Thread: The Ridder seems empty

I was just wondering if anyone has noticed, I play the Ridder almost every night and weekends, and I've noticed a drop in activity. I love the Ridder and have tried other servers but there isn't the same feel I get on the Riddermark. If you've noticed a drop in activity and players please comment on it. If you have any suggestions on how to bring players back to the Riddermark voice them.

Almost all of the non-big-population servers are "feeling" empty these days. False promises... outright lies... faulty came coding... other stuff to do... boredom with the game... new MMO's to play... school having restarted for those of school age... lots of reasons as to why servers are seeing a population lull.

I will say this though... I've checked several servers and their lowbie zones... and all of them have had ~20 F2P players in each of their lowbie zones at all hours of the day and night. F2P is where it is at now with this game. Even if I disagree with that model.

I have characters on 4 different servers and it's always dead. It's impossible to do any group activities anymore. I kind of gave up and play other stuff. Other mmos are letting people do the raid and group stuff in duos now or even alone. There's a variation of better solutions in other games these days. DCUO will have casual mode soon so people who play late hours and only for an hour can duo for the tier 2 look of armor though the stats a little worse, but that's fine since I'll never do the hardcore modes or have time. This game should let us be able to actually PLAY the game if no one is on. All I have left to do is the raids and group stuff but no one is on. Oh well. I wrote a big review about this game in 2 magazines and one half a dozen websites predicting this would happen, and not just in this game but many.

This is the feeling I get too. One more call for cross-server groups with the next upgrade of the instance finder which still, people don't seem to be using.

There are still a number of players in Galtrev, like there would be in 21st Hall.

However, Bree-town, and the generic starter zones seem to be completely devoid of players. There has been a lot of bad rep for LOTRO recently at end-game, and it doesn't help anyone whom has goals to reach. With newer releases, such as SWTOR, Skyrim, and miscellaneous others, Riddermark's activity has taken a dive.

I will remain playing regardless because I have a kinship that I am responsible for.

My friend, you may be suffering from the lack of activity, but we are all suffering.

This said, the PuGs that have shown up on GLFF for skirmish raids, and other instances are a good sign the community still has hope. In these times, if we don't work together, more and more people will have reason to leave.

Help your fellow kin members, so that everyone may benefit. By doing that, people will feel more encouraged to play and have goals -- rather than the steady decline due to 'troll first answer questions later' attitudes on GLFF. If half of them even bothered to realize we were all n00bsz at some point (or stopped 'cyberz' just for a darned minute, those perverts), then we wouldn't be having as much of an issue, IMHO. It is too late for some, but not for all to recognize this.

Personally, I haven't noticed a drop-off of players in either Galtrev, Breeland or any other zones for that matter. Having recently started an alt (lvl 37 atm) I've quested through Lone Lands, North Downs and now into Evendim and I constantly see other soloers and small groups running around. And, with the Instance Finder it's easier than ever to get into a group run. I think games like this will always see an ebb and flow of participants. The most important thing is to play your own game, enjoy the world that they've created and find a good group of players to experience the content with you. There are numerous excellent kinships on this server, with varying levels of 'seriousness', from hard-core raid kins to casual gamers to a mix of the two.

Happy gaming!

I for one do notice this change, and have been guilty of abandoning LOTRO for almost the entirety of December. (Skyrim and other MMORPG's.) But this much I know about the Riddermark ;the best of this server lies towards end-game, where the community is active. These are the bunch that has been on Ridder for a long time, love the game, braced the obstacles and are here to stay. I guess you just need to keep at it till you reach end-game mate =)

I hear you Adrian but I love the beginning of the game as well, I have 4 toons at different levels because of that reason. I'm just glad to see all of you speaking up with your perspecitves and all of them excellent. I love LOTRO to a fault and seeing you all speak up makes me feel better to know others are noticing and still hangin in. I guess Middle Earth is so vast in the game I leep visiting different areas just to see it. Any how thanks for the insights.

For Frodo!

as someone just said we have an end-game active high population, friendly and casual. Also some raiders, also crafters.... there's no way you can be bored of the game at 75, there's always something to do. The problem is... getting to 75 xd

Originally Posted by Saelyth

as someone just said we have an end-game active high population, friendly and casual. Also some raiders, also crafters.... there's no way you can be bored of the game at 75, there's always something to do. The problem is... getting to 75 xd

It's quite easy to get bored at 75.

When the PvP is trash and getting PvE gear is just grinding the same instances we've been doing since they introduced the skirmish system, you get bored.

Originally Posted by butterfingers158

It's quite easy to get bored at 75.

