Thread: What keeps you playing?

In the fewest words possible here is my list....

- immersion/rp is amazing in this game
- community
- awesone landscapes/zones
- festivals, if these were year round I would never do another thing
- hobbits (don't think I'll ever make anything else)
- the shire, just wow

There are many more. What about you?

The books, nothing more nothing less. If this wasn't a lotro world I wouldn't be playing it.

Mostly, the sense of community and the sense of immersion I get while playing. I can ignore the real world for a little while.

it provides me with, what i think is the best current realisation of Middle Earth. Keeps me playing every day.

Originally Posted by Sarob

- festivals, if these were year round I would never do another thing

Yep.
Festivals are so fun!
But, I like the music and emotes!

My goal is to get every emote out there (without paying TP xP). And I really like grouping with a few people and playing music.

Since Jr High when I read through the Lord of the Rings trilogy (and even before when I watched the 70's Hobbit cartoon) I have dreamed of this Middle Earth. LOTRO is this geek's gaming dream come true.

I geeked out when I discovered the gate into the Old Forest in the Shire. I geeked out when I found Old Farmer Maggot's Farm and greeted his dogs. I geeked out when I got lost in Bree. I nearly lost my mind the first time I reached the summit of Weathertop, saw the Gandalf stone, and lost myself in the scenery. I danced in the Superior Forge in Thorin's Hall just for kicks. My jaw dropped when I wandered into Rivendell and met Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli in the guest quarters.

And I'm only just beginning to explore North Downs and Evendim. It's a world of discovery. So much more to experience!

Festivals actually were my main reason to keep playing before the new (and extremely grindy) deeds for using consumables. Now I dread them, thanks to the amount of grind they mean for anyone who wishes to get all related deeds, to the point I almost didn't log in the last 6 months and will cancel my yearly subscription when it runs out.

I was paying the subscription more out of a desire to reward Turbine for a great game than due to the perks; due to spending most of my play time doing festivals with 9 toons, I have almost no need for any of the VIP advantages, and enough stashed TP to get any perks I miss. After festivals turned into a huge grind fest that even extends beyond the festival itself (in order to actually use all those consumables), I don't feel like giving Turbine any more money than I absolutely need to.

The fact that it is LOTR. That is it.

The chance to actually be in Rohan, Gondor, Annuminas, Bree, etc is just amazing.

The game itself isn't good, there are many many issues with it, but the opportunity to see the legendary sights and characters is too much to pass up.

Originally Posted by chetdawg30

The fact that it is LOTR. That is it.

The chance to actually be in Rohan, Gondor, Annuminas, Bree, etc is just amazing.

And the Lore. The story. III.6.1 blew my mind.

The game itself isn't good,

Compared to what? I have played only one game that wasn't by Turbine (and that for about a month before boredquitting), so please tell me what other games are better than LotRO in whatever categories you consider significant.

my lifetime account.

Honestly? At this moment? Because it's free.

May not be a popular answer, but it's the truth.

My top 5 reasons for continuing to pay and play through all the bugs and issues:

1. Kinship family.
2. Friends, old and new.
3. I <3 Elves and Hobbits.
4. The lore, story, scenery, and interaction with Tolkien's heroes.
5. Always so many things to do, you're never "finished" with your character(s).

1. My Kinship. I probably wouldn't be playing this game if it weren't for those guys .
2. It is The Lord of the Rings. The epicness of the books and movies will always keep me coming back.
3. Moments like this:




We were wishing a former kinnie goodbye as he left to a different kin that better suited his needs.


Just a me and a few friends of mine chilling at the Ninja Hill of LC.

Of course all this is just my own opinion, what keeps me playing? It's certainly not the game itself, the quality in the game has declined drastically. I keep playing because of Hope.

Hope that Turbine fails in their attempt at commercializing Tolkien's work to the point where it is unrecognizable.
Hope that the years I've journeyed towards Gondor and Mordor weren't wasted.

I'll find out soon enough if Riders of Rohan destroys or rebuilds the last remnant of Hope I have left....

