LOTRO You need to do a better job of setting the hook.

[HardestyGrimwall]

I first came to Lotro maybe a year ago and I looked it over, and was intrigued
'
I downloaded the game and started playing and soon became uninterested because I didn't feel the The Lord Of The Rings experience

Yeah sure Strider is there for a short time in the intro, and you can see glimpse of Mr Underhill and the boys in the Hobbit tutorial

but nothing overtly said...THIS IS LORD OF THE RINGS

and so I dropped it

a couple of months ago I came back to give it another sniff.....because I was already aware of what I considered to be a loose association with the story line I was not disappointed. Yes you have the maps, the names, the characters and classes (although the Classes most associated with story in my mind are unplayable...that being Ranger which is approximated with a warden or a wizard - approximated by the Lore Master)

Perhaps a stronger video introduction is needed, or a starting area more tied to people's consciousness of the story. Archet? yeah a sort of kind of remember that on the map somewhere. Perhaps the Intro can take place in Rohan, or Gondor Or Minas Tirith Or Bag End someplace the average LOTR fan is well aware of, then as you finish the intro, send them out to Bree and Erud Luin


All I know is my first impression was "meh, interesting game but it doesn't make me feel a part of LOTR"

If you had set that hook earlier...I probably would have stayed the first time. So if you lost me, you probably lost others

[Pontin_Finnberry]

I first came to Lotro maybe a year ago and I looked it over, and was intrigued
'
I downloaded the game and started playing and soon became uninterested because I didn't feel the The Lord Of The Rings experience

Yeah sure Strider is there for a short time in the intro, and you can see glimpse of Mr Underhill and the boys in the Hobbit tutorial

but nothing overtly said...THIS IS LORD OF THE RINGS

and so I dropped it

a couple of months ago I came back to give it another sniff.....because I was already aware of what I considered to be a loose association with the story line I was not disappointed. Yes you have the maps, the names, the characters and classes (although the Classes most associated with story in my mind are unplayable...that being Ranger which is approximated with a warden or a wizard - approximated by the Lore Master)

Perhaps a stronger video introduction is needed, or a starting area more tied to people's consciousness of the story. Archet? yeah a sort of kind of remember that on the map somewhere. Perhaps the Intro can take place in Rohan, or Gondor Or Minas Tirith Or Bag End someplace the average LOTR fan is well aware of, then as you finish the intro, send them out to Bree and Erud Luin


All I know is my first impression was "meh, interesting game but it doesn't make me feel a part of LOTR"

If you had set that hook earlier...I probably would have stayed the first time. So if you lost me, you probably lost others

Your opinion when i play i feel like I'm part of LOTR and been playing now for over 4 years now.

[HardestyGrimwall]

Your opinion when i play i feel like I'm part of LOTR and been playing now for over 4 years now.

So do I now that I have pushed into the game.....I was speaking of first impressions

[Roberto_the_First]

You should have started as a dwarf - lots of iconic characters in that intro

[Requiemslove]

I first came to Lotro maybe a year ago and I looked it over, and was intrigued
'
I downloaded the game and started playing and soon became uninterested because I didn't feel the The Lord Of The Rings experience

Yeah sure Strider is there for a short time in the intro, and you can see glimpse of Mr Underhill and the boys in the Hobbit tutorial

but nothing overtly said...THIS IS LORD OF THE RINGS

and so I dropped it

a couple of months ago I came back to give it another sniff.....because I was already aware of what I considered to be a loose association with the story line I was not disappointed. Yes you have the maps, the names, the characters and classes (although the Classes most associated with story in my mind are unplayable...that being Ranger which is approximated with a warden or a wizard - approximated by the Lore Master)

Perhaps a stronger video introduction is needed, or a starting area more tied to people's consciousness of the story. Archet? yeah a sort of kind of remember that on the map somewhere. Perhaps the Intro can take place in Rohan, or Gondor Or Minas Tirith Or Bag End someplace the average LOTR fan is well aware of, then as you finish the intro, send them out to Bree and Erud Luin


All I know is my first impression was "meh, interesting game but it doesn't make me feel a part of LOTR"

If you had set that hook earlier...I probably would have stayed the first time. So if you lost me, you probably lost others

Actually I feel the only weak class and race in so far as starting location is concerned, is the Beorning.

