features that have been overlooked or sidelined--such as Housing and Kinships.

I'm hopeful when I hear about the upcoming improvements to the Music System--another huge "sticky" socializing feature. I'm crossing my fingers that this sort of effort is extended to other areas as well.

[Almagnus1]

Your age discrimination and bias is troubling. As for me, when I think about the "Good old days." I think if I could go back to High School in the mid to late 60s, knowing what I know now, there would not be a girl safe and I would be a straight A+++ student.

I see the metaphor was lost on you.....

[matalan]

I don't like the decisions Turbine has made over the course of the last two years, but U15 won't be anymore make or break than any other update over the last few years. Most of the people playing now are here because its Middle Earth, not because of the fantastic raid content, or group content, or fun systems. It is easier and cheaper to cater to those players than the others and most of those players will stick it out to the end no matter what the stae of the game is.

This is pretty much how I feel. Turbine are incredibly fortunate to have the IP and a portion of players will just play to explore and be part of Middle Earth. Other MMOs that are essentially based on something random don't have that pull of "come and play in the world from the books or movies, see your fave characters, visit the legendary areas of X and Y". They HAVE to have compelling gameplay etc etc as it's very easy to walk away from something which doesn't have that.... "but it's the only way I can play in Middle Earth" factor.

Resting on their Laurels or however it's spelt is how I would describe it. As for U15 making the game, it can't, no way is 1 new class, 1 new epic battle and some landscape content going to make a huge turnaround. It won't break it either, as there are plenty of ME tourists. And until the $$ dip into negative for WB / Turbine, they'll carry on going.

IMO and from my POV, the best days are gone, and we can just hope things get better

[Hordvin]

Funny thing that we have this "Update XX will make or break" Thread not for the first time :-)

To be honest, whatever the TE demands it won´t be in it. There where many statements that no classical instances will be implemented. So I guess we will face new big battles, more essences and another kind of dailie rep whatever grind like we have since HYtbold.

[bambubambubambu]

Funny thing that we have this "Update XX will make or break" Thread not for the first time :-)

Yep. Been here since the start and pretty sure someone has said this about every update.

I reckon this ain't gonna be the one neither.

[Elpinto22]

Yep. Been here since the start and pretty sure someone has said this about every update.

I reckon this ain't gonna be the one neither.

Agreed.... I just spent a few weeks on a whirl wind tour checking out the competition.... GW2, Rift, Arch Age, ESO, etc... You want to see dumbed down. Yeesh!

Some of those look like they need an xbox controller. When I fired up Lotro last evening for the fist time in 3 days, I was blown away once again by the graphics. I must be spoiled... I've been playing turbine since the 90's and nothing else seems to measure up....Anyway, I'm not much of a Raider so I am not affected by the instance and raid stuff or lack thereof... Sure would like to see what Turbine has on the burner next though!

[Nymphonic]

Funny thing that we have this "Update XX will make or break" Thread not for the first time :-)

To be honest, whatever the TE demands it won´t be in it. There where many statements that no classical instances will be implemented. So I guess we will face new big battles, more essences and another kind of dailie rep whatever grind like we have since HYtbold.

Yep. Been here since the start and pretty sure someone has said this about every update.

I reckon this ain't gonna be the one neither.

Yeah, I've been hearing the "make it or break it line" in every mmo for the last 15 years.

[BangoTwinkletoes]

Yeah, I've been hearing the "make it or break it line" in every mmo for the last 15 years.

The issue with "Cry Wolf" is that in the end, when the situation does come to pass, people don't or won't recognise it.

[Amariel28]

This makes me think of those people that sold all their possessions and then went to wait on a mountaintop on 12/12/12 for the world to end. ;p

No offense to any posters here or anything. Just saying this post makes me think of that. Carry on.

[Snowlock]

As the title says, the future of this game depends on the next update.

I didn't even read the rest tbh, because it doesn't.

