I have a weird relationship with Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) that is unlike any other MMO I play. It’s definitely one of my favorites, and it is always part of my Steam catalog. Yet, after it becomes my main game for a few months. I have to go completely cold turkey on it for a few months. It stays there staring at my as Steam illustrates my array of games, but I have almost a revulsion thinking about firing it up. There is no logical reason for it. Seriously, I have written and deleted multiple sentences right here trying to put some sense to it.
However, I am back in it now that it has been re-born as a Free-to-Play (F2P) title. Not because it is now playable without a cover charge as I have a lifetime account, but because it feels fresh. It feels new, and in parts it feels like a different game. One that is more caring of my time. I like that. There is so much to learn, but I think that many LOTRO posts will be coming in the future. I saw a few blogger friends also in-game so hopefully they will speak on such things as well. (Oh look, during editing I see one has!)
Last night I was a little overwhelmed. Dozens of titles splashed across my screen. I was gaining Turbine Points (“TP,” the cash shop currency) at an irregularly weird rate, and I heard that my points I racked up the past few months might take a bit to show up. I checked out the slick new dungeon grouping system (please make a collapsible menu), and I did a quick Rift skirmish with a few friends. Last night’s play felt like walking into a restaurant and getting free samples of the coming meal before I am even seated. Then when I sit down to look at the menu it’s too hard to make one choice. I am excited about LOTRO, and I can’t wait to start digging deeper in to all the changes.
–Ravious
Great post!
How do you get LOTRO to show up in Steam?
You can add non-Steam games. It’s a button at the bottom of your library, and then it lets you find the .exe of the game. I think you actually need to set it to TurbineLauncher or something and then rename it yourself.
I have not yet found an MMO that does not work under Steam this way including GW (bought outside of Steam) DDO, WoW, and W101.
I’m looking forward to trying it out when it goes FTP in the next few days. I’ve never given it a fair chance and now I would like to try it again.
Last night was a blast once you could get on the servers. I have never seen so many 65′s in one place before. While I wish they would have increased the level cap, its nice to have a new zone to explore.
My relationship with Lotro is similar Ravious. I play it and love if for a few months at a time and then get bored and take a break of 6 months or more. I always come back though.