[oldbadgerbrock]

Yeah sure Strider is there for a short time in the intro...

What's funny about that, is that Strider wasn't originally in the Man/Hobbit newbie area; he's more or less a recent addition. You used to have to wait to see him until you got to Bree (much like Frodo, Sam, Merry & Pippin in Tolkien's novel). Play an Elf or Dwarf, and you'll get to see Elrohir, Elladan and their father Elrond as well as Dwalin of Thorin & Company fame.

That being said, I think if you'd merely opened your map to see all the lands you'd eventually travel to you'd seen that your character was indeed is in Tolkien's Middle-earth.

[Urwendil]

Re: Archet

By contrast to the OP's experience it was among what kept me hooked in the first place; ie. that they were fleshing out the rest of the world and building up their own stories.

[Witch0King]

Re: Archet

By contrast to the OP's experience it was among what kept me hooked in the first place; ie. that they were fleshing out the rest of the world and building up their own stories.

Exactly. Not only working through the mainstream, but actually building the world of Middle Earth.

[Nymphonic]

I first came to Lotro maybe a year ago and I looked it over, and was intrigued
'
I downloaded the game and started playing and soon became uninterested because I didn't feel the The Lord Of The Rings experience

Yeah sure Strider is there for a short time in the intro, and you can see glimpse of Mr Underhill and the boys in the Hobbit tutorial

but nothing overtly said...THIS IS LORD OF THE RINGS

and so I dropped it

a couple of months ago I came back to give it another sniff.....because I was already aware of what I considered to be a loose association with the story line I was not disappointed. Yes you have the maps, the names, the characters and classes (although the Classes most associated with story in my mind are unplayable...that being Ranger which is approximated with a warden or a wizard - approximated by the Lore Master)

Perhaps a stronger video introduction is needed, or a starting area more tied to people's consciousness of the story. Archet? yeah a sort of kind of remember that on the map somewhere. Perhaps the Intro can take place in Rohan, or Gondor Or Minas Tirith Or Bag End someplace the average LOTR fan is well aware of, then as you finish the intro, send them out to Bree and Erud Luin


All I know is my first impression was "meh, interesting game but it doesn't make me feel a part of LOTR"

If you had set that hook earlier...I probably would have stayed the first time. So if you lost me, you probably lost others

I have to disagree here. I remember vividly my first day here. I started in Archet and was instantly hooked because it had that "Middle Earth feel". I disagree a lot with the gameplay decisions over the years, but the world builders have always nailed Middle Earth straight on from day one until now.

[Wolfhelm]

Re: Archet

By contrast to the OP's experience it was among what kept me hooked in the first place; ie. that they were fleshing out the rest of the world and building up their own stories.

Couldn't agree more, when I saw that some of the early expansion areas were Lake Evendim and Annuminas, closely followed by Forochel, I realised this was a serious attempt at a real recreation of Middle-earth, and that was the true hook for me. Of course the experience would be different for everyone, depending on the level of their involvement in the story, or in fact on whether they'd read the book or only seen the movies.

[Nosdracir]

I have to disagree with the OP as well. I wonder if this is because I've read the trilogy so many times that I recognize every place and person mentioned in them.


I started in closed beta before Ered Luin was available, so everyone went through the same tutorial.

Oooh! A Nazgul! Am I going to die at level 1?

Archet! So if I just run down this road dodging wolves and brigands I'll get to Bree. Cool! Oh, there's a whole bunch of plug-uglies blocking the gate. Guess I have to deal with that first.

Finally get down the road to Combe and then Staddle, all familiar names from many readings of the trilogy. Have to go kill some neekers in the Midgewater Marshes. The setting sun lights up a huge hill in the distance. Weathertop! That's got to be Weathertop!

Wait, I haven't made it into Bree yet. Go check out Bree. There's the Prancing Pony. There's Harry Goatleaf at the West Gate. I can just go to The Shire right now, but I haven't finished exploring Bree, and I need to go kill some neekers and help that poor dog in Staddle. Head explodes.

