First, you're not sorry for being negative. You revel in being negative. Don't try to pansy-ass your way out in the final paragraph. Own your negativity.

Second, which MMOs are you thinking of that will be gaining ground over Turbine? WoW? Already ahead. Eve? Different market. AoC? Different market. Warhammer? Nearly dead. Allods Online? Free, so who cares. Alganon? Joke. Champions/CoH? Different market. Fallen Earth? Different market. DDO? Whoops, who cares.

Despite all the crying of "same game" for every single MMO that comes out, I've just listed quite a few games that all appeal to very different segments of the market. You act as though you aren't aware of the LOTRO community being made up of a great number of players that stamp themselves [LOTRO ONLY!]. In many cases, not only is LOTRO their only MMO, it's their only video game, period.

I'm sorry you're not happy about Siege of Mirkwood but keep the doomsaying to a minimum cause it only makes you look silly down the road. Remember, Warhammer and Age of Conan were going to ass rape LOTRO. That hasn't exactly happened has it?

Great feedback, that said, let's get down to brass tacks here. Firstly I'll ignore you combative tone, as I think you've probably had far too much turkey.

Soooo then, SoM, it's awesome huh? Let's hear from you why it's so excellent, I'm interested now? I've heard the marketing speak, I've seen the trailers, so Chris, what you like about it when you played it?

I know I am sorry for being negative about LOTRO, because I used to be a huge fan of the game, That's fact, I don't think you can argue about how I feel when I write something, unless you are either psychic or deluded. I could say you are a raging mouth-breathing angry nerd fan boy, spitting over the keyboard in defense of 'your game', for instance, but I'm sure you would offer a different opinion. So let's discount your first point, as the only thing that's going to get 'owned' here, is you, not my negativity.

Secondly, nice list, forget Aion much? Different market, how very convenient! There are two other MMO releases tomorrow, both compete with front page space with LOTRO. And let me remind you, free games, who cares, hmm FYI a lot more people are turning to free to play games as an alternate payment model. Might not mean much to you, you act as if you are not aware of the larger MMO community and speak from a purely singular standpoint.

People put LOTRO up there as number three of four usually, maybe a bit lower, but a dearth of content over the last year and this lack-luster release, I don't know what that says about the direction of the game. People were looking forward to Rohan and got a quarter of Mirkwood early, I don't know how you polish turds, but I can't do anymore than that, sorry.

From what you've said, then people who are LOTRO only can never be disappointed, even after the lack of book updates for upwards of 6 months and to feel a little short changed from this recent 'bookpansion'? LOTRO players are not idiots, they don't just play their only game blindly, they have expectations also. Given the game has a long history of story and quality, they are going to feel let down. I'd advise these only gamers to try Dragon Age for example, for a hugely more gratifying 'epic storyline' and to contrast, then establish if LOTRO is value for them.

Mr Angry rarely looks silly on these boards, and after having tried out this release from beta for quite some time, trying to find out how much there is to all this, I do know that there isn't much there in this release, and from what I've seen, it's not got the same level of polish of feel as the rest of the game (even though I felt that started to decline with MoM). Your opinions on WAR and AoC are your own, it was certainly not an opinion of mine.

I responded to you in this manner, because I know you didn't want a "pansy-ass" response. If you can manage to be polite, I'll respond, otherwise enjoy Mirkwood, and see you back here in a week when you've completed the content!

Cheers!

First, your name is Mr. Angry. Most of the comments you make are negative in some way. Exception for your most recent comment about Aion.

Second, you're going to "own" me? Do people actually speak that way?

The reason I made the "pansy-ass" remark is because right up until that paragraph I was right there with you on your upset. It was a lousy ending and came off like "you're ugly, no offense" which is always lame.

And, you're right, I did forget Aion. I also forgot a great many other games. Personally, I'm not excited by Aion. But, that's the thing you can be. You're more than welcome to be excited about Aion. You can also be excited about WoW, or Fallen Earth (which I also didn't mention) or any other game.

