Avian Gamers Network

Just read on gamespy.com that this MMO will be free to play this fall. Sure most of the best gear etc. will be available for purchase, but this is onr title I passed over before. Free is a nice price tag even if to explore the world of Middle Earth.

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"I built me a bomb and dropped it on every MFer who got in my way!"

totally interested....I wanted to try this one anyway.

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The Cord
Occasional Caretaker of the Horde Maelstrom Guild
Ex-Section 3 Director

Nice I may have to try this if it'll run on my computer. I've been over to my nephew's house and messed around with the game a bit and watched him thru part of a raid it is definitely cool. Especially since you can have your own house.

x_x usually spells the end of a game...its 9.99 per month (with a 3mo sub)

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Ryric Krael
Former Vice President AGN
Former Director, Section 6
Former Head of Department of the Treasury
-------
Ask not what your PA can do for you, but what you can do for your PA
"Gone Section Five"

All to true. But, it will be cool to try out while it does last.

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"I built me a bomb and dropped it on every MFer who got in my way!"

Hey guys,
If you do the free thing I`m on the LOTRO Vilya server,Gallowz is my main a Runekeeper.I play it,WH and WOW depends what mood im in ya know:)

Just reactivated this account,seems it was bugged for awhile.

I am vilya as well haven't played in awhile though (read 3 months)

_________________
Ryric Krael
Former Vice President AGN
Former Director, Section 6
Former Head of Department of the Treasury
-------
Ask not what your PA can do for you, but what you can do for your PA
"Gone Section Five"

I might join and see what's up with this game...

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Flyoc,
Farm with attitude.

I couldn't disagree more.

The same people running LotRO, Turbine, moved DDO over to the same Free-2-Play model that they will be moving LotRO to and DDO exploded. It not only reinvigorated the game, but solidified F2P as a viable model and Turbine has become the model most others are trying to follow. Not only are they extremely profitable, but the quality of the game keeps getting better with each patch.

I think that LotRO will only get better with F2P model. I will definitely be playing it when they make the move. I'm loving DDO, and although I'm paying a monthly fee right now, I am happy to know that if I need to stop spending money on games I will be able to continue playing the game for free.

_________________
"Loose with Dignity"
Robert
Second President, Avian Gamers

DDO - Cannith - AlistairItor - Rogue/Ranger (5/3) - Main
DDO - Cannith - Guijanitor - Paladin/Rogue (4/1)
DDO - Cannith - RicochetItor - Rogue (5)

So how do they make their money if you're not paying a subscription, DLC?

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X2-PB

Pathfinder Kingmaker Campaign:
Gednan Malithanar - Wizard (1)
Dukin Thunderstrike - Ranger (1)

Star Citizen: - https://www.robertsspaceindustries.com/
AntanKarmola on their forums

Star Wars: The Old Republic: - Not really playing
Antare Karmola - Jedi Guardian (32)
Antan Karmola - Jedi Shadow (21)
Arianae Karmola - Gunslinger (20)

Not sure what you mean by DLC.

But, they make their money off the DDO Store, and off Subscriptions for people who chose to pay.

Basic model for DDO, which LotRO will fairly closely resemble:

VIP Account - This is a $14.99/mo. subscription plan, with discounts based on sub term. I believe the 6-month rate equals $12.99
- All "Content" is included
- Free access to Warforged race and Monk class.
- 10 Character Slots per server
- Shared Bank (A 20 slot bank space shared by account per server)
- Priority Login Queue
- No limits on Chat, Auctions, Mail or Gold
- 500 free Turbine Points per month (DDO Store Cash)

Premium Account - Free-2-Play accounts are automatically upgraded to Premium once ANY amount of money is spent to purchase Turbine Points.
- 4 Character Slots per server
- High Login Queue
- No limits on Chat, Auctions, Mail or Gold

Free Account - Free-2-Play accounts that have never spent money on the game.
- 2 Character Slots per server
- Standard Login Queue


This model encourages the Developers to actually create content people will want to buy, instead of simply throwing additional crap in the game because they want it to look like they are making the game better. It's hard to argue this model with DDO is now one of the most profitable MMO's on the market. Sure, not really in the same class as WoW, but few are. It's the MOST profitable F2P, and if I recall it's in the top 10 of all MMO's profit wise. And that is a huge change from how they were prior to going F2P, where they were losing money and players like crazy.

