# LOTR MMORPG lifetime membership **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637 "2007-03-27T02:33:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/21 "2007-03-27T18:36:19Z")
[QUOTE=Hugh Jass] A quick check reveals the servers are: Brandywine Elendilmir Gladden Landroval Meneldor Silverlode Windfola I nominate Brandywine. For no particular reason. [/QUOTE] I’m partial to the second one, actually. Don’t know why… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/22 "2007-03-27T18:42:02Z")
[QUOTE=Jophiel] Minstrels look like they’ll require some level of Everquest Bard twisting to keep all of your effects up. A lvl 1 song will allow you to play a lvl 2 song which allows you to play a lvl 3 song, etc so you wind up doing a lot of “Play 1” “Play 2” “Play 3” “Play 1 again 'cause it faded”, “Play 2”… etc. I liked playing a bard in EQ so it was natural for me but I can see where it won’t be for everyone. [/QUOTE] Not that I didn’t like bards, but holy god I can’t believe they put twisting back in. That doesn’t bode well. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/23 "2007-03-27T19:05:33Z")
Hmm… I may have to check this out. I got a bit burned out on Everquest and hadn’t really planned on getting into any more MMORPGs, but this looks interesting! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/24 "2007-03-27T21:55:05Z")
> [@](#): > > The closest you see to magic is the potions the Lorekeeper can brew. No traditional wizards and mages and druids and the like. If there were, it would be a huge departure from the source material. Yeah, everyone knows Gandalf, but he was one of only five Istari in the whole world, and the whereabouts of two of them are unknown. There are a handful of sorcerers, as well, but that’s black magic, unavailable to heroes, and likely takes longer than a human lifespan to learn, anyway. And the few Light Elves still in the world can do some impressive things, but most of that’s not exactly what you might call magical, and most of what is “magical” is attributable to having one of the Three Rings. In no other RPG would a party of 13 warriors, a burglar, and a part-time wizard, or two warriors, two hunters, four burglars, and a wizard, be considered balanced, but hopefully, in this game, they would be. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/25 "2007-03-27T21:57:43Z")
Is that 199 lifetime fee always going to be an option? Looking at the site, it sort of seems like it’s only available to people who pre-order. But maybe I just can’t read. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/26 "2007-03-27T22:01:04Z")
[QUOTE=arseNal] Is that 199 lifetime fee always going to be an option? Looking at the site, it sort of seems like it’s only available to people who pre-order. But maybe I just can’t read. [/QUOTE] It’s only available to people who pre-order, yes, and it’s a one-time-only offer. If you sign up for the monthly payment ($9.99 for preorders; $14.99 otherwise), you cannot change your mind and take the $199 later. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/27 "2007-03-27T22:05:01Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] It’s only available to people who pre-order, yes, and it’s a one-time-only offer. If you sign up for the monthly payment ($9.99 for preorders; $14.99 otherwise), you cannot change your mind and take the $199 later. [/QUOTE] That’s sort of harsh. By when do we have to decide which option? No way of trying out the product before forking over $250? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/28 "2007-03-27T22:10:04Z")
[QUOTE=arseNal] That’s sort of harsh. By when do we have to decide which option? No way of trying out the product before forking over $250? [/QUOTE] I’m not sure but I think you can play in the beta before deciding which payment plan you want. Edit: in other words, you have until 24 April. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/29 "2007-03-27T22:19:13Z")
> **[Home | The Lord of the Rings Online](https://www.lotro.com/home)** > > The Lord of the Rings Online Yah that sucks. looks like you might be able to play until the launch (apr 24th) But that is an awful short time to decide on a $199 notransferable nonrefundable fee. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/30 "2007-03-27T22:27:33Z")
[QUOTE=N9IWP] Yah that sucks. looks like you might be able to play until the launch (apr 24th) But that is an awful short time to decide on a $199 notransferable nonrefundable fee. [/QUOTE] Depends. I only played for one weekend–the stress test–and loved it, given the obvious Guild Wars influence. And mobs actually leave you alone if you’re far enough above their level! 🆒 Edit: it is possible that things have changed significantly since then. Guess I’ll know for sure this weekend. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/31 "2007-03-27T22:42:12Z")