When the PvP is trash and getting PvE gear is just grinding the same instances we've been doing since they introduced the skirmish system, you get bored.

Go check out the tower of orthanc. There's some pve gear challenge!

For my part (68 Warden) there's always some sort of activity. I enjoy soloing, and if I get tired of the character I'm playing, I move to one of my 4 other alts x_x

I have a supportive kin life and the blue chat is always ragin', so I suppose that has a lot to do with it... I know for sure that if I wasn't in a kinship (my kinship in particular), I would have left to finish beta-testing Wakfu, maybe check out SW:ToR.

Or, you know, actually get some work done. ;-;

Originally Posted by Crell_1

Go check out the tower of orthanc. There's some pve gear challenge!

I've already left this game behind, they lost me when they released an expansion with only Draigoch in it and then ruined PvMP.

Originally Posted by butterfingers158

It's quite easy to get bored at 75.

When the PvP is trash and getting PvE gear is just grinding the same instances we've been doing since they introduced the skirmish system, you get bored.

Well mate I can understand the grinding, I know how you feel. The instances, the mobs, the game plan ; all the same. A friend suggested using the Instance Finder to spice things up. Sometimes the random factor of getting something you least expect with different players could be fun, who knows? And plenty of people are gonna hate me for saying this, but I think we here on Ridder should implement some sorta light RP. Could be fun, just saying

Originally Posted by butterfingers158

It's quite easy to get bored at 75.

When the PvP is trash and getting PvE gear is just grinding the same instances we've been doing since they introduced the skirmish system, you get bored.

Well, then i guess your goals are too much casuals and there's your boredoom, too easy to get the things you want.

I was like you, years ago, then i realized i play a game to totally beat the game, back in that days was discover the 100% of the map, kill all enemies, also secret enemies... as example i beated Final Fantasy XII in 60 hours, but i did completed the 100% of the game with 130 hours of playgame, a lot more because there's always something to do.

Here in lotro, my goals are http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...r-achievements In the first post. yet it's sometimes to re-do the same instance, there's something you want to do there, you are not there just for gear or relics or items, you are there because you actually want to do the hardest possible thing and enjoy for it.

I don't know if that will interest you, Berengar, it probably won't (xDD) but it's a suggestion you could take to enjoy lotro, try to complete all instance deeds with no exceptions :P

Originally Posted by Saelyth

Well, then i guess your goals are too much casuals and there's your boredoom, too easy to get the things you want.

try to complete all instance deeds with no exceptions :P

To the first part: No Turbine just destroyed what I wanted ( decent PvP)

To the second part: I don't find running instances I'm 15-25 levels over level for remotely fun. Fun comes from the challenge.

Ost Dunhoth, NCF/Stoneheight are all super fun even at overlevel. It's an instance! Enjoy it!

Get into the lore, try making a background for your character, give it a persona, make outfits, name your LI's and treat them like real Legendary Weapons.

Make an alt, go on old quests and really have fun with them! Read the lines and do everything while it's still orange. Just because it isn't level 75 PvP doesn't mean it isn't challenging.

Join a kin and actually enjoy it.

Find a padawan and teach him/her how to be the best [insert class here].

The new raids are an incredible challenge, tougher than any PvP. Try T2 and tell me it's ezmode.

LotRO has so much to offer, and it's sort of sad to say that it's "dead" just because PvP is down (barely). When I'm tired of it, I make a new character (most recently fell in love with Mini, LM, and RK), change my playing style entirely, and dammit I have fun doing it.

Originally Posted by SharadSun

Ost Dunhoth, NCF/Stoneheight are all super fun even at overlevel. It's an instance! Enjoy it!

Get into the lore, try making a background for your character, give it a persona, make outfits, name your LI's and treat them like real Legendary Weapons.

Make an alt, go on old quests and really have fun with them! Read the lines and do everything while it's still orange. Just because it isn't level 75 PvP doesn't mean it isn't challenging.

Join a kin and actually enjoy it.

Find a padawan and teach him/her how to be the best [insert class here].

The new raids are an incredible challenge, tougher than any PvP. Try T2 and tell me it's ezmode.

LotRO has so much to offer, and it's sort of sad to say that it's "dead" just because PvP is down (barely). When I'm tired of it, I make a new character (most recently fell in love with Mini, LM, and RK), change my playing style entirely, and dammit I have fun doing it.