_________________
"Loose with Dignity"
Robert
Second President, Avian Gamers

DDO - Cannith - AlistairItor - Rogue/Ranger (5/3) - Main
DDO - Cannith - Guijanitor - Paladin/Rogue (4/1)
DDO - Cannith - RicochetItor - Rogue (5)

btw, don't misread what I posted above. The Free to play content is Excellent, and there is Plenty of it. This is a solid, complete game without spending a dime. However, you definitely get a lot more out of it if you do spend money on it.

_________________
"Loose with Dignity"
Robert
Second President, Avian Gamers

DDO - Cannith - AlistairItor - Rogue/Ranger (5/3) - Main
DDO - Cannith - Guijanitor - Paladin/Rogue (4/1)
DDO - Cannith - RicochetItor - Rogue (5)

What is in the DDO Store; in-game items or out-game items?

Yeah, it occurs to me that DLC, Downloadable Content, doesn't really make sense in the context of an MMO. What I meant was purchasing in-game items from the store.

What content is not included on F2P? Are some areas of the game cordoned off for people who don't pay a subscription?

_________________
X2-PB

Pathfinder Kingmaker Campaign:
Gednan Malithanar - Wizard (1)
Dukin Thunderstrike - Ranger (1)

Star Citizen: - https://www.robertsspaceindustries.com/
AntanKarmola on their forums

Star Wars: The Old Republic: - Not really playing
Antare Karmola - Jedi Guardian (32)
Antan Karmola - Jedi Shadow (21)
Arianae Karmola - Gunslinger (20)

X2-PB (good to see you, by the way)

I believe that the free-to-play content is just the base game. No expansion areas or other content are included. Then you can buy everything piecemeal. I don't know that they've released the full business model of it yet, but my understanding was something along these lines:

Buy access to Zone X for $5.
Buy access to dungeon Y for $5.
Buy access to use profession Z for $5.
Etc, etc.

If you have already purchased expansions, you get all of that content as "purchased" on your account, and don't have to re-buy anything. Or you can pay the monthly subscription and get it all.

Don't quote me on this, though, because I'm not 100% certain. And I didn't do any research to back up it up.

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Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!

Good to see you too! The gang's all here, I feel like singing Roll Out The Barrels!! [/random madness]

That's an interesting payment structure. I think if that is the case and I were to play, I'd probably just sit in the starter area with whatever profession I get to start with. Or pay a subscription! It may be worth trying it out anyhow, I quite fancy the idea of being a hobbit, sitting in a chair smoking a pipe!

_________________
X2-PB

Pathfinder Kingmaker Campaign:
Gednan Malithanar - Wizard (1)
Dukin Thunderstrike - Ranger (1)

Star Citizen: - https://www.robertsspaceindustries.com/
AntanKarmola on their forums

Star Wars: The Old Republic: - Not really playing
Antare Karmola - Jedi Guardian (32)
Antan Karmola - Jedi Shadow (21)
Arianae Karmola - Gunslinger (20)

Sorry, life became a whirlpool again and I got a bit distracted.

So, in DDO the F2P players get all the starter content, and a decent amount on content throughout the higher levels. Content is referring primarily to "Quests". A great example is the city of Stormreach. Everyone can go into the "Marketplace", however if you are F2P you cant do any of the Quests there unless you purchase them through the DDO Store. So from what I can tell F2P players have access to around 25-35% of all content in the game. You can repeat each individual quest as often as you like, but after you've done one 5 times you get virtually no XP the next couple of times you go in, and eventually you will get 0 xp, although you continue to get loot. The quests available to F2P players are good quests, and they span all levels. There are some areas of the game that you can only go to if you own a quest in that area though.

Cyrus, the DDO Store is In-Game items and content.

_________________
"Loose with Dignity"
Robert
Second President, Avian Gamers

DDO - Cannith - AlistairItor - Rogue/Ranger (5/3) - Main
DDO - Cannith - Guijanitor - Paladin/Rogue (4/1)
DDO - Cannith - RicochetItor - Rogue (5)

I tried the DDO free thing...

I may just need to find some others to play with, but it's quite lonely there, and the starter quests seem harder than I expected, even with a hireling. The graphics and framerates on the monsters seem a little shaky, although it could just be my aging computer. (It put me on super low settings when I said to optimize my settings for me.)