1. Because I take breaks and play single player games so I don't get burnt out.

2. I love Tolkien and being in Middle Earth is a dream come true for me.

3. I'm a lifetime member. I cannot afford to pay a monthly fee each month with my kid going to college. (she's supposed to get her first car today. Where did the years go?)

4. Go to reason number 2.

only this: http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...r-achievements

I hope i can make the entire list Green someday.

These are a few of my favorite reasons for playing:
1. the books, the books and, finally, the books
2. the environment - it is just so overwhelmingly beautiful
3. the multidimensional RolePlaying experience that creates full immersion.

Addiction.

Originally Posted by 0Pinger

The books, nothing more nothing less. If this wasn't a lotro world I wouldn't be playing it.

^this^

Originally Posted by Nymphonic

3. I'm a lifetime member. I cannot afford to pay a monthly fee each month with my kid going to college. (she's supposed to get her first car today. Where did the years go?)

Ugh. Mine's only 2 1/2. I don't even want to THINK about that age yet. I gave her a stick-on tattoo yesterday and she went running into the bedroom to show her daddy. I told her, "Mommy has real ones. You can't have real ones until you're at least 30."

My friends in the community on Landroval. That's it.

What keeps me playing?


They gave me pie.

I have taken so, so many characters through Bree-Land over the years that I was astonished last night to discover that I had never really noticed that huge, monlithic Arnorian ruin looming high above the Brandy Hills, northwest of Adso's Camp. You know, this one:



Ost Barandor. Never having really explored this area too much, I was expecting to not be able to reach this ruin and for there to be some sort of "invisible wall"/unscaleable cliff face in the way. So I was very delighted to see a path leading up there, and mobs that my lowbie Burg was able to easily sneak past . I had a good time exploring it and the whole area, visiting the other ruins, waving to the big giant on the cliff side, and collecting Scholar mats.

That's one of the things that I love most about this game. Always some place cool to explore, even for a seasoned player!

1. Tolkien's world brought to life (even if it's not exactly my vision of that world)
2. Friends who agree with #1
3. The great community on these forums and in the game.
4. Playable music in game.
5. Being a founder and lifer.

What WAS going to keep me playing were the Server Transfers added recently. It's why I came back after over a year off playing.

That was until I saw the ridiculous pricing for even one simple move.

I upped my sub for this month, went to do a transfer and unsubbed immediately after.

You are probably losing others for the same reason Turbine. Shame...

I read the Lord of the Rings shortly after I discovered pen and paper role playing (D&D in fact; the original 3 book, boxed set). I longed to game in Middle Earth, but the releases that came out at the time didn't quite meet that end. I tried a couple of board games (you know, the ones with hexagon grid maps, combat resolution tables and carboard counters with combat and movement factors on them) that did a good job.

LOTRO is the first media presentation (that includes all the movies attempted, including Jackson's junk) where I could get a real feel for the world. It's not perfect by any means, but it is reasonable. It's not bad as a OFG and has some original concepts going for it. I especially like the unique character classes (minstrel and captain in particular) that match the world I envisioned and are so different than other OFG.

I keep playing, though, because a real life friend and I get together from time to time and explore the world. When that friend isn't around, I take other players out on their quests. I rarely group even though I have some characters on one of the largest and most active kinships on Landroval. The attitudes of other players tends to sour the Middle Earth feel for me. I seldom come across other players who take in the world as I do. Instead they are typical OFG players or rush-rush-rush to get this done to get this item so they can zomg get into this place and get this stuff and find these items to improve this that or the other capability on their character. I tell them they should stop and smell the roses. They look at me confused and ask if the rose has an aroma with a stat buff.

Anyway, a good friend and a decent recreation of a world I love. That's what keeps me coming back

I'll post my usual reasons:

1. Habit.
2. Lack of an alternative.
3. Fool's hope.

It is simple really...

I have fun every single time I log in!

