LOTR Living card game on Steam, is it worth a try?

[TheWiseGuy 289]

 

[Vyrt 3]

Hey,

How do you get the base game? I was about to buy the cheapest Founder's Pack but it says I need to have the base game. However there is no option to install/buy the base game when I'm on the product page on Steam.

Thanks in advance!

[danI2020 3]

Well, I just added the Founder's Pack to my cart, paid it and it automatically installed the game in my Steam Collection. I got the biggest pack, but I don't think it makes any difference... Try to log off and log in again in Steam, or try to buy it from another computer using your Steam account.

[Fracturedorb 1]

Is it just the base core set included with the Steam game right now? I'm curious how much valor you would need to buy everything they currently have in the game and how much that would cost flat out.

[Buhallin 4,563]

1 hour ago, Fracturedorb said:

Is it just the base core set included with the Steam game right now? I'm curious how much valor you would need to buy everything they currently have in the game and how much that would cost flat out.

The full Founder's Pack for $47 should get you everything, but you have to be smart with how you do certain things.  Mainly the Palantirs - they give you a card you don't have, so you want to buy all as much of the cheap stuff as you can first.

[fistfulofforce 394]

Is this something you can play on a tablet or do you need a desktop?

[TheWiseGuy 289]

12 hours ago, Vyrt said:

Hey,

How do you get the base game? I was about to buy the cheapest Founder's Pack but it says I need to have the base game. However there is no option to install/buy the base game when I'm on the product page on Steam.

Thanks in advance!

Hey! I'm not totally sure. I just bought the cheapest version, I believe $7.99 and then I installed it.

[Wandalf the Gizzard 370]

3 hours ago, fistfulofforce said:

Is this something you can play on a tablet or do you need a desktop?

Desktop for now. They may port it to mobile later.

[TheGuardian118 321]

10 hours ago, Wandalf the Gizzard said:

Desktop for now. They may port it to mobile later.

May be worth specifying, it's on Windows. (And Mac maybe? Not sure on Mac.) Windows does have tablets that may run it if you have a mouse as I don't think they have enabled touch inputs. Laptop/desktop/tablet form factor doesn't really matter as long as the insides are powerful enough to run it. I run it on my desktop just fine, and stream it to my older laptop via Steam streaming. I haven't actually given it a try on my Windows tablet though so maybe I'll do so this weekend. The tablet runs Hearthstone so it should run this.   

Android/iOs tablets are out of luck, at least at this point in Early Access. I know those are the most popular "tablets" in the market so most people think of those when talking about that form factor, but this early in the digital games life it's worth making sure everyone is clear on what it will and won't run on.

[JasonRed3 13]

I must say, it's a big disingenuous to continue labeling it as a "Living Card Game" when it's most definitely collectible.  There are packs and card rarities.  It's a CCG.

 

Also, it's a completely different game.  Completely.

 

Not saying that I'm not enjoying it, but the thought of trading in my physical cards for this is a complete joke.  

[TheSpitfired 457]

It is very different, but interesting. I kind of like it, but I did know coming into it that it was different from the physical game, and it absolutely is not a replacement for it.

I was relieved and happy when I finally beat the first quest, so that sense of achievement (and in some cases luck) is still there.

[Wandalf the Gizzard 370]

9 hours ago, JasonRed3 said:

There are packs and card rarities.  It's a CCG.

You can see exactly what is in those packs. Every card you buy you know what you are getting. A pack is the exact same for all players. The rarity only distinguishes cost and Palantir probability (the only random element to getting cards). It's an LCG.

[JasonRed3 13]

I'll have to disagree on that.

The Palantir absolutely gives random cards, and most definitely affected by rarity.

It's early access.  If we don't say something now, they'll likely continue down this path (or in spite of us saying anything)

 

This is only the tip of the iceberg.

I did the full pre-order collector's set, and I still have to "buy" cards using the in-game currency, and use the random palantir grabs, hoping to get lucky.  That's no different than opening randomized booster packs.

[Wandalf the Gizzard 370]

You can buy singles from the shop with no randomization. This, along with the non-randomized hero packs, is the primary way to buy cards. The palantir is just a nice novelty bonus system. It’s the only way to randomly get cards. If you rely on it for your cards, you’re playing it wrong.

Of course, you can always completely ignore using the Palantir if you want.

As for “continuing down this path,” I’m quite happy with this non random, buy-what-you-want, anti-blind buy format.

Edited September 1, 2018 by Wandalf the Gizzard

[NathanH 350]

You should save your palantirs until you've unlocked all common and uncommon cards for optimal efficiency. I've unlocked everything and only spent $24 (and $8 of that was on quests that are now free, so that doesn't really count).

