Ask The LOTRO Team – Answers to your questions – February 6, 2014

[KayDM]

I'm really surprised about the difficulty over changing the crafting material icons to something different so it's easier to tell them apart. Am I missing a joke there ? How can this be hard - you've been doing it for years...

Confused :/

[Aranedain]

Yes. We're also pretty sure you asked the wrong question.

Touché...

[Sapience]

I'm really surprised about the difficulty over changing the icons to something different so it's easier to tell them apart. Am I missing a joke there ? How can this be hard - you've been doing it for years...

Confused :/

At a recent meeting one of the things the art team did was show off a scrolling screen of icons from each game. Far and away the largest set was LOTRO. I had never seen the sheer number of icons in the game displayed in one place at one time. I think players often hyper-focus on the thing they're looking at and miss the big picture. I know, as far as Icons are concerned, I had until I saw that. I would never want to be the person responsible for keeping track of all that.

[Jillymala]

While I can see that some changes might be good for some people who come to the game to play housing, chat, bag space and crafting, this is not good news for people who are actively seeking content in my opinion. Its nice to see people cheering and waving banners for mail as I agree there needs to be the ability to send more then one item at a time. I'd like to also have the ability to cheer and wave banners for actual content that requires this new class trait system. I don't really need static surge so much when I am mailing items to a friend or kinsman. My healing skills are vastly underused when placing maps in my home and all of my lightning skills are completely unnecessary when I open my bags!
Since there are no upcoming raids, instances or anything that requires my char to be the char that I've put countless hours of effort and grinding to be decent and good at what I do... seeing that there is nothing new planned for people that want to keep playing through this year and doing runs is quite depressing. I am finding it hard to get excited about housing and storage and revamps on places I wont go to again as all my chars are well past them and I am not rolling any more chars. Does this mean it shouldn't be done.. absolutely not! The areas in question certainly do need reworking but I am not sure that it should be priority. Priority should be ensuring income so that the game remains and endures and I am not sure that housing will do that. I am totally envious of people that are crazy happy with this though and wish them an amazing adventure.
With that being said, I certainly hope the mithril coins will be upped for travel to objective in these zones though as I don't believe it's fair that HD got that treatment and others won't, I mean we want people to take their time to enjoy the work the devs did and we will need that extra income to keep the game afloat (yes you can use my name as the person who suggested this, no problem!)
Catapults in Ettens.. oh please no.. please please please please no. First FIX things. Then bring in other variables. FIX the fundamentals before breaking people even more. Siege equipment might be fun once core fundamentals like damage, lag the game engine and the multitude of issues Ettens faces are fixed. Please don't bring in more to ruin what still could be good. Spend some time working on Ettens, listen to the player base both creep and freep and FIX it. Throwing something new at people isn't going to make things better when they want their current issues addressed.

As it stands now I :

Log in
Check kin list sadly missing a lot of people who will never come back
Check friends list hoping I will see a few names of people I sorely miss
Think about going to Ettens but realize that until it's balanced whats the point
Check the vast empty wasteland of global and shake my head at the complete level of lack of concern on how to play a class exhibited by so many new people
Inwardly complain that this game doesn't present a whole lot of challenge or skill or even the tiniest effort to reach cap
Check mail then log other alts to check mail
Stand around wondering what is there for me to do and why am I here if there isn't anything to do
Shake off negative attitude
Try to keep friends and kinsmen active and involved in runs to try and capture what we used to have and hopefully hang on to what we DO have til something new is given to us to challenge us
Inwardly cringe when I am forced to call upon global for a few dps as we can't manage to find 12 people for a run in 4 kins of regulars online
Realize sadly after failing the easiest of challenges that people don't take the time to actually learn their classes anymore because they can button mash their way to 95 easy enough
Log out

I love Lotro I do and I truly hope the storage, housing and old zone revamps bring in a ton of money from all these guys screaming and jumping for joy for them for it as I'd love to see this game continue, even if not for me but for people who still find joy in it and excitement of stumbling upon places you've never been. For dinosaurs like myself and quite a few of my friends and kinsmen.. can you please send that meteor a little faster.. we aren't dying off quick enough for some

[LethalLethality]

I'm really surprised about the difficulty over changing the icons to something different so it's easier to tell them apart. Am I missing a joke there ? How can this be hard - you've been doing it for years...