[Degth]

[QUOTE=Almagnus1;7238926]We've been hemorrhaging the wrong type of players since HD's launch and before.QUOTE]

Exactly who is the wrong type of player? Those who enjoy the game for what it is?
Not exactly an endearing statement to those that are still playing.

[Vulcwen]

Yeah, I've been hearing the "make it or break it line" in every mmo for the last 15 years.

Well.. than I guess the answer I gave last time would work again:
Neither

[Volsi]

Make it or break it?

We have had our NGE
It has "Jumped the Shark"

Make or break has passed, its now a sprint to the finish line before bleeding out.

[Linnier]

Games already broke, nothing left to make. Its over and headed down the path of destruction.

[bambubambubambu]

its now a sprint to the finish line before bleeding out.

Well, being a Burglar, I'll stick around and loot the bodies then. Just part of the job.

[RJFerret]

Depends on it! I daresay it does. Many that succeed deserve failure. And some that fail deserve success. Can you give it to them? Then do not be to eager to deal out judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.

U15 will have players return to play, but probably not as many as U14 brought back.

U15 will have lots of complaints about the lack of increase in level cap. Complaints about all the mounted combat content. Complaints about the imbued system, and how it was implemented to be such a grind. Complaints about the expansion of the Essence system and how all the suggestions from players about "how it should be" were ignored. Complaints about the Beorning class. Complaints about why the Beorning starts at first level and suggestions it should have been at level 50 or level cap. There will be complaints about the new Battle, about how it should not focus on group play, it should not have been a three-person, it should not have been a six-person, or it should not have been a raid sized Battle. There will be complaints about all the new bugs.

However Lotro won't break. It won't matter if U15 comes out in November or October. If it comes out in December there'll be a smaller influx of returning players due to other distractions. Those players will come back end of Jan. through March, like previous years. The college students off for Dec. will be around like usual.

Folks who were given annual subscriptions as gifts for xmas will play more. Folks who were given toilet paper as gifts will spend it on regions in the store.

15.1 will help. 15.2 should get rid of the last of the regular bugs. The Beorning class will still be unbalanced.

Then posts will start to show up about how U16 will make or break Lotro.

PS edit: 3,000th post, scary.

[robbie1435]

That's funny, I saw a thread titled the same about HD.

[Dernudan]

As the title says, the future of this game depends on the next update.

We've been hemorrhaging the wrong type of players since HD's launch and before. As many of the forum goers aren't especially fond of the raiding/PvMP crowd, they do generate a lot of free advertising in the form of YouTube videos and TwitchTV streams, among other medium. As many in the crowd as tend to be very into the game, they also act as evangelists that help bring in others to the game.

This also plays into what goes on with server life, and as you have those players grouping and raiding, you also get a bunch of others emulating it, which means that GLFF gets filled more with "LFF Peeps 4 Awesome Thing" rather than the usual old men whinging about the good old days.

Then there's systems and issues that have gone unfixed for so long, which (unfortunately) sends the signal to the playerbase that Turbine just doesn't care - despite that (likely) being very far from the truth. I speak of stuff like the LI system, and the insane grind and randomness associated with too much stuff in the game. A little randomness I can tolerate, provided it's doing something fun (like running through HoC to get the MBA), but not so much randomness that it's looks like Turbine lifted something from Diablo 3.

Then there's the system that basically killed alting for me: the LI system. While we have had the issue acknowledged, there's been little talk about what the fix is going to be.

Then comes timeliness, which brings me to U15. U15 needs to be out sooner, rather than later. While U14 provided decent solo content, and actually gave us an interesting set of group toys for about a week, the turn in grind - simply put - wasn't worth the effort as all it did was unlock solo quests that I could care less about. Many of us would have liked for the Paths of the Dead to have unlocked some form of group content, but it didn't. At this point in the game, as I have been basically playing a captain for as long as my account has existed, warbands hold little interest now, because they are generally too easy - with the lone exception of the Wildemore ones.

