The Zeal of the Newly Converted

I’m in love.

The (Famous) Prancing Pony

(Pictured: The Prancing Pony tavern of Lord of the Rings Online)

I know LOTRO and I are still on our honeymoon. I know I have the flush and the zeal of the newly converted, but, I AM SMITTEN.

I was swept off my feet. I wasn’t looking to make a big commitment — I just wanted a little fun on the side — and I have fallen hard for this game. Maybe you won’t love her like I do, and that’s ok, because she and I have something special right now. I don’t know if the end game will be as rich and carefree as our early days together have been, but if it is … I am so DOWN with this game.

I LOVE that there’s a “Pie-Eating Champion”.

Pie Eating Champion

(See? Hi, Cardinal Phang! You’re almost famous.)

I LOVE that I’m reading quest text now. I was a click-through questor from way back. Ya, ya, ya, we all have problems, Joe NPC, what do I need to kill/fetch/deliver? Now, I’m like: Brigands you say?? Stealing your weed, eh? THOSE BASTARDS! Sit tight, lil hobbit, I’m on the case.

I LOVE that the Old Forest is one of the spookiest in-game experiences I’ve ever had. I’m swatting flies, on my way to see a lady about some water, and the trees (elite ones, mind you) start creaking and moving. Thought me: I’m so dead, I’m so dead, I’m so dead, why didn’t I bring friends like the lippy NPC suggested?

I LOVE that the pre-order Founders’ in-game extra items are worth a damn.

I LOVE the area kill messages, or was killed by, as the case may be. Ok, I actually only LOVE the “was killed by” messages.

I LOVE the /music system where players can perform their own music with in-game instruments. I love that most of it is incredibly bad and that I would also be bad, but it’s depth and flavor.

I LOVE the crafting system, with farmers and foresters and scholars, although I’m not a crafter myself usually. I don’t know why we need pipe weed yet, but if I can blow dragon smoke-rings, call me a smoker.

I don’t even know all that I’ll love about my new mistress yet, but I’m eager to discover all the ways. Please GOD, let me love this game past level 20.

I can hardly wait to be with her again.

23 thoughts on “The Zeal of the Newly Converted

  1. They’ve got me for at least 3 more months. I’m dying to find out how the Monster v. Players in the Ettenmoors plays out and develops. Its PvP with a real ingame purpose and that is intriguing. Watching a horde of spiders and wolves decend on an unwary fellowship…can’t wait.

    Although Monsters need more abilities. Players will be packing on the powers all the way up to 50 and Monsters are left with 8 things they can do?

  2. Photon, LOTRO sounds interesting. Please describe the game to those who will not be in the beta. Please make comparisons from lotro and WOW. Explain how crafting works, how the fighting works, and classes work.
    I read their website and there is not a whole lot of info there.

  3. Steven, their “World Tour” or open beta is open now. Just sign up and anyone can join it. 🙂

  4. I enjoy it enough that I plan to pre-order another copy so I can start building my crafting empire and be ready to go launch day. Admittedly, I don’t know how the end game pans out, but it’s nice that so far it is nothing like the endless gear grindfest that WoW is.

  5. I was skeptical, but after reading your earlier blog a few days ago I downloaded the beta. After logging in at 4p.m. on saturday I played almost straight through until I realized the sun had gone down and come back up.

    I then cancelled my WoW account and pre-ordered LOTRO. Goodbye Dreaming, hello Seolfor of Rohan.

  6. Pingback: A Wizard Is Never Late, Frodo Baggins at MMOG Nation

  7. The most important point so far: the level 15 limit is really low. This comes to play in several different ways.

    You have to create alts or explore crafting. Level 15 is a weekend of modest dedication, with a day being certainly possible. It’s really nice to be able to explore the different races’ starting areas and get into crafting without getting that ‘left behind’ itch. There’s no pressure to skip quest text or otherwise rush, which is appropriate for this world.

    Inevitably, running out of levels leads to crafting. This is moderately interesting, but as a rule raw materials are highly contested, leading to a skewed economy and lots of running around racing other dwarves to that copper node. This gets old. I don’t think I would like it if I didn’t know I get to keep my character. I preordered in order to get in before the World Tour, but that extra 2 weeks now seems meaningless compared to the perk of keeping your progress, something I’d undervalued by thinking only in terms of levels which could be easily regained. If your goal is mastery of one or more professions, you’re up against an investment much greater than just leveling to 15.

  8. leading to a skewed economy and lots of running around racing other dwarves to that copper node. This gets old

    This is being addressed, and was stated in one of the Dev chats. After all, it is Beta.