I do like the "DM" comments as you are inside the quests though...and I guess I really need to catch up on the new D&D rules, especially how the feats/skills actually work. I still have 2nd Edition Rules in my Brain...I play tested 3rd edition, and that was the last stuff I really did with D&D.

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The Cord
Occasional Caretaker of the Horde Maelstrom Guild
Ex-Section 3 Director

Just noticed that I still have LotRO on my machine from beta (doing some massive updateing).
The F2P idea sounds like a good one and I think I'll jump in in September.

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Deak
SWTOR - Spicerunner Legacy - Smuggler - RETIRED
Rift - Decipher - Paragon - RETIRED | WAR - Frenzyof Energy - Shaman - RETIRED
WoW - Fire Mage - RETIRED | SWG - Weaponsmith - RETIRED
MMOGGLER™ for online gamers

Hey guys... just caught up on this thread. I was just telling Ravage this morning that I was getting the MMO itch again. I don't have enough free time in my life anymore to justify spending a ton of money on it, so this might be perfect. When does it start?

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"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

FTP starts on the 8th for early access. I just got an email about it and I'm downloading the new client now.

http://www.lotro.com/news/809-the-lord- ... 010&skip=1

Now, if I can just remember what server my characters are on.... it's be awhile I think it's Vilya or something like that.

Downloading now.. let's see if my laptop can run it. lol

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"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

Good to hear about the client DL. I'll try and get on it. Everyone playing, please continue to post here what server you end up on.

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"I built me a bomb and dropped it on every MFer who got in my way!"

Can I just throw this out there?
Vilya Server

My characters and a few of my RL friends have characters over there...so...perhaps un-official Avian server?

_________________
Ryric Krael
Former Vice President AGN
Former Director, Section 6
Former Head of Department of the Treasury
-------
Ask not what your PA can do for you, but what you can do for your PA
"Gone Section Five"

Or...*GASP*.. we could actually make start an official thing and pump some life back into Avian.

FYI.. the process of getting into this game is not simple. I downloaded the client, then tried to get on, but it won't let me create an account with a product key, and I can't seem to find where to buy the key.

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"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

I'm completely guessing on this, but I bet it's the case concerning the product key. The game and client are currenty configured for the live, pay game. When the free to play kicks in on the 10th, I'm thinking that requirement for account set up will vamoose.

I bought the game, and am playing on Vilya. The completely uncreative name of Talonosi belongs to my Dwarf champion.

I played through the first 7 levels last night, and so far, it's Warcraft with LOTR skins. Give me a reason to keep playing.

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"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

That was my impression too, Talon, but it isn't even a good WoW clone with LOTR skins.

_________________
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!

I haven't tried crafting yet, so it will be interesting to see if that makes a difference to my experience of not.

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"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

In my experience crafting is sortta fun once you can make stuff you can use, but grinding it out is extremely costly due to the difficulty in gathering resources. You also need to grind out at least 3 tiers to even make anything a low lvl char might be interested that they couldn't get questing... I recommend everyone become an explorer at lvl 5 (think that is the earliest you can grab a profession - Anytime you see wood/ore mine it while questing, it sells well and if your crafting you'll thank me later...

The reason you coudln't log in talon is that free play starts the 10th? - and only beta/former subs can load it up today and get a head start tomorrow.

It is very similar to WoW in a lot of ways. I personally prefer it to wow, and have found the community to be much better. The PvP is much more limited. One thing I do enjoy about LOTRO is that they scale many of the instances allowing a solo player to follow the story line without having to group, I find it generally more casual friendly. I also enjoy a lot of the game mechanics and classes etc much more then I ever did WoW.

I personally think the expansion's new classes are my favorite - Warden and Rune Keeper (RK probably being my favorite).

_________________
Ryric Krael
Former Vice President AGN
Former Director, Section 6
Former Head of Department of the Treasury
-------
Ask not what your PA can do for you, but what you can do for your PA
"Gone Section Five"

ugh... i'm downloading the client... not terribly thrilled about the prospect, but the price is right. i'll make a toon on the... uhh.. valium server, or whatever it was. is there any class like a necromancer, that would let me have multiple minions to do my evil biddings?

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~Ravage™
~I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
~The problem with facts, is that sometimes they don't support your opinion.