You presume to know a lot about me. I have done everything you listed above except for the hardcore RP and the new raid (which I could do, but have no interest in anymore). Doing instances over level (especially ones that I've done a ton of times already like the OD cluster) is never entertaining for me. The new Orthanc raid sounds like a decent challenge on tier 2, but one new raid is not enough to keep me interested in this game.

Twig here -

Went to BW again.

Few on my hours and a tad too much reality to have time for game.

Half an hour without anyone chatting in glff is just creepy.
EDIT I mean the light banter, not the "need tanker, cappy, healer"

Originally Posted by butterfingers158

You presume to know a lot about me. I have done everything you listed above except for the hardcore RP and the new raid (which I could do, but have no interest in anymore). Doing instances over level (especially ones that I've done a ton of times already like the OD cluster) is never entertaining for me. The new Orthanc raid sounds like a decent challenge on tier 2, but one new raid is not enough to keep me interested in this game.

I don't understand why you still troll these forums then?

Right, if anyone here's still bored of the game, I'm starting up a sort of RP faction.

It won't be a kin, it'll be a global chat channel instead (if it really gets off the ground I can consider making it a full-time raid/RP kinship).

I've seen too many good people leave/temp.quit the game because they can't deal with how shallow the server's become. People have more fun trolling glff than they do actually having fun with the game. Now, there's nothign inherently wrong with trolling glff... after all, that's what glff is for =p but really, the game has so much to offer.

I'm going to be hosting events all weekend. If you're interested, then IM Tinuthel, Hwindruin, or Balanangol... or send a good ol' mail message.

To the stars.
- Tinuthel Acharthang
- Hwindruin Ringilior
- Balanangol Ruindaer

Not empty at all. In fact it's quite active. Have loads of friends who are always on and know most people on GLFF. I run Foundry/Draig/ToO weekly, have no trouble finding groups or players for my group. I guess it might be your timezone?

When I'm bored, I take my Thandil and a RK friend, and we do a skirm that's at least 5 levels above us. I take lowbies on GBs so they can get their Barrow Armor on time, I watch the LFF channel for anyone looking for help on a quest. I comb the regions for rare elites. I grind TP(Always nice to make a new toon) I run aroudn the 21st hall in my underwear. I try to kill everything in Annuminas. There are a lot of fun things to do if you're really wanting to have fun. Don't mope when you get bored. Middle Earth is a massive place. Enjoy it.

I just joined LOTRO maybe two weeks ago and I've been anything but bored. And I've also had no trouble finding people willing to help me out when I need it.

Of course it may be a very very long time before I reach end game as I keep getting distracted! (Hmm...let's see how high of a cliff I can jump off of without dying! )

And if anyone else is up for some light Rp, I'm totally down for that as well!

Originally Posted by SharadSun

Ost Dunhoth, NCF/Stoneheight are all super fun even at overlevel. It's an instance! Enjoy it!

Get into the lore, try making a background for your character, give it a persona, make outfits, name your LI's and treat them like real Legendary Weapons.

Make an alt, go on old quests and really have fun with them! Read the lines and do everything while it's still orange. Just because it isn't level 75 PvP doesn't mean it isn't challenging.

Join a kin and actually enjoy it.

Find a padawan and teach him/her how to be the best [insert class here].

The new raids are an incredible challenge, tougher than any PvP. Try T2 and tell me it's ezmode.

LotRO has so much to offer, and it's sort of sad to say that it's "dead" just because PvP is down (barely). When I'm tired of it, I make a new character (most recently fell in love with Mini, LM, and RK), change my playing style entirely, and dammit I have fun doing it.

Agree 100%

Originally Posted by butterfingers158

You presume to know a lot about me. I have done everything you listed above except for the hardcore RP and the new raid (which I could do, but have no interest in anymore). Doing instances over level (especially ones that I've done a ton of times already like the OD cluster) is never entertaining for me. The new Orthanc raid sounds like a decent challenge on tier 2, but one new raid is not enough to keep me interested in this game.

What do you want , you want a cookie or something after every run geez dude go back to WoW and quit whining, there is only so much that the developers can do they "cant" constantly put new content out every week there is a million things to do after 75th and if that "cant hold your interest" then maybe you need to go to another game....

Originally Posted by Legolose104

Agree 100%






What do you want , you want a cookie or something after every run geez dude go back to WoW and quit whining, there is only so much that the developers can do they "cant" constantly put new content out every week there is a million things to do after 75th and if that "cant hold your interest" then maybe you need to go to another game....

Did you really pull out he go back to WoW card? Never played WoW.

When I wrote that post you know what there was to do at 75? Draigoch, skirms, and PvP. That's it. If you find running the same skirms over and over fun then kudos to you.