[Nymphonic]

I have to disagree with the OP as well. I wonder if this is because I've read the trilogy so many times that I recognize every place and person mentioned in them.


I started in closed beta before Ered Luin was available, so everyone went through the same tutorial.

Oooh! A Nazgul! Am I going to die at level 1?

Archet! So if I just run down this road dodging wolves and brigands I'll get to Bree. Cool! Oh, there's a whole bunch of plug-uglies blocking the gate. Guess I have to deal with that first.

Finally get down the road to Combe and then Staddle, all familiar names from many readings of the trilogy. Have to go kill some neekers in the Midgewater Marshes. The setting sun lights up a huge hill in the distance. Weathertop! That's got to be Weathertop!

Wait, I haven't made it into Bree yet. Go check out Bree. There's the Prancing Pony. There's Harry Goatleaf at the West Gate. I can just go to The Shire right now, but I haven't finished exploring Bree, and I need to go kill some neekers and help that poor dog in Staddle. Head explodes.

That's how I was. I recognized the places that I had read about in the books and I was like a hungry kid in a candy store.

[Brandon_Blackbird]

I have to disagree with the OP as well. I wonder if this is because I've read the trilogy so many times that I recognize every place and person mentioned in them.


I started in closed beta before Ered Luin was available, so everyone went through the same tutorial.

Oooh! A Nazgul! Am I going to die at level 1?

Archet! So if I just run down this road dodging wolves and brigands I'll get to Bree. Cool! Oh, there's a whole bunch of plug-uglies blocking the gate. Guess I have to deal with that first.

Finally get down the road to Combe and then Staddle, all familiar names from many readings of the trilogy. Have to go kill some neekers in the Midgewater Marshes. The setting sun lights up a huge hill in the distance. Weathertop! That's got to be Weathertop!

Wait, I haven't made it into Bree yet. Go check out Bree. There's the Prancing Pony. There's Harry Goatleaf at the West Gate. I can just go to The Shire right now, but I haven't finished exploring Bree, and I need to go kill some neekers and help that poor dog in Staddle. Head explodes.

Same here, but add getting so attached to Amdir and THEN THAT HAPPENS I was so mad. But finally meeting Strider after several levels of anticipation, it was fantastic. I was really upset when they changed the intros and I still don't think it was a good idea.

[EnelyaMorna]

I do kind of agree with the OP, especially about the Elf introduction at least. Sure Elrond is there, and Dwalin a bit later, but not a lot else is familiar. You don't get thrown in at the time of the story you know, unlike with the Hobbit and race of man intros. Edhelion and Skorgrim are unknowns, you don't know what the battle is that you're taking part in, and it also takes you a while to get through the Celondim part of the story to get to Bree and finally to some familiar faces and situations. I tell friends who are new to the game to give it a while, and they will eventually become involved in Lord of the Rings as they know it Good point about familiarity with the stories though - maybe I had more trouble because I'd not read the books for a while when I started the game. Ered Luin and Dwalin at least would have meant more.

I love the encounter with the Nazgul and the Hobbits on the road in the Hobbit intro, though. That gets you right into the action

[Radhruin_EU]

I have to disagree with the OP as well. I wonder if this is because I've read the trilogy so many times that I recognize every place and person mentioned in them.

And yet you don't seem to have noticed how the game's Prancing Pony doesn't match the description in the book. Seeing the sign outside telling you what it is isn't 'recognising' anything, it's just being told

Likewise, apart from details like the hedge around it, the game's Bree is really very little like it was in the book. Big fancy houses and other buildings, paved streets, fountains, Dwarves apparently living there (as opposed to just passing through), armed guards - that's really just a generic FRPG hub town with a couple of PoIs tacked on to make it 'Bree', sort of. Very sort of. Plus what the hell has killing neeker-breekers really got to do with experiencing Middle-earth? The originals weren't big, just real loud! So I'm not seeing how any of that contradicts the OP, as such. Mind you, the OP's expectations seem both overly specific and inconsistent... not being able to play a Ranger doesn't somehow make it not LOTR, and as for wizards... /facepalm, of course those guys had to be NPCs! And if it were really trying to have an authentic atmosphere then magic would be in very short supply indeed.