Confused :/

It's probably not extremely easy. You need to have icons with a similar style as previous ones so it fits the overall art style, while being different enough to tell them apart.

If you think about it, if you were to have three people draw an emerald, you'd likely get three very different looks, none of which might fit with the current art style they're looking for. Now, do this for all icons that need to be fixed, and that's a lot of time.

[KayDM]

At a recent meeting one of the things the art team did was show off a scrolling screen of icons from each game. Far and away the largest set was LOTRO. I had never seen the sheer number of icons in the game displayed in one place at one time. I think players often hyper-focus on the thing they're looking at and miss the big picture. I know, as far as Icons are concerned, I had until I saw that. I would never want to be the person responsible for keeping track of all that.

I see, yes that's a fair response. I just figured it would be a simple matter as in the past it had always been done. But yes; not a biggie, I just have to spend 5 secs hovering over them...not too bad

It's probably not extremely easy. You need to have icons with a similar style as previous ones so it fits the overall art style, while being different enough to tell them apart.

If you think about it, if you were to have three people draw an emerald, you'd likely get three very different looks, none of which might fit with the current art style they're looking for. Now, do this for all icons that need to be fixed, and that's a lot of time.

Fair point too

[b-morgan]

It's probably not extremely easy. You need to have icons with a similar style as previous ones so it fits the overall art style, while being different enough to tell them apart.

If you think about it, if you were to have three people draw an emerald, you'd likely get three very different looks, none of which might fit with the current art style they're looking for. Now, do this for all icons that need to be fixed, and that's a lot of time.

This sounds like an opportunity for some community involvement via a "Design/Revamp an Icon" contest.

[Deniorona]

Q9: Are you planning a major Ettenmoors update during 2014?
A: [HoarseDev] – We’re presently working on shoring up some of the fundamentals (long overdue stat updates). We are also prototyping some new stuff. No promises, but I want to see if we can get catapults in there.

Please NO!
We need the lag fixed, we need the balance sorted out, we need those outpost/keeps buffs removed. We do NOT need catapults. Sometimes less is more especially when the more is total unnecessary rubbish.

please

[matalan]

While I can see that some changes might be good for some people who come to the game to play housing, chat, bag space and crafting, this is not good news for people who are actively seeking content in my opinion......

Agree with the entire post from that quote above!

Out of all those questions asked and answers given I wasn't really 'excited'.... only a small new region and something more later content wise. Sounds like even Epic Battles will have their group sizes remain the same, though there may be more in the future. No raid at all, we knew that already. Probably no 3 or 6 mans - note, that's my opinion, don't think it's been said as a no for sure!

Either way, I am equally struggling to find reasons to log in and play. I can honestly say, and I thought I never would, that I will be dropping my VIP sub.... the next payment should give me plenty of time to do the new small region on my capped toons. Then after that - why have a sub? I'll still PLAY, but I'm not paying VIP for this, I'm sorry that is how I feel.

2014 in my opinion doesn't do LOTR justice, it should be EPIC, I just can't wrap my head around the direction we're going lol Instead I'll log when 'small new regions' come out, no doubt grind through something like Hytbold or Wildermore, then after gaining kindred rep log out.

Anyway! Just my thoughts.

[Sthrax]

At a recent meeting one of the things the art team did was show off a scrolling screen of icons from each game. Far and away the largest set was LOTRO. I had never seen the sheer number of icons in the game displayed in one place at one time. I think players often hyper-focus on the thing they're looking at and miss the big picture. I know, as far as Icons are concerned, I had until I saw that. I would never want to be the person responsible for keeping track of all that.

While I get that there are a boatload of icons in this game and I honestly don't care if a lvl 95 offhand happens to have the same icon as a lvl 10 weapon, I do get miffed when all of the new crafting mat icons are the EXACT same icons as the previous tier crafting mats. It makes managing you crafting mats much bigger pain than it needs to be. Using cherry icons for pears and red agate icons for emeralds is just sloppy, even if it was intended to be placeholders.

[DJ_JD]

*EDIT* Nvm this post. It was clearly ignored by turbine.

[I_Bandar_I]

Pvp is another form of end game. You guys can pvp until 2015 when the new raid comes out. Pvping requires knowing your class and being skillful just as much as challenging raids. I think it requires even more skill because movement is so important and lack of knowing what your opponents will do.