Arguing about what letter we should put in front of CG seems a bit pointless.

Edited September 1, 2018 by NathanH

[Hannibal_pjv 203]

I did get the Collectors edition today and did buy those hero packs already. Just wondering how do you buy individual cards? Have not found that part yet...

and Yep, the game has nothing to do with LOTR lcg, but it is still fun! At least so far. Let see how it turns out in the long run.

[Wandalf the Gizzard 370]

2 hours ago, Hannibal_pjv said:

Just wondering how do you buy individual cards? Have not found that part yet...

The Navigation is Main menu, Vault, Valor Cards.

[Hannibal_pjv 203]

Thanks!

Funny to have two places to buy cards...

Edited September 2, 2018 by Hannibal_pjv

[Brownmantle 24]

I had a thumping good time playing this beautiful digital game. Terribly fun. Awfully unforgettable.

 

-Brownmantle 

[Kjeld 221]

I wouldn't spend a ton of money on it right now, to be honest. I myself was very excited (mostly by the thought of being able to avoid all the setup and takedown time of the physical game), and went all-in for a Mithril Founder's Pack because I wanted to be able to access all the toys right away. Definitely not worth it. The game feels very shallow at the moment, especially with respect to the physical game we're all familiar with. As I wrote in the Steam forums, it seems that Asmodee decided to go for the customers who want a quick, no-strings liaison rather than a long-term relationship. I can't really see the current digital version achieving sufficient depth to merit a real investment of time or money -- also, it feels kind of grindy with the way the monetization system is set up.

[Edheliad 145]

1 hour ago, Kjeld said:

I wouldn't spend a ton of money on it right now, to be honest. I myself was very excited (mostly by the thought of being able to avoid all the setup and takedown time of the physical game), and went all-in for a Mithril Founder's Pack because I wanted to be able to access all the toys right away. Definitely not worth it. The game feels very shallow at the moment, especially with respect to the physical game we're all familiar with. As I wrote in the Steam forums, it seems that Asmodee decided to go for the customers who want a quick, no-strings liaison rather than a long-term relationship. I can't really see the current digital version achieving sufficient depth to merit a real investment of time or money -- also, it feels kind of grindy with the way the monetization system is set up.

It's entirely similar to the core set of the tabletop game.

I just hope the release schedule isn't as glacial as the original. Needs more quests and heroes asap, I doubt it's going to maintain player interest over a long period of time (years) regardless.

[Lecitadin 282]

Not worth it. Keep your cards.

[Vergilius 2,118]

In a span of days since release, I have played through the entire first campaign with nearly every hero and a good assortment of the sets of heroes.   It is at its best when you've got heroes of 3 different spheres, but despite only having access to some cards when you're playing two heroes of the same sphere, the number of cards you have access to and the number of 2+ hero rares are so limited that you're better off building the three sphere decks.  And yes, it really needs to double the  number of heroes, cards and quests extremely quickly or it is going to lose any momentum.  There's only so much replayability.

[Wandalf the Gizzard 370]

3 hours ago, Lecitadin said:

Not worth it. Keep your cards.

Are you even going to give it a shot for free during full release?

[Mazarbul 61]

On 5 september 2018 at 8:48 PM, Kjeld said:

I wouldn't spend a ton of money on it right now, to be honest. I myself was very excited (mostly by the thought of being able to avoid all the setup and takedown time of the physical game), and went all-in for a Mithril Founder's Pack because I wanted to be able to access all the toys right away. Definitely not worth it. The game feels very shallow at the moment, especially with respect to the physical game we're all familiar with. As I wrote in the Steam forums, it seems that Asmodee decided to go for the customers who want a quick, no-strings liaison rather than a long-term relationship. I can't really see the current digital version achieving sufficient depth to merit a real investment of time or money -- also, it feels kind of grindy with the way the monetization system is set up.

I did by the Mithril Pack as well and find it well worth the money, not having the time for grinding. 

The digital game is not a 1 to 1 conversion of the card game and having followed the streams from the very beginning that was very clear from the start.

Shallow? Yes, it's Early Access. The game is still being developed. And I remember a certain card game feeling quite shallow as well way back when the Core Set was the only thing we had for a long time. Back then you had to add cards you really didn't want in your deck, just to get to that 50. I don't feel that way about this game. So I got my hopes up for his one. Especially the way the developers interact with the community. They really listen and are extremely eager to help solve all weird stuff that are bound to happen during EA.

They have my axe. And money. As long as they keep up their hard work.

/Maz