MSNBC: Live from Middle-Earth

Not to get into a giant debate on the subject, but much of the original machinima was made by just using "in-game animations." In fact, that's how the whole thing started.

Take Red vs. Blue for example. All of the originals were done within the Halo engine, using Halo animations. The "boom lift" shot in the opening episode? That's the cameraman player standing on top of the tank's turret as the turret slowly drops.

Sure, new machinima uses techniques to circumvent the game's engine, but machinima was founded on creating your own movie within the confines of the system. Exactly what this has done.

no, b/c that'd be incorrect.

Is Coke just Pepsi w/ a different label?
Is NBC just CBS w/ different programs?
Is DC Just Marvel w/ different characters?

Simalar? yes. Just the same? no.

Yes, but I found they used rather vague descriptions to explain the concept in the beginning. And the pretty images distract from really listening to what he's saying. But the idea is nice :)

How about "Just as Asheron's Call but with different backdrops"? ;)

Not to mention LOTRO has had 2 years to evolve into something completely different in feel and usage than what WoW is. They've added so many new features that no one near end game would ever confuse the two.

Besides, we all know that WoW is an EQ clone.

Ok, it came out completely wrong. I have nothing against LOTRO, but I found the video rather bad.
Let me try to rephrase it:

Good they give LOTRO attention but if this video is mend as an introduction to non-online gamers and maybe even non-gamers it could have been clearer. They could have used World of Warcraft as example of a similar game, since at least 11.5 million people are familiar with that. Of course it's not the same game, but it might help some people to place what it's about.

They could have left out the mumbled phrase 'massively multiplayer', but maybe give a nice description 'is a video game where you play online with other people in the world of Lord of the Rings'. Leave out the jargon. And earlier in the video.

And either tell me things or show me pretty pictures, but not both at the same time.

Harmen is being very nitpicky, yes. I thought it was a very cute interview and it's nice to see a mainstream media outlet do a little bit of reporting about an online game that doesn't have anything to do with how they're trying to steal our souls and barbecue them.

I also do not feel that they should have to preface an introduction to any MMO with "it's like WoW but...". I feel trying to talk about it on its own merits encourages more descriptive reporting, rather than assuming the audience already knows something about the product.

All of this said, your reaction is part of the reason I get... irked with the LotRO community. I love the game, I love how it's put together, and I have a very special place in cold, black heart for it. However, it *is* very similar to WoW in several key respects. The overall leveling structure is the same D&D/EQ archetype WoW uses, as is the Kill Ten Rats style questing.

You and I can both point out our favourite session plays or our favourite stand-out quests. But WoW has unique quests too that also form a relative minority among the 'retrieve x of y' quests that form the bulk of the total quests.

Your presumption that only WoW players or "fanbois" notice this or believe this is a bit like saying I'm biased in favour of the Azurian Conspiracy for believing the sky is blue. While there are no doubt vituperative Blizzard lovers who can see no wrong with WoW and do indeed believe that MMOs begin and end with it, I am not one of them.

LotRO distinguishes itself ably in places. But the overall grind structure, leveling structure and incentive structure are the same as WoW and to a lesser extent EQ. The reputation system is an unreconstructed bit of borrowing from WoW, as another example. I still love the game because it provides a different flavour that's more focused on the small-group, roleplaying player.

But that's what it is, a different flavour of the WoW/EQ archetype. That doesn't make it *bad*- but don't get so defensive when people point it out. I'm not in the business of asserting one is 'objectively' better than the other. Whether one is better depends on the sort of experience you as an individual seek.

For some LotRO is better than WoW, for others the reverse is true. What is more or less objective is that LotRO owes a lot of its skeleton, so to speak, to the WoW archetype. (Just as WoW owes a lot to EQ and AC).

OMG Harmen, are you actually QQ'ing because WoW didn't get the news slot?

Good point.