As I might or might not have mentioned a little while ago, a couple nights ago I unsubscribed to LOTRO. It’s not that I hate the game; on the contrary, LOTRO is solid fun, especially if you found a great kinship (as I did). It’s because Champions Online is of higher priority to me, and there’s just no way I’m going to have time to play and pay for two full-time MMOs along with DDOU on the side.
Right now at this point in my life, both Champions and DDOU appeal to me and fit my playstyle. With a kid, a full-time job and another year or so of seminary, being able to log in and do a lot in a little bit of time is of great value. Both titles also cater to my altoholic nature, and represent complex depths of character creation. I’m trying to be reasonable with my Champions expectations, but the truth is that this has the potential to be a tremendous time waster (in the good sense). I need to sit down and start working up some character designs, methinks.
LOTRO was a game that made me feel like I had to be in it for the “long haul”, to get to max level, explore the expansion and do all that before the next expansion. I hate playing with that monkey on my back. What strikes me as ironic is that I now leave LOTRO for the second time — and with my Captain the exact same level as my 2006 Minstrel (32) and in the exact same zone (North Downs). Is there something to that?
And are you readers sick of us MMO bloggers constantly hopscotching around to different titles?
“And are you readers sick of us MMO bloggers constantly hopscotching around to different titles?”
Definitely, but I love your writing so I suck it up.
I actually enjoy the hopscotching lately. I’m in the same mood myself lately, so hearing about all the games I don’t have time to try helps me make decisions on which games actually do get my time.
About LOTRO I do wonder about that particular coincidence. Is there something about the game that begins to suffer at that level in that zone? It wouldn’t be hard to think of; a lot of games I’ve played have made me quit at one point or another based on a combination of life issues and doldrums regarding mid-level content. I remember rerolling my initial WoW character simply because I hated the never ending pool of quests that was Stranglethorn Vale.
Nah, it’s fun to watch. I live vicariously through your MMO adventures.
LOTRO… to me at least, has serious issues in Lone-Lands and North Downs. Both times I’ve unsubscribed, it was after spending a lot of time in those zones. Granted, the zones after that are much nicer, but leveling through those two areas is like struggling in quicksand.
I agree with you though: LOTRO, while fun and a solid game, is definitely a long-term game. I need to give Champions another whirl and see how that’s going.
I’m one of the hopscotchers myself, so it’s good to not be alone in that regard!
I also wonder if readers are more annoyed with my chronic altitis.
I think there is something to that zone. I level a champ to 33 in the last few weeks and now i’m just bored with the game
Y’know what I think is weird? Bloggers that play the same game forever. That’s like, I dunno, only eating 1 flavor of ice cream for years on end.
There’s a huge variety of cool games out there, and we only have so many years on this earth. It seems a shame not to sample as many games as possible.
As a long time champions playtester… I’m honestly surprised the game can capture your attention for long periods of time. I’ve played a bit of LotRO and I enjoyed it much more than Champions. The customization is there, undoubtedly, but for some reason that means it is a very shallow game itself, not to mention the fact, to me, it lacks a real superhero feel.
I’m in exactly the same zone as you atm, Syp. Kinda trying anything and everything, a mmomad if you will
LOTRO is actually one my list of games to try out seriously – will depend on how things go in EVE.
Hmm at least you are in closed beta and can see the likely combinations im working from a blank sheet.
I cancelled my WoW sub last night, and to be honest I feel fantastic about it. It is still IMO a great game but I found it too gear orientated, bumping into your ‘clone’ in Dalaran became boring and character progression was sucked out altogether.
With Champions I just know Im going to go nuts with alts and just go back to enjoying actual playing the game
ooooh am so excited.
I checked out the gamespy review and create a character video they have up and it just looks fantastic, if you havent seen it give it a look
Forgot to ask are you going to be writting up some origins for your characters?
I doubt I will be involved in heavy roleplaying etc but hey my champions have to have a background.
Oh and thanks for adding my blog
I bought my own Age of Conan account on Wednesday. It is in the bargain price range (5-7 EUR) in Europe, and you get a snow mammoth and some extras if you re-subscribe or create a new account right now.
I played with the account of a friend at release, and we both quickly dropped the game and I did not bother to buy it.
With my new own account i am now in Tortage, and I will have to get out of this part of the game, as I already know it – I would finally like to see how the rest of the game developed.
And next weekend, I am again participating in an AION beta weekend.
I already quit WoW short after WOTLK release, and I do not feel the will to return at all. I guess not even a complete next expansion could bring me back.
Aion and AoC are “new” to me, but I doubt they will have lasting value. I give Aion a better chance to entice me, despite my deep love for Conan’s low fantasy setting.
It is time for the ultimate MMO revolution, something groundbreaking. Champions Online probably is it neither.
@We Fly Spitfires: It takes some time and a lot of time and practice to get into EVE. But if you are in the game, it is a blast. Then you hit the next hurdle after a year or so, you know the game and you are just not part of a big corporation or alliance, you do not experience epic battles and politicial intrigues at all. And if you do, you are most probably just one more battleship that flies into the meatgrinder.
EVE is not another DikuMUD. EVE is EVE, something of its own, very unique, and this alone makes it special and worth a try.
I think hoping games is the name of the game these days. I just have a hard time imagine playing any MMO for 4 years like I did EQ1 or 2 years like I did EQ2. Lets face it, we have a lot of options and frequently we are given games to pay for that are essentially beta.
I’ve always had better readership when I am consistently following a game though. When I am really involved I write superior articles about time-relevant subjects. Views drop when I go on for many articles in a row about design theory (which is my favorite thing to do)!
That said, we like reading you in general. So you hop games and talk about whatever you want. I’m going to read it anyway.
I can’t wait for Champions, especially for the fact that I’ll be able to play it through a console. It’s a little thing but the ability to relax on the couch which playing an MMO really appeals to me, since I’m at a desk all day at work.
Speaking of which, I’ve heard very little about the 360 version of Champions in a long time. I understand both versions are one and the same but are they still planning on the same release date for both?
While I can understand where you come from, LOTRO only gets better, in my opinion, right after North Downs. You can follow along the reforging of Aragorn’s sword right after that into your late 30’s and 40’s, assist Gimli and Legolas in two seperate epic quests concluding with two great battles. Moving into your 50’s you get more into the depths of Angmar, and if you follow through Volume one quest line, you eventually bring about the end of the leader of Angmar (not the Witch-King, but #2).
Moria is fun, entertaining, and the end game instances I find enjoyable and challenging. I would honestly recommend shelving DDO, and playing LOTRO when you have full rested exp for the grind. Take your time, focus on the storyline, ignore your level, and you’ll have a blast and won’t want to stop playing until spouse aggro’ed.
yes, syp. it’s infuriating!
i cancelled my eve sub after another month of play from my 8 month break. it just takes too much time to get things organised. though i love it, and i’ll always follow it’s development i just don’t have the free time to play it anymore.
so i installed LOTRO as i had the disc and expansion bought on release. i never started playing cause i was loving WAR at the time (oh, how hard was that come down?).
i’m loving LOTRO. i’m a lore buff with LOTR (on par with my star wars fan boy scholarship) and i can really get into the game. playing on an RP server helps with the immersion even though i don’t really take part.
now that you’ve cancelled LOTRO i’m without a consistant blog that features my main MMO.
DAMN YOU, SYP!
I agree about the North Downs I loved lotro up until this zone, and now my little burg sits fully rested.