Shamus Plays: LOTRO, Part 1

[StriderShinryu]

Spoiler: And my axe!

You see, his armor is intricately detailed, cool, and fairly practical. Why the hell can't RPG's do something more like that with their armor?

LOTRO actually does do this with their armour. hehe Heavy armour actually looks like heavy armour, and it looks that way whether you have a male or female avatar.

They have free trial, right?

I was just thinking that.

Play a female character, that actually wears armor? Inconcievable!

My lady hobbit Guardian (Sword&Shield using tank class) wearing a few pieces (not wearing the set helm, gloves and shoulders) of probably the second highest tier heavy armour set available. Skin? What's that? hehe

 

[syndicated44]

I love reading stuff like this and that was no different. Thank you!

 

[MrSnugglesworth]

Star on Chest is sooooo cliche.


A wonderful Lets Play Shamus.


I may not have a reason to go back to Twenty Sided now...

 

[Shamus Young]

That was hilarious. Well done.

Two questions though:
1) At the end, did you say your character was killed? Because this thing has a "Part 1" slapped on the end of the title, so I'm assuming there's going to be more. Unless you make another character, I must have been mistaken.
2) Your hobbit likes shoes? It's been a while, but don't hobbits hate shoes? They always go barefoot everywhere and hate constricting their feet, so why would lulzy like shoes? And why is she wearing some in screenshots?

It depends on the type of Hobbit. Fallohides hang around in the Shire barefoot. Stoors and the Hobbits in Bree-land sometimes wore shoes. (I don't know if a reason was ever given. Maybe because they spend time near the river, where there is mud?)

 

[Obrien Xp]

I really like this article.

Can we expect more of these for other mmo/co/rpgs?

 

[chickenlord]

pretty kool, so once you get to the end of the tutorial and meet people will you add them to the story? that be kool.

 

[SoldieroFortune]

Shamus, this is going to take you ... forever.

This is from one who has 6 characters in the wonderful world of Middle Earth.

I hope you really, really, really like pie.

Good luck, and I look forward to your next post.

 

[samsonguy920]

Between 'DM of the Ring' and your little paraseries on Left 4 Dead, I have nothing but eagerness and impatience for the next installment. For Frodo, and the Reaper!!

On another note, this gets me thinking. With hobbits being a bit more aggressive in the Shire in this game, it is no wonder that in the movie our fab 4 came back to find things just fine at home.

Spoiler: For you knowitalls

(Yes I know Saruman got his due before he wormed his way to Hobbiton as in the book.)

 

[CuddlyCombine]

Like Unskippable, but funny about games!

Just kidding, I love Unskippable, but I also love this. You're an excellent writer.

 

[coldfrog]

I loved DM of the Rings, and if LOTRO follows the embarrassing traditions of most MMOs while still staying true to the books, I look forward to many enjoyable evenings of Lord of the Rings lampooning.

Also, if they ever DO manage to create a mainstream game where you can gain levels on your character while still staying true to your nonviolent nature, the world will likely be a very different place. And MUDs will never be mainstream.

 

[Vigilantis]

Haha I demand more!

 

[Sodoff]

hehe really good stuff I always enjoy reading your articles..

Made me want to play the game again..

I have no idea why I stopped though ?

 

[kadmos83]

Really nice Shamus! Especially the "dislikes getting stuff for others" part.... I am wondering to what extent you'll be able to keep that up

 

[matrix3509]

I certainly hope this game has better writing than Champions Online, as your Lets Play of it made evident. Though I have to admit I am sad you didn't do Dwarf Fortress.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I loved DM of the Rings, and if LOTRO follows the embarrassing traditions of most MMOs while still staying true to the books, I look forward to many enjoyable evenings of Lord of the Rings lampooning.

Also, if they ever DO manage to create a mainstream game where you can gain levels on your character while still staying true to your nonviolent nature, the world will likely be a very different place. And MUDs will never be mainstream.

Pacifist characters in LOTRO have been able to reach about level 16 or so (out of a cap of 65) in actual character level. In crafting, however, you can definitely become the highest tier of farmer (and possibly cook?) without ever having to fight at all.

 

[WaderiAAA]

I love your satire. If I lived in the Shire I would totally name me kid "Townsperson"

 

[ASnogarD]

I have a lifetime sub for this , was cheap at the time... but I cant keep at the game for too long, best I have is a level 50 Elf Loremaster (Loremistress ?) but after level 35 I found all the enemies resist so much of my attacks I ended up just hitting every skill in the list till the target is dead.
You know its bad when a mob 5 levels below you resists 3 of your 'skills' in a row.

I found the Old Forest to be the most immersive , scary and athmospheric area in the game... I get lost in there all the time, and those trees... the trees... nooo.

Actually most of the game looks great and has good athmosphere, its just to me the combat seemed rather stunted and dull, not dynamic at all... in fact there was barely any attack you can do on the move.

The Players vs Monster Player (PvMP aka Creeps (monsters) vs Freeps (free peoples) ) Characters area WAS fun but Turbine have a wierd sense of what it balanced... in shortening a long rant, lets just say it seems Turbines chief CEO must have a son/daughter that plays a Burglar freep in the game... that class is so powerfull , entire monster raids just about ignore them because its nearly pointless trying to kill one.
It was at its best when the first Freeps made level 50, and came in decent numbers to the moors, then (despite the old monster armour bug - there was no way to repair a monsters armour) there was some seriously fun roving battles that was more about organised attacks than zergs.

Havent played in awhile , but at the last attempt there was a serious pathing bug that glitched the mobs so they would go into anti exploit mode even when there was a clear path for the mob to get to the player.

 

[ajbell]

They have free trial, right?

https://trial.turbine.com/lotro.php

And for those in Europe:

http://www.lotro-europe.com/free-trial.php

 

[anivair]

I am loving this. The only thing I hate is format related. the link for things like facebook and twitter tagging is about 4 pixels from the "next" link. And if I don't overshoot it, I end up getting a lame popup trying to make me tweet your article when really I just want to advance and see you mock inept hobbits.

But the content is top notch as always.

 

[Avatar Roku]

I see that Escapist has put poor Shamus up to being damage control when March Mayhem starts up again and the Turbine crowd stuffs the ballot box for the third year in a row.

Good times.

On-topic: I enjoyed that, but nowhere NEAR as much as I enjoyed DM of the Rings.

I was thinking the same thing, but it's not worth complaining about. I know I won't be going anywhere near the comments, however, because I'm disgusted at how I acted there last year.