Whats wrong with the keep and op wars? It adds a whole other strategic factor to game. Might as well just fight in a non realistic arena.

[DelgonTheWise]

Since there are no upcoming raids, instances or anything that requires my char to be the char that I've put countless hours of effort and grinding to be decent and good at what I do... seeing that there is nothing new planned for people that want to keep playing through this year and doing runs is quite depressing.

Yep.

I'm a bit resigned to it, but it saps my motivation. Given the no new raid situation can't possibly change, both due to Turbines current priorities AND the fairly long lead times for raids/clusters, the next best thing (IMHO) is
a) old scalable raids with difficulties adjusted so as to be challenging (some actually still are) AND
b) rewards for those raids commensurate with the difficulty

Some of the old raids are still fun. BOE is at least for us still challenging with certain terms selected. But the rewards are non-existent basically, inferior to those you can get in the FAR easier epic battles or even skraids. I think difficult content is desirable because it gives you motivation to increase your proficiency AND motivation to seek new gear...

[Feanor1]

Q7: Any chance to see the access to Ettenmoors possible buying some "Ettenmoors Pass" in the store and not only through VIP?[/COLOR][/B]
A: [HoarseDev] – Working on it.
[COLOR=#339999]

Q9: Are you planning a major Ettenmoors update during 2014?
A: [HoarseDev] – We’re presently working on shoring up some of the fundamentals (long overdue stat updates). We are also prototyping some new stuff. No promises, but I want to see if we can get catapults in there.

---

Q10: When can we expect new content in the form of a new multi-boss raid?
A: [JWbarry] – A new raid is not in the plans for 2014.

Well as a moors player this makes me happy as no new raid in 2014 means no end game content except moors for 2014 and lots more people, I got burned out with pve last update anyway so I really only do some BB fast for jewelry then head out to the moors right now. Seems some nice things are to come to the moors as well so that's always exciting. I just hope some of the hardcore pve'ers come back in 2015 if we get a new raid or its not going to get beaten lol.

[Mithrandir3]

At a recent meeting one of the things the art team did was show off a scrolling screen of icons from each game. Far and away the largest set was LOTRO. I had never seen the sheer number of icons in the game displayed in one place at one time. I think players often hyper-focus on the thing they're looking at and miss the big picture. I know, as far as Icons are concerned, I had until I saw that. I would never want to be the person responsible for keeping track of all that.

This might also have something to do with the sheer amount of items that LOTRO makes available as well. You've gone a long way towards making this problem better with the introduction of the trash simplifications and the premium wallet, but there's still an inordinately insane number of crafting and consumable items.

[Jillymala]

Pvp is another form of end game. You guys can pvp until 2015 when the new raid comes out. Pvping requires knowing your class and being skillful just as much as challenging raids. I think it requires even more skill because movement is so important and lack of knowing what your opponents will do.

Whats wrong with the keep and op wars? It adds a whole other strategic factor to game. Might as well just fight in a non realistic arena.

I do pvp. I enjoy it when it's fixed, which has been....lets see.. hmm.. close to never.
Lets imagine if all these end gamers with nothing left to do went Ettens. Lets talk about just the lag in this instance, never mind the unbalance for now... just the lag. Impossible to play with so many. I know when creeps are nearby because I lag, the intensity of the lag determines how many creeps are there so my 'strategy' for this is to think 45 steps in advance because when I wake up from the lag I need to catch up to what may have happened while I was staring at a frozen screen and highlighted skills for 45 seconds and I have exactly 1 second to prethink about 45 attacks before I lag dead for another 45 seconds. This is fun exactly how?

[I_Bandar_I]

I dont lag in pvp really. Its very minimal lag when its raid v raid. What kind of Computer do u have

[MessyR]

PVMP[/B]

Q7: Any chance to see the access to Ettenmoors possible buying some "Ettenmoors Pass" in the store and not only through VIP?
A: [HoarseDev] – Working on it.

Q8: Will there be a new PvP map?
A: [HoarseDev] – Not planned for any time in the near future.

Q9: Are you planning a major Ettenmoors update during 2014?
A: [HoarseDev] – We’re presently working on shoring up some of the fundamentals (long overdue stat updates). We are also prototyping some new stuff. No promises, but I want to see if we can get catapults in there.

---

VIP seems to have less meaning already with the introduction of this "pass". More people = more lag. As for the catapults, you must be joking, seriously, thats a very poor idea, the lag generated on some of the bigger servers is terrible, this should be a priority, alot of the lag is of course generated in certain areas by the constant raids we see, can we not see a reduction in raid sizes from 24 to 12? I feel this will help enough in the short fall.

Starting a new creep is already extremely hard, freep not so much, creeps need alot of love in alot of areas, some meaniful developer time would be appreciated in the pvmp forums, rather than the usual, we know best approach.

The rest is pretty meh, no new raid is very poor, and the revamp of older content again will be faceroll as usual.

Sorry but this Q and A was pretty poor and sparce in alot of places.

[Sapience]

VIP seems to have less meaning ...

There is a VIP only feature currently in testing for Update 13. Something players have requested often. Once we get through some of the testing we'll be able to talk more about it.

[Jillymala]

I dont lag in pvp really. Its very minimal lag when its raid v raid. What kind of Computer do u have

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-pavil...&skuId=3558093

Its not my pc. The only thing loaded on this is Lotro, chrome, teamspeak, skype and TESO. Most of which are not runing when lotro is.
Lag is everpresent in Evernight (if you watched the live stream hobbit event you'd have seen some)

[Vincent_Price]

Jillymala, if i saw correctly, the PC you posted has no actual GPU. It only has the on-board GPU HD4000 that comes on the CPU.
That on board GPU is not destined for medium or heavy gaming...

By the way, thanks Sapience for posting those questions and the Devs for answering them! I became happy with quite a few

[Sapience]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-pavil...&skuId=3558093

Its not my pc. The only thing loaded on this is Lotro, chrome, teamspeak, skype and TESO. Most of which are not runing when lotro is.
Lag is everpresent in Evernight (if you watched the live stream hobbit event you'd have seen some)

From the link you gave...

Intel® HD graphics

Feature up to 1696MB total video memory as allocated by Windows 7 for lush images with stunning detail.

It very well may be your PC. We strongly discourage the use of Intel graphic chip sets as they can, and frequently do, cause performance issues. Integrated graphics chips like these in general are not recommended. If you are using this graphics processor I'd recommend not trying to run past medium settings and you may find tuning down from there is needed.

If your PC can support a dedicated, discrete, card I would suggest something like the NVIDIA 6XX series or higher.

[LethalLethality]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-pavil...&skuId=3558093

Its not my pc. The only thing loaded on this is Lotro, chrome, teamspeak, skype and TESO. Most of which are not runing when lotro is.
Lag is everpresent in Evernight (if you watched the live stream hobbit event you'd have seen some)

Does that even have a dedicated graphics card? I thought integrated GPUs were terrible for gaming.

[anthonyx]

Am I missing something here? I thought the intent was to have new content every quarter? Or is that info not released yet? Revamp is not new content no matter how it is spun. Also I saw more "no" "not planning on it" and "we talked about it" then yes. Very disappointing. I can't believe that the majority of people would rather have some sort of BB then actually have instances and raids. Well to be honest the future of 2014 looks boring. I do have some alts that will enjoy the revamp providing that they don't ruin the classic feel of those areas (such as Dol Dinen, Giants Hall). Overall very disappointing.

[Beaniemooch]

While I can see that some changes might be good for some people who come to the game to play housing, chat, bag space and crafting, this is not good news for people who are actively seeking content in my opinion.

This and the rest of the post basically states my opinion.

1. Nothing in the questions showed Turbine making any improvements to pretty much anything I care about. Just fluff and rework.
2. Please do not put catapults in the moors. Just no.
3. You say there is no raid planned for 2014. Unless you start working on one now there won't be one in 2015 either. Do you have plans for one next year? And Big Battles or scaling doesn't count, sorry. You hit the nail on the head when you said the general population wants new content.

If I had to pay a monthly subscription for what is provided, I would quit. I have 3 lifetime accounts so I can afford to log in and just wander around aimlessly, but my raiding kin is holding on by a thread frankly. When the expansion was released most players didn't return, or returned and quit due to lack of content. I quit buying turbine points last April when the RNG debacle of the Erebor raids and instances became too much, and I took my very first break from the game for a number of months. I don't like the changes or the direction of the game and I won't be spending money til there is something in the works that I feel is worthwhile. My choice, and not everyone likes the things I do. I get that. I just think there's room for content development for all.

I love this game, but it's like watching something you love slowly deteriorate while you're powerless to stop it.