Thread: Starting the game soon

Hi everyone, my download will be done soon then I'll get to try the game, I currently can't afford to pay anything for online games, so I'm gonna be a free player, I've heard good things about this game, but sadly from where I'm standing it appears most of the fun is for the people who pay.. However I can't say that before trying the game but it seems to be the truth for now, espicially after trying to post in the General Discussions section then figuring out only VIP players get to post there.. Not a very good first impression for a free player.. I wanna hear some fellow free players' opinion about the game, but from what I see (before trying the game so far) is that it punishes non-paying players, also any tips about starting out the game is welcome, thanks.

I'd also like to know how much content is restricted for us free players, and do we have to actually buy quests (AKA packs/expantions) unlike most MMORPGS?

P.S: I've already read http://www.lotro.com/betasignup/vipchart.html but I'd like a player's detailed answer.

Hi! Welcome to the game!

I'm a free player too so hopefully I can answer some of your questions.

First, I was bummed at first about the posting thing...but it turns out that only last for a couple of weeks. I'm able to post anywhere now.

And as a free player, you get the three starter areas...Ered Luin, Breeland, and the Shire...as well as the Lonelands. Everything else will need to be bought with Turbine Points. You can get those in-game or shell out actual cash for them.

I'm kind of like you...can't afford to pay money for a game (as much as I'd like to). What I like about LOTRO is that it is really easy to earn TP through the game. And things go on sale in the store quite often.

My tip for you is to not waste TP in the store on things you don't need. I do recommend buying the Riding Skill (otherwise the Lonelands are a pain in the butt). Pick up the Quest Packs as they go on sale (I got Misty Mountains for half off).

I agree with the above poster, but have some additional comments.

First, see if you can still find an unopened Mines of Moria box somewhere. Last I looked (they could be gone now) they were around $10 online. The box gets you the MoM quests and 30days VIP, for far cheaper than you would pay through TP. If you can find it, wait until you have multiple characters at level 20ish, and activate the code. When you log into a character while you are VIP, you get the following unlocks PERMINATLY: currency cap, bag slots, trait slots, riding skill(have to do a quest) as well as getting a couple of additional character slots with MoM. There may be some other things you get that I don't remember. After your 30 days is up, you get to keep Premium status as well, that also has a few perks to it. Oh, and if you create a toon durring VIP that is a locked class, you can still play it with out buying the class upgrade. You just cant make a new one.

First of all, welcome home.

No. Seriously. Of all the F2P games out there, this one is absolutely the most froob friendly of them all. (Anarchy Online comes in second. DDO is third.) It also has one of the friendliest fanbases of all my vast experiences.

It is entirely possible to play for free for the entire game. Hard, certainly. A lot of work, absolutely. Yet possible and plausible. Yet you really don't have to worry about that until after around Level 30 and after you run out of completely free zones.

Starting tips:

• Run with a Champion to start. It is mechanically the simplest class in the game, and probably one of the more viscerally satisfying.
• Read the tutorials. It may sound like something you can pass over, but it truly is the simplest way to learn the game.
• You will fail, but that's entirely expected. You should see all the stories of the older players where they talk about the Good Ol' Days(TM) when they were young and fresh-faced noobs. Failure is a learning experience, and completely vital to your career.

Oh, and about the forum... Yeah, it kinda does suck that F2P aren't allowed to post in the General boards. Yet believe it or not, we actually talk about things differently because we experience things differently. So here in the Free forums is actually much easier for the novices to understand.

Thanks everyone, that was some helpful stuff, hopefully I'll enjoy the game and won't have a hard time getting quests after lvl 30, I'll see you in-game.

you will get to post in other areas of the forums as you level up . .wait. . okay not level up your character in game . . as you post more it actually unlocks other areas of the forums.
kinda bytes if you want to ask something in the class section, but the free forums are just as useful.
If there is a topic you have a question about you could always ask here in the free section and post a link to the topic in question . After you have asked, and replied in a few post, other parts of the forum open up, it doesn't take many post to open up where you can talk in General, but I always felt more comfy staying in the free area, like what was already said, things are a bit different between the free players and the Paying players

Originally Posted by Lance_Lionroar

Thanks everyone, that was some helpful stuff, hopefully I'll enjoy the game and won't have a hard time getting quests after lvl 30, I'll see you in-game.

I just hit Level 31. Yes, I do still have quests to do! What's not really obvious from an initial glance at the difference chart on the LOTRO home page is that even F2P players will be sent to several of the premium/VIP areas (North Downs, Evendim, and the Trollshaws I know for certain) for quests, and you can hunt for crafting materials and kill landscape mobs in these areas. The quests F2P players have access to in these areas are called the "epic" quests, meaning they are part of the main LOTRO storyline. What F2P players can't access there are "quest pack" content for these areas---you also don't get as many "instatravel" options. In the starter areas, there are generally several side quests that you can pick up and accomplish along your way to finish any given epic quest; it's these types of quests that you won't be able to get as F2P in the 3 areas I mentioned. Skirmishing is also another way to continue to pick up XP.

If you will be free-to-play all the way , try to collect as much as you can TPs points.
So Moria , Mirkwood and Isengard even for VIPs arent accessable until they buy it with TP or real money..

So as long as you are F2P just farm as many TPs as you can in all regions... Its hard way , but its really possible to open 1 by 1 regions with TPs. If you open next 1 region with TPs you can also there farm TPs , its hard but possible to open many regions through farming TPs.

Also even VIPs must farm TPs and do deeds for traits , so concentrate to collect TP for buying Moria which starts from 45 but its adviseable from 48...

Cheers !

Oh and once you play through all the free stuff, you pretty much only have to spend around 8 bucks to buy enough TPs to get a new quest area. So it's not that expensive. I've only bought one extra area so far, and I'm not even done the free stuff yet.

Oh and welcome aboard.