/me does a happy hobbit dance and wanders off to hunt a pie

1. I have a lifetime account.
2. I have lost control of my life.

friends

at the moment, nothing more than the friends I have in LOTRO and the fact that over one (1) year of my life has been spent in playing this game. Other than that I would have quit a long time ago for a lot of various reasons, not the least of which is this recent BS that is the Lotro Lagfest!

I play because I've got 2 lifetime accounts.
I play because I've had a love for Middle-earth since I was 8 or 9 and read the comics(yes, there were comics in the early 80s)the first time and thought, oooh. Then, I got into reading the trilogy properly around 11-12, first in my native tongue Swedish, and then in English around 15 years of age.
I then proceeded to read the Silmarillion and the Hobbit.
Obviously, with having 2 lifetime accounts, I can leave if I get bored/burnt out, and come back refreshed after a while.
I've just had a period of 6 months of not playing more than logging in to pay upkeep on houses, and I feel refreshed and willing to level another char again!

My kin mates

This is middle-earth ... And that about covers your question

Two things really...

My Kinmates, couldn't find a better group of people to play with that keep kin chatter fun and funny

The game is fun, I just have a blast playing so not much need be added.

Originally Posted by Susuwatari

I have taken so, so many characters through Bree-Land over the years that I was astonished last night to discover that I had never really noticed that huge, monlithic Arnorian ruin looming high above the Brandy Hills, northwest of Adso's Camp. You know, this one:



Ost Barandor. Never having really explored this area too much, I was expecting to not be able to reach this ruin and for there to be some sort of "invisible wall"/unscaleable cliff face in the way. So I was very delighted to see a path leading up there, and mobs that my lowbie Burg was able to easily sneak past . I had a good time exploring it and the whole area, visiting the other ruins, waving to the big giant on the cliff side, and collecting Scholar mats.

That's one of the things that I love most about this game. Always some place cool to explore, even for a seasoned player!

I've been here for over 5 years and just last week I saw a lake I had never seen before near those same ruins that connects to the river that runs past that giant that you have to sneak past to retrieve a backpack for a Hobbit at the Pony. I was astounded.

Originally Posted by Susuwatari

I have taken so, so many characters through Bree-Land over the years that I was astonished last night to discover that I had never really noticed that huge, monlithic Arnorian ruin looming high above the Brandy Hills, northwest of Adso's Camp. You know, this one:



Ost Barandor. Never having really explored this area too much, I was expecting to not be able to reach this ruin and for there to be some sort of "invisible wall"/unscaleable cliff face in the way. So I was very delighted to see a path leading up there, and mobs that my lowbie Burg was able to easily sneak past . I had a good time exploring it and the whole area, visiting the other ruins, waving to the big giant on the cliff side, and collecting Scholar mats.

That's one of the things that I love most about this game. Always some place cool to explore, even for a seasoned player!

I love those ruins! I have a very old screenie from closed beta somewhere of myself, my husband's character, and an old kinmate who doesn't play anymore up there hanging out.

This could be a very long list lets see now....

1: My Hobbit Warden.

2: Girl's, can't live without em.

3: Love the view of the game, scenery is just fantastic overall.

4: I'm addicted.

5: I hate being alone thus why I play MMO's.

6: Community doubtful, yes some peeps are jake, but all of them? Don't kid yourself....

7: I like the combat system, not like those Anime MMO's.

8: In-depth story line. Yes if you've ever completed V1 Epic you will know what I mean.

9: I'm a Tolkien fan

Ok.... I'm satisfied me thinks

1. The controls. I'm disabled and the controls are easy to use.
2. You get defeated, not resurrected.
3. It's Lord of the Rings.

Originally Posted by Testis

1. The controls. I'm disabled and the controls are easy to use.
.

I had not thought of that. I lost complete control of my left arm from a stroke and I love how easy the controls are to use and how it's not twitch based. Some people call it too easy but it's perfect for me.

Housing decoration fun to collect and design

Sorting bags and items is frustrating, need a scroll or something to automatically sort my stuff into chests.