But, here's my question for you put as politely as I can manage without reference to owning or slobbering or anything remotely like that, why do you need to talk down a game? This is an honest question, I'm not trying to be a smart-ass here.

I simply don't understand why anyone posts comments along the lines of "this game is awful and will get taken out by game XYZ because of ZYX issue." And, please, before you say I'm putting words in your mouth do understand I'm doing my best to make a general example that I'm certain you're more than familiar with.

Why come to this site and post as much as some do only to exclaim how horrible some game will be? What's wrong with just not playing that game? Do you feel you're trying to perform a service for those of us unable to form opinions? Are you trying to save me $9.95 a month?

As for what I'm excited about in SoM? Combat changes and Skirmishes. I've enjoyed both immensely and, for me, that's just fine.

Mr. Angry, did you finish book 9 and the four epilogues? SoM contains the longest epic book chain released in the game so far. It is also the best story line so far. I thought Volume 1 had a good story but Volume 2 was great at the ending. The epilogues were also nice so you could wrap up any loose ends with the NPC's you fought along side in book 9. Personally I really enjoy skirmishes. It is a great way to get item exp runes and LI relics. There are lots of fluff and goodies on the vendors for people to buy with skirmish marks. On the other hand, I'm not impressed with the new lvl 65 gear. However I think it'll be just like MoM. Turbine will release new craftable teal gear in a future book update just like they did for Lothlorien gear. I won't be playing the same 12 skirmishes for the next year cause they would become boring but JWBarry has already said they are busy working on the next round of skirmishes to be added.

I am talking this game down, because it could have been done better, and given the lack of real content this year, I want the people developing the title to understand that things are not cool in Middle Earth and they have got lazy. I think that's pretty straightforward.

I did actually enjoy the story, but once it's done, you are pretty much spent, and then you face the same problems that exist now.... "now what?" The skirmishes are repetitive and in beta people were actually working system to grind them out, the rewards are poor, and the fact that the extra 5 levels are just a mechanism so you pay more money is arbitrary, they serve no real purpose in developing the character, as you'll do the quests anyway and level as a consequence.

From what I've seen there is no real compelling argument to charge money for this. If correcting gameplay elements such as combat and horse storage, supplying story arc content that was previously free, shoehorning in another mini game and tarting up mid level content is worth expansion type cash, then I really feel that LOTRO players are a bit of an easy touch.



Finally for my usual negative tone, from what we've seen this year consumers have been repeatedly let down, misled, manipulated and plain lied to by the MMO industry.

I want to change this. $15/month is nothing to these companies, but if you write up what you feel, even if three people consider your words, then this will impact a bad game. While this may seem mean, as earlier stated, some people only play one game, $15 could be a lot of cash to them, so why not demand more, why not share your opinion with them too, let them at least think things through? While it's nice if we all chill here, high fiving one another and sharing some awesome screenshots, these games are becoming turgid, repetitive and lazy.

Have players gone too far to be shaped by the MMO industry into unquestioning consumers, even when paying for that privilege? Right now are the cash cow days of MMO's, anything with an MMO tag sells in volume, but such awful tripe is being pumped out, and the marketing is deceitful and misleading.

So please excuse me if I seem rather negative, I like to think it balances the PR side and get's people to question what they want from their game. If I'm impressed, I'll say so, if I am disappointed I'll say so too, however the current state of the industry is that everyone is waiting for the seven year game changer, the next big thing, and it's overdue.

Until then we aren't getting very good value, and cost cutting measures such as we've been experiencing with LOTRO is hurt the player experience. I just want what's best for the players, until we get that, I'll be continuing to post in the same manner.

With regards the recent Aion trailer, yes it was very impressive, this should happen more, most were agreed, but then look what we got from Turbine, just doesn't compare, and we are talking about the biggest fantasy IP going here.....