Comments on: Goals and lack thereof (LOTRO) http://dragonchasers.com/2009/01/24/goals-and-lack-thereof-lotro/ But what will you do when you catch one!? Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:05:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Scott http://dragonchasers.com/2009/01/24/goals-and-lack-thereof-lotro/#comment-116733 Scott Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:39:38 +0000 http://dragonchasers.com/?p=1654#comment-116733 I dunno... I think for me at least, LOTRO has so many quests, deeds, titles, etc. plus crafting and PvMP that I have so many choices of what to do. Back in SWG I was bored out of my skull most of the time, and did a LOT of aimless wandering trying to find something, ANYTHING, to do. I find I'm having the same problem with GTA4. Sometimes I'll get a "quest" when one of my contacts calls on the cell phone either to have me commit crimes or socialize. But in the downtimes, I am flat bored to death. I have an entire virtual city of a sandbox but no incentive to do anything. Beating up innocent bystanders for no reason whatsoever just isn't fun for more than ten seconds. I can steal a car but since there's no car collection mechanic in the game it doesn't matter if I do it or not. Having some of the all-time worst driving physics (and I use that term loosely) doesn't exactly make me want to get behind the wheel anyway which is ironic for a game called Grand Theft AUTO... But in LOTRO I feel I have enough choices between various directed content and non-directed that I can almost play sandboxy -- I get to choose what I do rather than having a single linear task at a time. Also the total lack of pressure to "level up, level up, level up!" that permeates in WoW adds to that feeling of freedom. As I've said before, it's perfectly ok to just "be" in LOTRO, and I can't say that of many other MMORPGs. I dunno… I think for me at least, LOTRO has so many quests, deeds, titles, etc. plus crafting and PvMP that I have so many choices of what to do.

Back in SWG I was bored out of my skull most of the time, and did a LOT of aimless wandering trying to find something, ANYTHING, to do.

I find I’m having the same problem with GTA4. Sometimes I’ll get a “quest” when one of my contacts calls on the cell phone either to have me commit crimes or socialize. But in the downtimes, I am flat bored to death. I have an entire virtual city of a sandbox but no incentive to do anything. Beating up innocent bystanders for no reason whatsoever just isn’t fun for more than ten seconds. I can steal a car but since there’s no car collection mechanic in the game it doesn’t matter if I do it or not. Having some of the all-time worst driving physics (and I use that term loosely) doesn’t exactly make me want to get behind the wheel anyway which is ironic for a game called Grand Theft AUTO…

But in LOTRO I feel I have enough choices between various directed content and non-directed that I can almost play sandboxy — I get to choose what I do rather than having a single linear task at a time. Also the total lack of pressure to “level up, level up, level up!” that permeates in WoW adds to that feeling of freedom. As I’ve said before, it’s perfectly ok to just “be” in LOTRO, and I can’t say that of many other MMORPGs.

]]> By: Esri http://dragonchasers.com/2009/01/24/goals-and-lack-thereof-lotro/#comment-116731 Esri Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:35:47 +0000 http://dragonchasers.com/?p=1654#comment-116731 Sounds like a great time to me. Of course, I'm probably a "be-er" rather than a "do-er" as well. I find that especially true for LOTRO because I've loved Middle Earth for almost 30 years. Just BEING there is satisfying - everything else is gravy. Sounds like a great time to me. Of course, I’m probably a “be-er” rather than a “do-er” as well. I find that especially true for LOTRO because I’ve loved Middle Earth for almost 30 years. Just BEING there is satisfying – everything else is gravy.

]]> By: Grid http://dragonchasers.com/2009/01/24/goals-and-lack-thereof-lotro/#comment-116688 Grid Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:40:56 +0000 http://dragonchasers.com/?p=1654#comment-116688 Even at the 60 cap now in LOTR there is plenty to do albiet deeds, traits, leveling legendary items and session play. I had a session play where I was put into the persona of a dwarf back before Moria was lost and I was a key figure in the dwarves unearthing of the balrog in Moria. Neet stuff for a LOTR fan. Those that tend to ignore the background cannot enjoy the game like those who know middle earth like the back of their hand. Even at the 60 cap now in LOTR there is plenty to do albiet deeds, traits, leveling legendary items and session play. I had a session play where I was put into the persona of a dwarf back before Moria was lost and I was a key figure in the dwarves unearthing of the balrog in Moria. Neet stuff for a LOTR fan. Those that tend to ignore the background cannot enjoy the game like those who know middle earth like the back of their hand.

]]> By: Ysharros http://dragonchasers.com/2009/01/24/goals-and-lack-thereof-lotro/#comment-116686 Ysharros Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:34:50 +0000 http://dragonchasers.com/?p=1654#comment-116686 "This is getting long and less and less focused. But I wonder if the people who find LOTRO slow and grindy are more driven, accomplishment oriented players, and those of us who enjoy the game are more about the experience of being in a fantasy world?" I think that's true of all online games these days (and maybe single player but I have no experience there) -- there are doers and there are be-ers, so to speak. I think it's just so much more noticeable now because the last half-decade's worth of games seems to have been designed primarily for doers. Or maybe they're just a larger segment of the population. Even so, older MMOs weren't so task oriented. You mentioned UO, but my experience in Asheron's Call was very similar even if it wasn't quite as deep in some ways. You didn't log in to do anything pre-scripted -- "given" quests were few and far between, and you had to make your own decisions. So maybe we can lay the blame for the current "just give me the damned task already" gamer culture to the arrival of !s above NPC heads -- more specifically, to the arrival of quest-driven games. Much to ponder. Sadly, I'm supposed to be working. :P “This is getting long and less and less focused. But I wonder if the people who find LOTRO slow and grindy are more driven, accomplishment oriented players, and those of us who enjoy the game are more about the experience of being in a fantasy world?”

I think that’s true of all online games these days (and maybe single player but I have no experience there) — there are doers and there are be-ers, so to speak. I think it’s just so much more noticeable now because the last half-decade’s worth of games seems to have been designed primarily for doers. Or maybe they’re just a larger segment of the population.

Even so, older MMOs weren’t so task oriented. You mentioned UO, but my experience in Asheron’s Call was very similar even if it wasn’t quite as deep in some ways. You didn’t log in to do anything pre-scripted — “given” quests were few and far between, and you had to make your own decisions.

So maybe we can lay the blame for the current “just give me the damned task already” gamer culture to the arrival of !s above NPC heads — more specifically, to the arrival of quest-driven games.

Much to ponder. Sadly, I’m supposed to be working. :P

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