[QUOTE=N9IWP] > **[Home | The Lord of the Rings Online](https://www.lotro.com/home?page_id=103)** > > The Lord of the Rings Online Yah that sucks. looks like you might be able to play until the launch (apr 24th) But that is an awful short time to decide on a $199 notransferable nonrefundable fee. Brian [/QUOTE] How will they enforce non-transferability, I wonder? Is there a precendent for this? Even Knicks season ticket holders get to sell their tickets (and they have reason to lately). Screw it, I pre-ordered anyway. [QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] Depends. I only played for one weekend–the stress test–and loved it, given the obvious Guild Wars influence. And mobs actually leave you alone if you’re far enough above their level! 🆒 Edit: it is possible that things have changed significantly since then. Guess I’ll know for sure this weekend. 😉 [/QUOTE] Yeah, WTH, I’ve wasted a lot more money on much dumber things anyway. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/32 "2007-03-28T13:37:12Z")
Fellowships (NOT The Fellowship) are groups. The workalike for guilds is kinships: [http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1175066403](http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1175066403) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/33 "2007-03-28T14:09:46Z")
Guess I’ll be popping around Brandywine for a taste test… sorry, **Elendil’s Heir**! _wonders if she can manage to WoW and LotR at the same time_ ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/34 "2007-03-28T16:20:28Z")
Turbine says they are processing 600K open beta keys so far. About 20K of those are carryovers from closed beta. They’re also planning on sending out a million more keys in computer magazines next week. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/35 "2007-03-28T16:56:37Z")
How the frak are you supposed to register to Turbine? I fill in the form, then it goes back to the logon page with a message that the username I selected has been reserved for 10 min and if I don’t complete registration in that time or close the server it will be freed… but there’s no new email and it doesn’t take my key or the name+password. Have I gone completely dumb? ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/36 "2007-03-28T18:08:35Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] How the frak are you supposed to register to Turbine? I fill in the form, then it goes back to the logon page with a message that the username I selected has been reserved for 10 min and if I don’t complete registration in that time or close the server it will be freed… but there’s no new email and it doesn’t take my key or the name+password. Have I gone completely dumb? [/QUOTE] There’s some weirdness with the game being taken down. When the closed beta ended, they mentioned how the forums would be down, and various other shenanigans. It is possible that we may not be able to register right now either. Things are supposed to start going live again on Thursday, culminating in the open beta beginning on Friday. I recommend trying again on Thursday or Friday before calling them. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/37 "2007-03-28T19:15:34Z")
I finally got the game downloaded and installed late last night, and fired it up to take a look at it this morning… … and found that all the servers were down. Not auspicious at all. As for the Lifetime Membership, if it was being offered by any other company, I might be tempted. That’s a pretty good deal- I certainly would’ve saved money on WoW or CoH if they’d had that kind of deal. However, coming from Turbine… I’m not so sure. Turbine’s one of the few companies that has actually closed an ongoing MMORPG (Asheron’s Call 2). The fact that you can’t change a monthly subscription into a lifetime subscription makes me just that more dubious. It sounds like something a marketing dweeb would come up with to lock in money right from the start- “hook 'em before they change their minds”. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/38 "2007-03-28T19:28:43Z")
[QUOTE=Lightnin’] I finally got the game downloaded and installed late last night, and fired it up to take a look at it this morning… … and found that all the servers were down. Not auspicious at all. [/QUOTE] Closed Beta ended last week. Open beta doesn’t start until the 30th for pre-orders and the 6th for the general public. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/39 "2007-03-28T22:21:18Z")
If anyone wants in on open beta starting the 4[sup]th[/sup], I can forward an invite. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637/40 "2007-03-28T22:43:35Z")
I’d like that, **Lute**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-mmorpg-lifetime-membership/397637.md?page=3)