    I LOVE that the pre-order Founders’ in-game extra items are worth a damn.

    I thought so at first also – and then I hit around level 10 or 12. Very disappointing, the postmaster quest has a far better cloak as a reward. But still, it was nice to have those items for the lower levels!

  9. Meh, seems this aint the festive WoW banter blog anymore. Well it was nice reading ya, have fun in LoTR :).
    Personally I will never start another mmo, I first need to get the wow addiction off me (wich isnt happening anytime soon) , but if I ever am at a stage where i can consider anything but WoW then hell I’ll welcome it to not be playing at all.

  10. Pfft. As if I could get away from the WoW guild so easily. Have to go clear Karazhan tomorrow.

    And there’s still some WoW stories I haven’t told. Like the one night in Karazhan when we (err, mostly me) were making fun of a former guildmember, only to have our HEALER (healadin) tell us he was now dating her irl, and he’ll thank me to keep my damn mouth shut. Lemmetellya, that was awkward.

  11. No heals for foton ^^

    Thank you Meh for making it feel alright to still be so into WoW, although I could see switching to LOTRO as easy as pie, I just don’t want to…

    Having said that, seeing as my other half is a total Tolkien-head, perhaps he might get into this one. He was never really into WoW and recently only uses it as a way to get hold of me… *grin*

  12. Shame that Ettinmoors is all that the end game offers … as in no raiding as yet, which im not sure is a good or bad thing.

    I had chance to get to near-end game (mid 40’s) on my beta character, and ettinmoors monster pvp thing is highly overrated in my opinion but as you need to level your character to progress in there as appossed to everyone getting access to a monster at lvl 15, beta was full of 30-40 vs a group of us… not fun, but that will change in time I suppose. As for the founders thing being usefull, well the most usefull items are the ones that help you get a head start, and I think that was their intent. Not to be a item you will use all the way to fifty?

    Don’t know what you were expecting really on that.

  13. I’m having quite the opposite reaction. LoTRO is leaving me completely flat. I was really enjoying the story arc instances, but then I started getting hit with kill-ten-wolves, a spider dungeon with ridiculous camera and aggro management issues, and a crafting system that seems, on the tiny bit of the surface I’ve scratched, more tedious than deep. I’ll be into the music system when I can defeat raid bosses by playing dueling banjos with them.

    I think I might be burned out on MMOs altogether. In any case, no preorder for me, as vacation plans have me spending all of May away from the gaming PC.

  14. well the most usefull items are the ones that help you get a head start, and I think that was their intent. Not to be a item you will use all the way to fifty?

    yeah but it would be nice if you had something to show in game that lasted for a bit more than say 4 hours (max) of play time 😛

  15. Dear World of Warcraft,

    I will never love you more than I do right now, this moment, when I’m still a noob — marveling at your newness, enjoying your not-EQness, thinking you’re wonderful in every way. I sprint off to complete your dumass quests with a skip in my step; I cheerfully interact with every NPC; I play with all your options, tenderly, never too harsh with the textures, my love.

    Foton, November 8th, 2004

    Those who do not learn from history are doomed….

    …eh, why do I bother.

  16. Seriously? Did you see the part of what you quoted that said 2004? Your dire warning is you’re not careful you might only enjoy LOTRO for 2.5 years?

    DANGER, YOUR ENJOYMENT MAY ONLY LAST LONGER THAN MOST PREMARITAL RELATIONSHIPS.

  17. Nordee,

    I know! I know! My love is doomed. Think I realized that even then. The rest of my WoW love letter:

    You must know it’s doomed between us. You know this can’t last. Nerfs will divide us. Server restarts will try my patience. I will tire of your NPC prattle; MY GOD, how much social interaction can one man fake take? Leveling you will become a chore.

    I will call you “out of touch”. I may call you The New Nexus of Evil. I may even cite your past (ahem) indiscretions in player relations. You will label me “demanding”, “unreasonable” even. I’m a cheat, a liar, a thief, you will say.

    I’ve been down this road before with other loves. At most, it was three, I swear to you.

    O GOD, it was at least two DOZEN. But they meant nothing to me! I’ve never felt this way before (since a year ago).

    We’re doomed. But right now, let’s enjoy the moment. I will never love you like this again.

    Your servant,
    Foton

  18. Foresight is scary, isn’t it?

    Nothing can come close to the passion of a new love. 😉

  19. Nothing can come close to the passion of a new love

    Except for the excitement of burying an old one in a dark field somewhere without getting caught
    oh wait…..

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