[Nymphonic]

And yet you don't seem to have noticed how the game's Prancing Pony doesn't match the description in the book. Seeing the sign outside telling you what it is isn't 'recognising' anything, it's just being told

Likewise, apart from details like the hedge around it, the game's Bree is really very little like it was in the book. Big fancy houses and other buildings, paved streets, fountains, Dwarves apparently living there (as opposed to just passing through), armed guards - that's really just a generic FRPG hub town with a couple of PoIs tacked on to make it 'Bree', sort of. Very sort of. Plus what the hell has killing neeker-breekers really got to do with experiencing Middle-earth? The originals weren't big, just real loud! So I'm not seeing how any of that contradicts the OP, as such. Mind you, the OP's expectations seem both overly specific and inconsistent... not being able to play a Ranger doesn't somehow make it not LOTR, and as for wizards... /facepalm, of course those guys had to be NPCs! And if it were really trying to have an authentic atmosphere then magic would be in very short supply indeed.

Maybe so, but the atmosphere is dead on.

[Lady_Lethargy]

I think Bree is well done, although, to be fair, I pictured it as being slightly less laggy in the books.

Note: I never thought I'd turn into one of those annoying guys that whines about the lag in every post, but seriously, Turbine. Do something.

[Urwendil]

I think Bree is well done, although, to be fair, I pictured it as being slightly less laggy in the books.

Note: I never thought I'd turn into one of those annoying guys that whines about the lag in every post, but seriously, Turbine. Do something.

Hahaha! That made my morning, thanks!

[Nymphonic]

I think Bree is well done, although, to be fair, I pictured it as being slightly less laggy in the books.

Note: I never thought I'd turn into one of those annoying guys that whines about the lag in every post, but seriously, Turbine. Do something.

Not too many things on the Internet can make me lol in RL, but this did!

[Radhruin_EU]

Maybe so, but the atmosphere is dead on.

What are you using as a basis for comparison? Bree is meant to resemble an English country village (that's without a doubt what Tolkien was thinking of, as like some other places in the book it was inspired by somewhere real) but you'd never, ever know that from Turbine's version. See, I know what an English village feels like (and it's not hard to imagine an 'olde worlde' version with resident hobbits and the odd visiting Dwarf) and this ain't it, not even close. This feels like your typical fantasy hub town, instead. Now inside the Pony does seem more like it, but then it'd have been hard to get that wrong. (Not that Turbine can't make a complete hash of interiors as well, as one look at the Last Homely House or Meduseld demonstrates... sometimes I can't imagine what they were even thinking).

[Xhiu]

Same here, but add getting so attached to Amdir and THEN THAT HAPPENS I was so mad. But finally meeting Strider after several levels of anticipation, it was fantastic. I was really upset when they changed the intros and I still don't think it was a good idea.

I'm with you on that... but I don't think it was Harry Goatleaf at the west gate. I'm pretty sure it was Bill Ferny. I say that because when I finally got to Bree, "Wonder if he is aggro..." is what I thought and if the time line was correct he wouldn't be there. I didn't remember the name Harry Goatleaf from the books.

Regarding Amdir:
I couldn't put my finger on it before but this is why I was disappointed with the change. Currently, I don't give a flying fig about Amdir. I've done the intro's so many times that I do know what is going to happen, BUT...
As I re-do The Horn of Gondor on occasion I invariably get a slight feeling despair/frustration knowing what is going to happen but wanting to change the outcome. This is the drama. When we traveled to Archet with Amdir we got to know him. He was our first NPC companion. -He- saved us, putting his life between us and the Nazgul. We didn't see Strider until V1B1. At this point *I* still thought we could save Amdir. And the first time I did the instance where he *spoilers*hehe- gets killed and we have to do it, I was torn. How can I do this to the guy that saved me? Now when I get to that point, not only is the instance easier, neither here nor there, I really don't care. I have no investment in the character, consequently no investment in the change. I'm just taking out the pixels. I dunno who's idea it was to introduce Aragorn in the intro but imo it was a bad one. Its the reason I wanted to stay here. If it weren't for that, and the view from in front of Bag End at sunset, and the view of Rivendell the first time I'd still be playing Dark Age of Camelot. [cuz I wudn't have become a founder and I'd only pay for one sub... among other things]

IMO they had a great hook. It just wasn't in the intro.