I came to LotRO expecting to enjoy Middle-earth with my friends through various instances and raids. That need was met for a long time, but it really hasn't been met for at least two updates as the recent content produced is too easy to hold any interest, and running through the old content for the 9001st time. The captain was an awesome class for that, but not having the difficulty needed to make support roles shine means that devolving to a part of the trinity is all that's left.

So yeah, here's to hoping U15 brings us another renaissance, cause we're screwed otherwise.

Im gonna stay out of this thread for the most part, just gonna tell you to try some of the improved T2C stuff with your friends because it is very challenging and fun (especially raids) as of u14 in regards to the last paragraph.

[Ingiogal]

As the title says, the future of this game depends on the next update.

Probably not. The dozens of other threads that have predicted this doom have not come to pass so I know the way I'm gonna bet. Moving on...

LOTRO is not in the happiest place it could be. There are things I would change to the game if it were up to me. But I'm not Turbine so it's not up to me. Moving on...

I'm actually looking forward to U15 and getting to see LOTRO through the gameplay of a new class. Moving on...


Let us pray to Eru Illuvatar in this our hour of need:

Grant me a vacation to make bearable the things I cannot change.
A friend to make it funny.
The wisdom to never get my knickers in a knot because it solves nothing and makes me walk funny.

Above all, Eru, wielder of the Flame Imperishable, give me patience . . . Because, if you give me strength, I'm gonna need bail money to go with it.

Moving on...

[Octaviane]

As the title says, the future of this game depends on the next update.

We've been hemorrhaging the wrong type of players since HD's launch and before. As many of the forum goers aren't especially fond of the raiding/PvMP crowd, they do generate a lot of free advertising in the form of YouTube videos and TwitchTV streams, among other medium. As many in the crowd as tend to be very into the game, they also act as evangelists that help bring in others to the game.

This also plays into what goes on with server life, and as you have those players grouping and raiding, you also get a bunch of others emulating it, which means that GLFF gets filled more with "LFF Peeps 4 Awesome Thing" rather than the usual old men whinging about the good old days.

Then there's systems and issues that have gone unfixed for so long, which (unfortunately) sends the signal to the playerbase that Turbine just doesn't care - despite that (likely) being very far from the truth. I speak of stuff like the LI system, and the insane grind and randomness associated with too much stuff in the game. A little randomness I can tolerate, provided it's doing something fun (like running through HoC to get the MBA), but not so much randomness that it's looks like Turbine lifted something from Diablo 3.

Then there's the system that basically killed alting for me: the LI system. While we have had the issue acknowledged, there's been little talk about what the fix is going to be.

Then comes timeliness, which brings me to U15. U15 needs to be out sooner, rather than later. While U14 provided decent solo content, and actually gave us an interesting set of group toys for about a week, the turn in grind - simply put - wasn't worth the effort as all it did was unlock solo quests that I could care less about. Many of us would have liked for the Paths of the Dead to have unlocked some form of group content, but it didn't. At this point in the game, as I have been basically playing a captain for as long as my account has existed, warbands hold little interest now, because they are generally too easy - with the lone exception of the Wildemore ones.

I came to LotRO expecting to enjoy Middle-earth with my friends through various instances and raids. That need was met for a long time, but it really hasn't been met for at least two updates as the recent content produced is too easy to hold any interest, and running through the old content for the 9001st time. The captain was an awesome class for that, but not having the difficulty needed to make support roles shine means that devolving to a part of the trinity is all that's left.

So yeah, here's to hoping U15 brings us another renaissance, cause we're screwed otherwise.

Please stop. We have seen this kind of thread since forever, time to give it a rest and wait and see what happens. Please remember that each update in ANY MMO will make or break the game for someone. We all have choices at that point. If we like it enough, we stay, if not we leave. Since you do not appear to have the privilege of being a fly on the wall at Turbine, you can't possibly know for sure what is being planned or discussed, you can only speculate, like most everyone else. You're entitled to do that certainly, but let's not throw doom and gloom on U15 just yet. Thanks.