OFFICIAL: Message board users get 25 free keys to try LOTRO

[MrCere]

Friends!

I am excited and pleased to announce that I have the go ahead from Turbine Entertainment to offer 25 FREE on-line keys to play "The Lord Of The Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar."

WHO: The first 25 people who respond to this thread that you are reading right now with their game choice of race (Human, Hobbit, Elf, Dwarf) and their best character screen name. The game encourages using Middle-earth appropriate names and offers suggestions. Characters cannot be named "Gandalf" or "Ganddddddaaaaaaaalf" or anything of that nature.

WHAT: For those of you interested in trying, a no risk or obligation chance to play the massive multiplayer game set in Middle-earth.

WHEN: Starting March 30 (this Friday) Turbine wants the world to see and feel its game. It thinks you will love it.

WHERE: At your private computer that meets the advised beta system requirements:

Beta Minimum System Requirements:
Processor: Intel Pentium 4.24 ghz or equivalent
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c
RAM: 1 GB
Internet: Broadband DSL/Cable

WHY: Because I told Turbine they needed to do this for TORn and they want new people to try the game. Look for "Mrcere" the Dwarf on the "Meneldor" server during beta play.

HOW: You need to post your character race and name here to win but I will need your e-mail address to pass to Turbine Entertainment in order to get your key. So, if you are among the first 25 to reply to this post with the information requested, you also need to e-mail MrCere@TheOneRing.net your REAL name and E-Mail so Turbine knows where to send its key.

LINKS: The official LOTRO site.

 

[namadriel]

I don't think I can play. I'm on a Mac. So that means no Windows. *sigh*

But it's awesome for those who do get to try it!

 

[SandWitch King]

It didn't say anything about MAC / PC on the requirements list. I know World of Warcraft can be played on both, I suspect this can as well.

 

[namadriel]

I though it said Windows was the required OS.

Yeah, I looked again at the FAQ. And it's only for Windows.

 

[Aerlinn]

Stupid dial up.

Thanks, MrSWK.

 

[Foe]

Thanks, just tell me what to do!

EDIT: Oh, you did.

Ok, I'll go with Foehelm, a human.

 

[Magpie]

what do I do now?

oops... if I read, I'd know I'm suppose to add this:

Human

uh.... name:

Elwin

 

[hpavc]

From the official FAQ here http://tinyurl.com/yrdtqo

[/url]

Will LOTRO be released for the Mac / Linux / Xbox / Playstation / Gamecube?[/url] LOTRO is currently only in development for Windows-based PC platforms.

 

[Beleg_Cuthalion]

Please give me a key.

Race: Elf

Name: Beleg Cuthalion

 

[FingonOfPittsburgh]

I played the beta for about two months solid. And while I've decided not to play this game any further (mainly because I simply don't have the time to devote to a MMORPG at this point in my life [3 kids kinda hamper your gaming time]), I'd be happy to answer any questions that some of you folks may have. I played both Everquest and World of Warcraft pretty hardcore for a number of years, so I know MMOs from the hardcore gamer's perspective. But I also understand it from the casual player's perspective since I spent a lot of time purposely avoiding the raiding mentality in both of those games at times, and pretty much that's the approach I took with Lotro while I played it.

 

[SandWitch King]

I read other forums about this game and there are always some cries of "Carbon copy of World of Warcraft" with some people laughing them offf and saying, "You are a hater!"

So, your opinion?

I also read that the lack of Player vs. Player makes people generally less contentious. Thoughts?

 

[FingonOfPittsburgh]

This game is definitely not a carbon copy of WoW. However, it is very similar in a number of ways. (In MMOs, it's hard to be completely original, since you're basically doing the same thing in all the games.) One thing to keep in mind: all of these MMOs have been glorified online video game versions of Dungeons and Dragons, which as we all know was very much influenced by Tolkien. So when someone puts out an MMO that faithfully presents Tolkien's world (as is the case here), it's not surprising that Tolkien-ignorant gamers would see it as a rip-off of their favorite games, when in fact the exact opposite is true.

As for PvP, I never understood what the big hub-bub is about. I was never a PvPer, and I'm not sympathetic to their cause. Speaking from an overall impression, the game is MUCH less contentious than EQ or WoW. People are much friendlier in general, plus the developers have done a GREAT job in designing the game in such a way to fix the issues that turned people into jerks in the other games. For example, quest mobs re-pop very quickly, meaning there aren't many situations where a line of people are all waiting for the same mob (which can lead to KS'ing (kill-stealing)).

 

[SureCavanaugh]

Race: Human

Name: Ecthelion II

Hope I made the first 25

 

[SandWitch King]

For you and everybody else, be sure to also e-mail MrCere@TheOneRing.net with your real name and e-mail addy that you want the key delivered to. Looks like it will still be next week before we GET stuff, but you made the list.

