I think the golden rule in MMOs is the same as it is here on the Dope: Don’t be a jerk.
Everything else is gravy.
For the record, I don’t just go around randomly assisting others all the time since I don’t see any reason to screw up their XPs (I wasn’t sure if it did in LOTRO, but I know it does in WoW and assumed they worked the same). The game is solo-friendly, so it’s rarely needed.
But I try to remember that most people don’t have selfish motives when they do something that may or may not be nice, whether that help was needed or not. If I one-shot your kill, I really am just trying to help you.
(Helped out a L17 the other day who thought she’d try her hand at a L23 elite (not a signature; an elite) that had about three times her hit points. Once. And then left her to her own devices. If she was dumb enough to continue on by herself when it was obvious she wasn’t ready for it, that was her tough luck.)
BTW, I just got back from Gladden, where I created a new character, this one a Captain, and he had NO PROBLEMS at all moving and my cursor behaved as well, so I guess it’s peculiar to just Brandywine and NOT anything I am doing or not doing. mlees and Deadly Accurate, I had to smile when I read your positions on helping, because I helped another character yesterday in the Blackwolds and I got the strike that killed his spy.
Well, I didn’t know it till y’all started talking about it, but my “friend” stepped back, jumped up and down a couple of times, and he did not look happy. I bowed and he didn’t bow back, so I figured then he must have been in a hurry, because he swam across the lake, but now I know different.
Quasimodem, I don’t play LOTR, so I can’t really contribute to your thread. Just wanted to welcome you to the world of online gaming. It’s a great hobby, and will provide you with many hours of entertainment. There’s lots of games out there, so if you get tired of one, you can always switch to another. Many of them have various “free trials” that will let you check out the game before becoming a paying customer. I’ve played Everquest, Everquest 2, City of Heroes/Villians, and now I’m playing WoW…all games were played to maximum level on at least one character.
Couple of tips for you:
As mentioned above, you want to have absolutely nothing to do with any website, service, or person that offers to trade you in game items or “leveling services” for real world money. Not only could you get banend from the game for doing so, but you’d face general disdain from all other reputable players. Worse, doing so can expose your account to people that will take your stuff, insult your friends, and otherwise ruin your characters.
Along similar lines, if you’re going to browse websites related to online games…any online games…you want to have your firewall/anti-virus/computer security stuff fully updated. Some of those sites have malware that will install a “keylogger” program to steal your account name/password and cause mischief.
I’m a big fan of the gaming forums at Allakhazam. That forum is safe–but be wary of links posted there by posters with low post counts. I checked, and there is a forum for your game, found here:
Whether you chose to register and post there or not, you can find all sorts of helpful information regarding the game–races, classes, quests, tips from experienced players, discussion of game bugs, info about coming changes, etc.
Absolutely, postively, never ever for any reason should you give your password to anybody. Not even if they claim to work for the gaming company as a “game master” or whatever they’re called in a particular game. Not if they claim dire need. Not if they promise to give you gold/items/sexual favors. Not if they claim to be the reincarnation of whatever religious figure you admire most. Not even if they claim to be me.
There may be a version of wikipedia for your game. I know WoW has WoW Wiki. Lots of good info there.
When you open the “keymapping” option page for the first time, it should present you with the “default” settings for various bindable actions. For example, IIRC, the “jump” action is on the space bar. To reassign it, you left click on the word “space bar” in the jump action line. You should be prompted with a message indicating that the next key you press will be assigned to the “jump” action. (I reassigned mine to the zero on the number pad, for example.)
Note, you can possibly assign two “keys” to each action. I don’t know if you can assign key-combos, like RightCntL-RightShift keys depressed at the same time… I never tried it.
If you goof, and don’t know how to fix it, you can always reset everything back to default.
Also, you can customise your Interface screen, and where everything sits. Hit the “” key. You will see a bunch of stuff pop up that shows you where various notice boxes and what-not sit. You can drag them to different spots if you want. (You can move the compass-map, for instance.) I would not try to move everything around at once (indeed, not everything will actually need to be on the screen at once, and there is a lot of clutter as it is with the drag buttons…). Wait until you see a need to clear up in-play clutter before calling up that function and making changes.
