196: Bow Before the Worm-Slayer

[whindmarch]

Bow Before the Worm-Slayer

The Titles and Deeds systems in Lord of the Rings Online aren't just another way for players to grind: They let players express themselves and communicate with one another. Will Hindmarch looks at what makes LOTRO's achievement system different from other platforms.

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[Labyrinth]

This kind of thing is a subtle language to users. Knowing it is like learning the ropes of a community or understanding the subtext that someone employs by appearance alone. It's an extension of the idea that first impressions matter, and the same to appearances.

Such things are also advertising. Niche advertising, to be fair, but the result is similar. Just as the technical language used in industry advertising has a particular meaning to a particular group, namely professionals within it, it excludes those who don't have that kind of knowledge. Now excuse me while I fetch my cloak woven from the skin and hair of defeated level 80 Shamans and my sparkly clasp which was presented to me by the High Priestess of Geekishness.

 

[Tirithedain]

I grew tired of grinding for deeds ages ago. Grinding is getting old; it only adds to the mindless repetition of quests with the mindless repetition of deeds. Thusly it only makes the game -- you guessed it -- still mindlessly repetitive. I've seen far better alternatives in older MMOs (either ruined by SoE or ruined by EA, take your pick) and on Turbine's forums similar ideas pop up. But so far Turbine hasn't demonstrated any hint of evidence that they've gotten the message.

 

[Spacelord]

I think you finally found an MMO that does something way better than WoW. Stand by, Blizz will probably be ripping it off soon.

 

[teknoarcanist]

That gives me an idea.
What if a game were to offer achievements which total more than 1000? Once you get 1000 points, you can get no more of that game's achievements (or not without some kind of 'reset' button). So whether you chose to gain them by playing as a mage, as a warrior, or as a pacifist, they serve the purpose of rewarding you while expressing your style of play.

 

[ReverseEngineered]

I think you finally found an MMO that does something way better than WoW. Stand by, Blizz will probably be ripping it off soon.

They already did. Many of the achievements that were recently added to WoW include custom items and titles.

 

[ReverseEngineered]

I've commented heavily on every article this week, but I won't on this one. I agree with everything the author said and couldn't have said it better myself. If you want my opinion, go read this article again.

 

[playskool]

Here Here! This article was great. It eloquently stated one of the many reasons LOTRO has such longevity at my house.

 

[OrientalHero]

Hmmm, I'm not so sure it's unique to LotRO.
I'm dabbling in Everquest2 with a bunch of veteran players. They can read all sorts of infor from other players.
The fact that they are a Slayer/Hunter means they do lots of Player vs Player (PvP), the mount means some other bit of XP, the equipment borne by the character (which cannot be immediately determined but looked up out of game - heh unlike today's North Face jackets etc) also shows which rare resources have been requisitioned in it's creation (whether bought or gathered).

So I'm not entirely convinced that it's all a LotRO only thing.

 

[runtheplacered]

Hmmm, I'm not so sure it's unique to LotRO.
I'm dabbling in Everquest2 with a bunch of veteran players. They can read all sorts of infor from other players.
The fact that they are a Slayer/Hunter means they do lots of Player vs Player (PvP), the mount means some other bit of XP, the equipment borne by the character (which cannot be immediately determined but looked up out of game - heh unlike today's North Face jackets etc) also shows which rare resources have been requisitioned in it's creation (whether bought or gathered).

So I'm not entirely convinced that it's all a LotRO only thing.

That's really not the same thing, at all.

 

[Clashero]

I love Titles in Online games. I play Guild Wars, which is not about gameplay, not about story, not about the community, not about combat and not about strategy: it's about vanity. It's about showing off and looking good.
My Canthan Assassin currently has a buttloado of titles that are hard to get: Legendary Vanquisher, Grandmaster Cartographer, Saviour of Cantha, Saviour of Elona, Saviour of Tyria, all 3 Skill Hunter titles, Slayer of Gods, and Rank 6 in Heroes' Ascent, among other less meaningful ones. Yet the one I always display, no matter the situation, is called Connoisseur of Confectionaries. You get it by gaining 10,000 Sweet Tooth points, which you get by eating sweet things like cakes, cookies and candy. Why? Because it's difficult and expensive to get, and because it just sounds great.

 

[dirk45]

Really well written. Combined with the fact that more deeds enhance your quest log and the higher level deeds give you traits that allow you to enhance your character across level increasement, something which the market leader never had achieved.

 

[Nova Tendril]

I believe Guild Wars has a title system nearly identical to this. At least I recall it as having one last time I played.

 

[trollboy]

The point isn't really that the title system is unique to LOTRO, but rather that it is a more interesting form of achievements. I agree with Hindmarch, that just gathering tons of gamer points doesn't really show anything about a gamers interests of style of gaming, but a title can show interests/sense of humor/style of gameplay for a game.

 

[Soulreaverm]

This seems like a cleverly timed article.
Very sneaky Escapist staff, but I have discovered your plan!

 

[maelothir]

Hello,

This is my first post and I must say that I enjoyed Lotro far more than WOW; its a great game, great community, lovely enviorenment. I left it behind for a few months now (too busy for a MMO in my life). I was playing on server Laurelin(EN-RP).

Homever, I had achieved some great titles ingame with my man burglar (lvl 59):

The Venomous - for completing some spider quests in Helegrod instance (24 players)
The Carnivore - for eating all sorts of meat-based food
Lord of the shattered chains - for getting the chains that held Thaurlach the barlog (Rift)

 

[mukor]

I very much hate to be that guy, but the author does make it sound like this is unique and/or original to LotRO. I won't go so far as to guarantee that City of Heroes was the first to do, but it has been doing it for a very, very long time. And you can get up to what...5 costumes per character now? Something like that(not to mention the list of other games that do it as well, including those mentioned above and WAR). If I still cared to play MMOs anymore, LotRO would be on list, but to write an article that reads as if LotRO is the sole user or creator of this feature makes me think the author is either uninformed or advertising for a game instead of writing an informative article.

 

[dragonspirit]

I think you are not reading the intention of the article mukor. Lotro may not be the first nor the only one that has something like this, what was written was the sense of community that derives from it. First of all let me say that I know for a face it's not new what LOTRO has done, but what Lotro has done, is taken the good parts of other games and put them together, same goes for the titles and deed system. Either of them have been done before, yet never together. At least I know titles are not that strange, but the way to get them may just be different. At least the majority of the titles. The traits you can get from the deeds are also a fresh breeze and I personally must admit I really like how they did it.

 

[Nivag the Owl]

Wait, you're actually proud to earn the title of 'worm-slayer'? Right now it makes me think it will become the prefix on my birth certificate if I go outside right this second and stamp on a few worms. If it doesn't change, I'll be back.

 

[wolfy098]

either you're full of %$&*
or I'm not as observant as you...