 

[hpavc]

In these games give you some options on things to do such as: develop my toon (level it, get cash, level craft, key/rep work), raid (kill stuff, prep for raid, key/rep work), rp (do rp stuff, obtain rp stuff such as [First Mate Hat]), pvp (kill stuff, get rank, guard in game objectives -- prevent others from entering an instance forcing them to fight).

PvP Its just another thing to do. Some characters are not apt to be as successful in pvp as others, the 'traits' you choose and items one gathers for pve combat are not always great for pvp.

The games also tend to cap out non-raid pve combat especially encounters where everyone can easily go with their characters. So you get a wide variety of characters that are at the level cap, but they are vastly ranging in their lethality. (if you have played wow, you obviously realize that not 60/70s are equal. My Warlock with years under belt may be the same level as someone who just dinged 60/70) Yet the level caps keep the same range corralled in the same non-raid pve areas by and large. They cannot expose themselves to creating a non-raid area with mobs of significant higher level than the cap than I can best in a solo or undermanned non-raid group as it would break the game economy with the rewards.

Pvp is one of the outlets for the gameshops to give developed characters at the level cap outside of raiding. Other player are the only challenging foes that don't require too much work to engage and have segways into the game possibly.

The balance of pvp and pve in games that want to do so is a nightmare I wish I nobody. A lot of 'traits' for example would unviable I am sure if the game was ffa-pvp. Lethal epic heroics tend to have cooldowns on abilties that lend themselves to destory weaker support classes. And epic support classes usually can do miracles on demand. If you want those things in the lore and obtainable by characters you cannot really have ffa-pvp.

As for PvP, I never understood what the big hub-bub is about. I was never a PvPer

This can be a blessing and a curse, often the best longer term way to fix the need to camping mobs is reducing the compaction motivating people with more options to do stuff. Increasing respawn rates and spawn areas tends to develop other issues that impact the game negatively long term -- machine farming drops, power leveling, gold farming, etc. It doesn't take much in the way of economic imbalance by a handful of characters to throw a server's virtual economy out of whack.

For example, quest mobs re-pop very quickly, meaning there aren't many situations where a line of people are all waiting for the same mob (which can lead to KS'ing (kill-stealing)).

 

[SureCavanaugh]

I'm suprised that not more people have jumped at this, you'd think they everyone would want a key...is it just because they're going to try and get in tomorrow?

When do you think our keys will arrive, and if not for a couple of days are our names reserved so that people who are joining now and the 1,000,000 that join tomorrow can't take them?

 

[Celebrian]

Hi! I'm new to the TORn boards (although I've been reading the news page for years) and I've never played an Online game, so basically, I'm interested in visiting Middle Earth, but I'm also rather nervous about the whole thing. Is it true that I can just basically wander around and see Middle Earth without taking on a specific quest or anything? Does it matter if I have limited time and only play a few days a week (or whatever)? Is it pretty easy to learn what to do in these sorts of games?

If there are still keys, and it won't be too difficult (or frightening!) for a complete newbie, then I'll give it a try.

I'd like to be a hobbit named Petunia Proudfoot.

 

[CarpeDM]

Yes, you can just wander around. However, much of the fun of the game is taking on quests and increasing the skills of your character. There are no time requirements, so you can spend as much or as little time as you want on the game.

It is fairly easy to get the basics of the game down. They run you through a tutorial before you do anything, and the controls are not difficult at all.

I would recommend giving it a try. If you don't like it, you can always quit. However, I'll suspect that you'll be pulled in like so many others have.

 

[Magpie]

I'm a 54 woman and have done adventure type games (no battles) but never one like this. But I want to explore it a little so I'm signing up. You can't be more clueless than me when it comes to this stuff although my son did get me to play World of Warcraft for a whole 30 minutes.

And, we are still waiting for the keys... is that right? I got a reply to my email to MrCere but no key so I'm thinking he doesn't have them yet.

 

[MrCere]

There are people confused, including ME, about when the OPEN BETA starts.

Tomorrow, March 30, the soft launch of the game starts for THOSE WHO HAVE PRE-PURCHASED a subscription. (Either $199 lifetime or $9.99 a month).

The FREE OPEN BETA starts April 6 and I believe it will be available until the hard launch of the game on April 24. (At which time the monthly subscription goes up to $15.)

So the first week is for people who HAVE pre-paid. So, if you need to play immediately, it will cost. If you can wait until the 6th, you can have almost three weeks of free trial. Of course if you are going to subscribe get on the $9.99 bandwagon before the 24th, but that is what the FREE TRIAL is supposed to entice you to do.

And to be clear, the free open beta is, clear cut, no obligation, no strings, just free free free.

Once again - the officially designated TORn server will be "MENELDOR".

Also, TORn will be giving away several hundred keys to the open beta next week, however, we wanted to FIRST make sure our message board users, at least 25 of us, are assured a spot. Tuesday or Wednesday will be the TORn front page "fill this out for a chance to win!" contest for open beta keys.

I hope that is very clear and sorry for any confusion.