Just wanted to followup that I heard back from my developer friend, and he recommended the Wiki that mlees linked to. Here’s the main page; you should probably bookmark it as another resource: http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Lorebook_home
Thanks, FerretHerder, I will definitely do that, but right now I’m still kinda ticked off at Brandywine, because I cannot get my Champ to move without jerkiness and I sure can’t take him out into the field like that, because we’ll get clobbered.
As I said, I went to Gladden, created a new Captain and it works just fine there.
I am up to Level 7 with Esilem in Brandywine, I like the way he looks and I don’t fancy starting all over again on another server.
Meanwhile, I have posted my problems under the Brandywine Server Discussion group, but other than telling me to re-start my computer (which I did), there’s been no help forthcoming.
Meanwhile I’m just sitting around in Archet and taking a walk, I see that the east gate has been breached, but hell, I can’t do anything about it, if I can’t move or fight.:mad:
Oakminster, thanks for the welcome and the link, I will heed your advice for sure. Those Gold guys are all over the net, aren’t they? WHEW! Glad I said somethin’!
Brandywine is a heavily populated server, but I have never heard of the kind of endemic performance issue you are talking about. I am on Meneldor and have been since May of last year, and although we have a robust population, we are smaller than Brandywine.
I did type that in, and it looked like it STARTED off okay, but then he began those jerky movements again.
While I was there, there didn’t seem to be a lot of players doing quests, so I don’t know what’s going on. I at first suspected a virus on my computer, but why would my guy work fine in Gladden, and why does my computer not mess up when I am OFF the LOTRO site?
As I said, I opened up a “new ticket” and also did the “Report a Bug” thing, so maybe between the two requests, someone will see what they can do for me.
I suppose they can enter the server as my character, right - even without knowing my password? So maybe they can re-create what’s going on with poor ol’ Esilem, who is right now sitting in that outhouse-looking thing just inside the gates of Archet.
You know how you mentioned kinda feeling your way around?
Embrace that. Enjoy it while you can. There’s nothing quite like that first online game, where everything is new and exciting. Don’t be in any rush to hit the maximum level…enjoy the journey. Do the quests. Wander around and soak up the scenery/lore of game locations. Odds are good your game has some type of fishing or other activity that doesn’t make a lot of experience/money, but is still fun to do. Join some groups when you get a chance. Learn to work with others, using whatever your abilities may be to help the group. Learn what is expected from your class in a group. Watch what others of your class do, and learn from them. Watch how other classes work. Roleplay a little bit now and then. Be silly sometimes. Remember it’s a game, and do whatever you feel like doing at the time.
You’ll get to the level cap soon enough, and then they’ll raise it, and you’ll hit the new one.
I understand, and thanks for the reminder, because I have noticed myself getting a bit impatient and wishing I had more of a weapon than that rusty short-sword.
Bad news: Now Gladden is doing the same thing as Brandywine: jerky movements, not being able to find the cursor, getting clobbered, etc.
I am de-fragging as we “speak” to see if THAT will help, but I just cannot believe that when we’re out of the game completely, the computer behave normakky in all ways.
Wondering if I can solve the problem by doing a SYSTEM RESTORE, y’all?
I am on Elendlimir (sp?), the very first server, and is very willing to assist a new player (Look for Slvendir).
As for the champion, you can keep spamming the same skill to raise your Fervor, but note the cool-down on each skill. When beginning my champion, I always use Swift Strike, then Brutal Strike, and when Swift Strike can be used again, then I use it (I may have get the skill names wrong).
And oh yeah, the Champion is not very good for a first player. I recommend a captain or a guardian instead. The captain is better as it is a hybrid class which can buff, heal and debuff, while for a guardian, it’s harder to die.
Okay, you’re gonna have to explain that one to me, 'cause I’m ignern’t on that topic (and many others).
Also,** you’re **gonna check my network connection?
Cool! What’d you find out?
Busy this morning uninstalling unused stuff, defragging, etc. LOTRO really takes a lot of memory (he states, pointing out the obvious)!
You can hide any piece you are wearing by pressing C (unless you have rebound it) and opening your paper doll. Next to each item of armor you have equipped, there is a little icon that represents an eye. Click it to hide or reveal the item.
If you are not yet wearing a cloak, this is obviously not going to be an issue.
If you would like tips on how to upgrade your rusty sword, I would be happy to make a few suggestions.