Captain's get a banner carrier/tank/cannon fodder that levels up with them, Lore masters get a pet.

no necros

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Ryric Krael
Former Vice President AGN
Former Director, Section 6
Former Head of Department of the Treasury
-------
Ask not what your PA can do for you, but what you can do for your PA
"Gone Section Five"

As a former subscriber and owner of SOA and MOM I am listed as a premium user.

Regardless when logging on in the Trollshaws I receive a message that I must purchase the Trollshaws quest pack.

At first I was just hoping it was an "early start" bug. its not.

Please tell me this is not serious that the content from the expansions is considered "owned" while the content from the original game has to be purchased in piecemeal even by players who have purchased the physical game. I find it ridiculous to have to pay for content twice.

So now the I have to decide to either purchase the individual packs or pay for vip access or just skirmish and storyline my way into moria content with my characters. I am a little disappointed.

With F2P and even the premium all you have access is to is the starter area - random spawns and the storyline - I was out of the starter area by lvl 16. The storyline does not level you at the pace of the areas you will be in (aka running to the next storyline location will have you assaulted by monsters 5 lvls out of your comfort zone).

I do not care how they want to rationalize it, basically turbine is saying that the gamebox I purchased for Shadows of Angmar (org game) was just a licenese to create an account and a one month $15 subscription fee. Yet the expansions I own, I own straight up? All content?

I think there is a way to implement F2P systems, but this is not it. I may toy around with the game but I don't see this as causing me to come back and play if for any substantial amount of time. They've add a few new features that even VIP's have to pay for, and invited new players to play & pay for content - and I get the opportunity to pay for that same content all over again or just pay the monthly fee I was paying before. It all seems a tad silly and not like some major game changing decision.

All of this is excluding poor implementation of the store and website with many bugs.

http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php? ... Payed-For/

I think I'll save my money for Guild Wars 2 and/or SWTOR.

_________________
Ryric Krael
Former Vice President AGN
Former Director, Section 6
Former Head of Department of the Treasury
-------
Ask not what your PA can do for you, but what you can do for your PA
"Gone Section Five"

So i logged in, gave it a shot... not my thing. enjoy the game.

~Rav

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~Ravage™
~I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
~The problem with facts, is that sometimes they don't support your opinion.

Good stuff, thanks for the info everyone. I can’t play anything from here; hell waiting for the forums to load can be painfully slow at times. Thanks for all the info.

DF, most of the content from the main game should be F2P, with some exceptions I'm not familiar with. Most of the expansions must be purchased if you are Premium or Free, however if you purchased them previously you will still have access to them.

_________________
"Loose with Dignity"
Robert
Second President, Avian Gamers

DDO - Cannith - AlistairItor - Rogue/Ranger (5/3) - Main
DDO - Cannith - Guijanitor - Paladin/Rogue (4/1)
DDO - Cannith - RicochetItor - Rogue (5)

Side quests require you to pay for quest packs for each area at least as far as the Shadows of Angmar original areas... Icky.

Regardless we shall see if more people start playing it I may return.

_________________
Ryric Krael
Former Vice President AGN
Former Director, Section 6
Former Head of Department of the Treasury
-------
Ask not what your PA can do for you, but what you can do for your PA
"Gone Section Five"

I am in the game as Mantison. On the Elm-something or another server.

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SW:TOR - Mantison Gunslinger, Ironmant Trooper, Manni Jedi Knight
WoW - Dalaran - Manni 85 Mage, Ironmant 83 Warrior, Mantison 80 Hunter
SWG - Chilastra Retired Mantison, Commando / TKA Master aka Trogdor !!!!

Yeah. The official server for Scomp-files.....

_________________
"Loose with Dignity"
Robert
Second President, Avian Gamers

DDO - Cannith - AlistairItor - Rogue/Ranger (5/3) - Main
DDO - Cannith - Guijanitor - Paladin/Rogue (4/1)
DDO - Cannith - RicochetItor - Rogue (5)

I played 3 sessions that last a few hours each. I can't bring myself to log back in again. I guess I've lost interest in this sort of thing. There's very little challenge or sense of accomplishment with repetitive running around, push button hacking, delivery of messages, go talk to mindless twit here, run and find his bag of nuts here.. etc. Just can't do it.

_________________
"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense