My character is Orbawyn. I play on Brandywine usually 10pm to 1am pst. I game for about 20 hours a week right now im splitting my time between Lotro, Fallen Earth Beta, and Champions Beta.
Well, I live on the west coast, and usually I play most evenings (Brandywine server), but school has started recently, and I just haven't much time to play. And even during the free-time I do have, I've been trying out Champions Online; I still really like LOTRO, but I've wanted to try out CO since it was announced.
CO is incredibly awesome game. It one of the few MMOs that I like as much as LOTRO; though for different reasons.
LOTRO strength is pretty much dependent on its source material: Tolkien. LOTRO is an lore filled world just waiting to be explored. It feels like Tolkien's world. And some of the book quests are just incredible! Cinematic master pieces that deserve rewards.
CO's strengths are it's incredible character creation. You can make a staggering variety of characters, though because the game is still new it feels like you can't quite find some of the options you're looking but that'll change with time. I really like the combat system, though again it still new and needs tweaking here and there, but that is to be expected. Champions is an IP that has been around awhile so it does have a lot of lore in this game. While it is not as intersting or complex as LOTRO's it's certainly intersting.
Probably the only other MMOs I've like as much are Dark Ages of Camelot and City of Heroes/Villians.
I'm west coast (California), on Brandywine and play most eves but almost always Wednesdays and Sundays.
But most of our kin has been playing Champions Online for the last week or two, and finding it a very fun game. The game devs are really trying to listen to the early players to find out what works and what makes everyone happy. I'm impressed with the game--it's way like CoH II, but with many very cool improvements.
It's one of the few games that can give LOTRO some competition, IMHO. LOTRO still rocks after 2+ years on it, but it's fun to try different a landscape now and then. CO is a nice home away from home, and I recommend everyone try it. :)
There is a fully fleshed out crafting system, with 3 disciplines and each of those have a specialization within that discipline. It's kinda fun, though you have to have a bit of the head for micro-managing--which is in line for the rest of the game as well; CO has a bit of a steep learning curve.
As for Guild Halls--or rather, Super-group bases, there are none in the game at the moment. But CoX didn't have them at launch either and they eventually added them in, so we count of Cryptic adding Super-group bases eventually.
Yes, the crafting system in CO is pretty complex; I'm still trying to figure it all out. :)
It's really quite rewarding too, in that you can create some very useful things for your character (and others) right up front.
Here's a little screen from the arms crafting hall. You have a choice of nine different paths right atm. My sub category? Alien metabolsm--I use green blood and stuff to make cool blasters. ;)
A little creepy, ya, but I guess no worse than some of the strange stuff LOTRO scholars keep in their pockets!
Midwest here (Indiana) and not planning on any new MMO's until they are broken in and the price solidifies. Also I want a free trial before I buy it, so that means Champions is out for some time.
You must read my thread on Runes of Magic. It has really bitten me hard. A free to play game that seems to rather nicely blend EQ2, WoW and LoTRO. You did see the four letter word FREE?
Very nice housing (from level 1) and crafting and at the early levels at least tons of questing. But the real jewel is the dual classing. Available at level 10, which is but a few hours into the game.
Yes, there is that nasty cash shop but it really is just about not needed at all.
A VERY fun game.
Give my post a quick read. Your rather impressive list of games played just might be added to!
One of the MANY things that drew me to LoTRO was it's casual nature. EQ, EQ2, WoW, AC, my list is long and storied......ALL made me feel constant pressure to be in the lands and working on SOMETHING......adventure level, crafting level, housing.......always in a rush. LoTRO simply does NOT instill that feeling in me. I can log in and just savor the journey with no hard and fast destination in sight. Perhaps the lifetime membership helps, but it goes way beyond that. Frankly, I don't understand why it's not more wildly popular. A wonderful game.
That said - RoM has much appeal as well. More in the traditional EQ/WoW syle for sure, yet FREE and adds a little to the cookie cutter aspect of most MMO's. Some of the quests are different than any I've seen in the big boy's and I keep going back to the ability to dual class. Thats a TREMENDOUS feature, being able to combine 2 classes to kinda sorta create a third UNIQUE class. And the game is not yet a year old. If they keep adding content as they seem to be doing, this game could become a houshold name among us MMO vets.
Don't worry, Well keep the lights on! I'd love to see a few members of this board try it. Those of us that post seem to be MMO aholic's and refreshingly mature.
My thoughts continue to run towards some one in game collaborating! Heh heh!
One of the MANY things that drew me to LoTRO was it's casual nature. EQ, EQ2, WoW, AC, my list is long and storied......ALL made me feel constant pressure to be in the lands and working on SOMETHING......adventure level, crafting level, housing.......always in a rush. LoTRO simply does NOT instill that feeling in me. I can log in and just savor the journey with no hard and fast destination in sight. Perhaps the lifetime membership helps, but it goes way beyond that. Frankly, I don't understand why it's not more wildly popular. A wonderful game.
I agree. I can just walk or ride about looking at the scenery and have fun in the game. It IS Middle Earth I'd swear. However, I disagree that it isn't wildly popular. It's probably the most successful MMO besides WoW, which has got to be saying something. :)
Those of us that post seem to be MMO aholic's and refreshingly mature.
True true, and would love to see everyone meet up for an adventure or two. Stranger things have happened. . .
However, I disagree that it isn't wildly popular. It's probably the most successful MMO besides WoW, which has got to be saying something. p>
Does anyone know of a reliable source of MMO populations? I have to admit, since a couple of MMO's that I thought were pretty good have shut down, I am nervous about putting time in an "endangered" game and would like to find a place that I can check the estimated population or subscriber numbers, but I can't find one.
I remember back when EQ was just about the ONLY MMO and you got to see server pops upon log in. Well, as the game declined in popularity, Sony decided it was NOT a good idea to advertise that fact. It seems sub numbers are a more closely guarded secret than Newmoons age!
That said, check out this site.....Some nice info here........
There certainly are a lot of charts with a lot of stats there. . . However there's a lot to carefully consider when looking at statistics. . .
That being said, LOTRO has captured a segment of the gaming population that seems to consist of larger numbers of more mature and casual gamers. Is that a good measure of its success when compared to edgier, more competitive gamer populations that probably by far dominate the gaming marketplace? Doubt it.
I think LOTRO is certainly an unqualified success. I don't think you're likely to see numbers in the "wildly popular" range though, if that's what you are using as a yardstick for success, since the term itself seems inherently contradictory to LOTRO's casual gamer populations.
I think however, among the casual and mature-minded, LOTRO probably is top dog. :) True, it's not likely to see the numbers of other, WoW-oid or similarly edgier populations of gamers, unless the demographics themselves changed to match those of the edgier crowd.
But that might make Turbine's Middle Earth a slightly less pleasant, less-casual environment. And in that, I can't see a label of "wildly popular" as necessarily a mark of its success, nor as a goal to strive for.
I think LOTRO is right where it needs to be in regards to its stats and demographics. It works nicely. Anything more might be less. :)
My character is Orbawyn. I play on Brandywine usually 10pm to 1am pst. I game for about 20 hours a week right now im splitting my time between Lotro, Fallen Earth Beta, and Champions Beta.
to see that at least one of us has the, errr, emmmm, INCLINATION, to respond!
Thanks!
Anyone else?
Well, I live on the west coast, and usually I play most evenings (Brandywine server), but school has started recently, and I just haven't much time to play. And even during the free-time I do have, I've been trying out Champions Online; I still really like LOTRO, but I've wanted to try out CO since it was announced.
Well........
CO is incredibly awesome game. It one of the few MMOs that I like as much as LOTRO; though for different reasons.
LOTRO strength is pretty much dependent on its source material: Tolkien. LOTRO is an lore filled world just waiting to be explored. It feels like Tolkien's world. And some of the book quests are just incredible! Cinematic master pieces that deserve rewards.
CO's strengths are it's incredible character creation. You can make a staggering variety of characters, though because the game is still new it feels like you can't quite find some of the options you're looking but that'll change with time. I really like the combat system, though again it still new and needs tweaking here and there, but that is to be expected. Champions is an IP that has been around awhile so it does have a lot of lore in this game. While it is not as intersting or complex as LOTRO's it's certainly intersting.
Probably the only other MMOs I've like as much are Dark Ages of Camelot and City of Heroes/Villians.
I'm west coast (California), on Brandywine and play most eves but almost always Wednesdays and Sundays.
But most of our kin has been playing Champions Online for the last week or two, and finding it a very fun game. The game devs are really trying to listen to the early players to find out what works and what makes everyone happy. I'm impressed with the game--it's way like CoH II, but with many very cool improvements.
It's one of the few games that can give LOTRO some competition, IMHO. LOTRO still rocks after 2+ years on it, but it's fun to try different a landscape now and then. CO is a nice home away from home, and I recommend everyone try it. :)
I've been toying with looking at it, but it seems those features are pretty thin ATM?
There is a fully fleshed out crafting system, with 3 disciplines and each of those have a specialization within that discipline. It's kinda fun, though you have to have a bit of the head for micro-managing--which is in line for the rest of the game as well; CO has a bit of a steep learning curve.
As for Guild Halls--or rather, Super-group bases, there are none in the game at the moment. But CoX didn't have them at launch either and they eventually added them in, so we count of Cryptic adding Super-group bases eventually.
Yes, the crafting system in CO is pretty complex; I'm still trying to figure it all out. :)
It's really quite rewarding too, in that you can create some very useful things for your character (and others) right up front.
Here's a little screen from the arms crafting hall. You have a choice of nine different paths right atm. My sub category? Alien metabolsm--I use green blood and stuff to make cool blasters. ;)
A little creepy, ya, but I guess no worse than some of the strange stuff LOTRO scholars keep in their pockets!
[img_assist|nid=1061|title=|desc=|link=popup|align=none|width=200|height=150]
Midwest here (Indiana) and not planning on any new MMO's until they are broken in and the price solidifies. Also I want a free trial before I buy it, so that means Champions is out for some time.
You must read my thread on Runes of Magic. It has really bitten me hard. A free to play game that seems to rather nicely blend EQ2, WoW and LoTRO. You did see the four letter word FREE?
Very nice housing (from level 1) and crafting and at the early levels at least tons of questing. But the real jewel is the dual classing. Available at level 10, which is but a few hours into the game.
Yes, there is that nasty cash shop but it really is just about not needed at all.
A VERY fun game.
Give my post a quick read. Your rather impressive list of games played just might be added to!
I may do so, but right now I'm going to focus on LOTRO. I appreciate the info and will read it!
One of the MANY things that drew me to LoTRO was it's casual nature. EQ, EQ2, WoW, AC, my list is long and storied......ALL made me feel constant pressure to be in the lands and working on SOMETHING......adventure level, crafting level, housing.......always in a rush. LoTRO simply does NOT instill that feeling in me. I can log in and just savor the journey with no hard and fast destination in sight. Perhaps the lifetime membership helps, but it goes way beyond that. Frankly, I don't understand why it's not more wildly popular. A wonderful game.
That said - RoM has much appeal as well. More in the traditional EQ/WoW syle for sure, yet FREE and adds a little to the cookie cutter aspect of most MMO's. Some of the quests are different than any I've seen in the big boy's and I keep going back to the ability to dual class. Thats a TREMENDOUS feature, being able to combine 2 classes to kinda sorta create a third UNIQUE class. And the game is not yet a year old. If they keep adding content as they seem to be doing, this game could become a houshold name among us MMO vets.
Don't worry, Well keep the lights on! I'd love to see a few members of this board try it. Those of us that post seem to be MMO aholic's and refreshingly mature.
My thoughts continue to run towards some one in game collaborating! Heh heh!
I agree. I can just walk or ride about looking at the scenery and have fun in the game. It IS Middle Earth I'd swear. However, I disagree that it isn't wildly popular. It's probably the most successful MMO besides WoW, which has got to be saying something. :)
True true, and would love to see everyone meet up for an adventure or two. Stranger things have happened. . .
Does anyone know of a reliable source of MMO populations? I have to admit, since a couple of MMO's that I thought were pretty good have shut down, I am nervous about putting time in an "endangered" game and would like to find a place that I can check the estimated population or subscriber numbers, but I can't find one.
Thanks!
I remember back when EQ was just about the ONLY MMO and you got to see server pops upon log in. Well, as the game declined in popularity, Sony decided it was NOT a good idea to advertise that fact. It seems sub numbers are a more closely guarded secret than Newmoons age!
That said, check out this site.....Some nice info here........
http://www.mmogchart.com/
Enjoy!
Huh?! Sorry did I miss something here?
There certainly are a lot of charts with a lot of stats there. . . However there's a lot to carefully consider when looking at statistics. . .
That being said, LOTRO has captured a segment of the gaming population that seems to consist of larger numbers of more mature and casual gamers. Is that a good measure of its success when compared to edgier, more competitive gamer populations that probably by far dominate the gaming marketplace? Doubt it.
I think LOTRO is certainly an unqualified success. I don't think you're likely to see numbers in the "wildly popular" range though, if that's what you are using as a yardstick for success, since the term itself seems inherently contradictory to LOTRO's casual gamer populations.
I think however, among the casual and mature-minded, LOTRO probably is top dog. :) True, it's not likely to see the numbers of other, WoW-oid or similarly edgier populations of gamers, unless the demographics themselves changed to match those of the edgier crowd.
But that might make Turbine's Middle Earth a slightly less pleasant, less-casual environment. And in that, I can't see a label of "wildly popular" as necessarily a mark of its success, nor as a goal to strive for.
I think LOTRO is right where it needs to be in regards to its stats and demographics. It works nicely. Anything more might be less. :)