[Marancil]

I don't know.

There is an obvious recognition from the books, and some from the movies, but it is not spot on, it is an approximation to Middle Earth. A good one, but there are many differences, adaptations to make this a playable game. It does not follow the linear story of the books, and when it does it focuses on events that have been selected to somehow fit an instance or a session-play. Boy I hate session plays.

There is no adventure in the barrow-downs where Bilbo got Sting, there is no fighting Uruk-Hai as Boromir or anyone else at Sarn Gebir. The hunt for Merry and Pippin across Rohan, what should that be, Nona and Horn? This is a game, I am hooked and I like it, but there is so much detail from the books I would like to see in game. Like the building of the armies of Isengard, the raging Ent's smashing it. I am not there yet, but is there a Cavalry attack at dawn in Minas Tirith? The visuals of the movies bring up so much from what we imagined from the books, that fails to get in to the game.

Yes, we can mount our own attack on Osgiliath in a huge Raid or Fellowship with dozens or hundreds of players, but somehow I do not see it happen.

[Brandon_Blackbird]

Regarding Amdir:
I couldn't put my finger on it before but this is why I was disappointed with the change. Currently, I don't give a flying fig about Amdir. I've done the intro's so many times that I do know what is going to happen, BUT...
As I re-do The Horn of Gondor on occasion I invariably get a slight feeling despair/frustration knowing what is going to happen but wanting to change the outcome. This is the drama. When we traveled to Archet with Amdir we got to know him. He was our first NPC companion. -He- saved us, putting his life between us and the Nazgul. We didn't see Strider until V1B1. At this point *I* still thought we could save Amdir. And the first time I did the instance where he *spoilers*hehe- gets killed and we have to do it, I was torn. How can I do this to the guy that saved me? Now when I get to that point, not only is the instance easier, neither here nor there, I really don't care. I have no investment in the character, consequently no investment in the change. I'm just taking out the pixels. I dunno who's idea it was to introduce Aragorn in the intro but imo it was a bad one. Its the reason I wanted to stay here. If it weren't for that, and the view from in front of Bag End at sunset, and the view of Rivendell the first time I'd still be playing Dark Age of Camelot. [cuz I wudn't have become a founder and I'd only pay for one sub... among other things]

IMO they had a great hook. It just wasn't in the intro.

All this exactly with Amdir. I gasped out loud when he transformed and felt betrayed, like the game didn't let me do all I could to save him.

[Sito_Origami]

Re: Archet

By contrast to the OP's experience it was among what kept me hooked in the first place; ie. that they were fleshing out the rest of the world and building up their own stories.

Yes, completely agree. I had struggled to finish the book after a couple of failed attempts in the 1990s, but really didn't retain anything. The movies came along, and it started to make a big more sense. Within a few minutes of playing LOTRO, though, my eyes were opened wide to what Middle Earth was really all about. Being able to traverse the terrain helped me fit it all together, and encouraged me to go back to the source material and gain a new appreciation for it.

Sometimes, you just don't click with a game the first time, as the OP describes. I can think of a war simulation that people kept telling me I 'had to' try in 1999 or so. I downloaded the demo, deleted it as a boring mess, and then for some reason came back to it a few weeks or months later. That time it clicked, and I've stuck with the series for 15 years.

[Nymphonic]

What are you using as a basis for comparison? Bree is meant to resemble an English country village (that's without a doubt what Tolkien was thinking of, as like some other places in the book it was inspired by somewhere real) but you'd never, ever know that from Turbine's version. See, I know what an English village feels like (and it's not hard to imagine an 'olde worlde' version with resident hobbits and the odd visiting Dwarf) and this ain't it, not even close. This feels like your typical fantasy hub town, instead. Now inside the Pony does seem more like it, but then it'd have been hard to get that wrong. (Not that Turbine can't make a complete hash of interiors as well, as one look at the Last Homely House or Meduseld demonstrates... sometimes I can't imagine what they were even thinking).

If you're asking for exact specifics, I can't tell you because I don't know. All I can tell you is that when I first started playing it felt like I was in Middle Earth.