On Enemy Density in Update 24.

[Wagoo]

Yesterday, I went traveling through the Landscape of the Vales of Anduin. It's some really good work that does a lot to make it feel wider than it is (though I wouldn't have minded either a tad more east-west space or more distance between the Gladden Fields and Lothlorien), and the sky feels super open- there's no fishbowl effect in here. But more than the design, I noticed that something seems to be different about enemy placement.

Travelling through the Vales, much of it is actually more empty of hostiles than the rest of the zones in the game. Even in Bree-Land, there's far more bandits, bears, and boars once you get off the road that you're going to face combat against if you do a little bushwhacking (and sometimes on the road). But in the Vales, there's less monsters out and about in general, only for the density of hostiles to shoot up massively where it's appropriate, such as an ambush point for Orcs, or too close to Mirkwood for comfort. Otherwise, it's easy to walk around everything and just explore the map.

If I tried the same thing in, say, the Trollshaws, even where there's only wildlife, it's very dense and combat will happen if I'm not a Burglar. In the Vales? It's easy to avoid unless you're looking for trouble.

Am I just imagining things, or was there something different about enemy density this update, and could we see this backported to areas with similar emptiness like the Lone-Lands in the future?

[mkcraft27]

Am I just imagining things, or was there something different about enemy density this update, and could we see this backported to areas with similar emptiness like the Lone-Lands in the future?

I havent noticed less enemy density (I cant go more then 10 m without running into one) but it seams there are less enemies that automatically attack. Ive noticed thats there are lots of different mobs I can run right by and they dont seam to care.

I wonder if its intentional. In game its been almost 2 months since the ring was destroyed. Any fell presence the local critters might have felt when sauron was around would probably have dissipated by this point. If that is the case it wouldnt make sence to do the same for earlier zones like the lone lands because sauron is still around then.

[Cordovan]

Thanks for the feedback, I'll have to see if I can get an answer for you.

[Scenario]

Overall - with the exception of Beorninglands (which is intentionally lighter on creature density), the creature density on landscape in the Vales of Anduin is about average with what we've done in the past (12-15 per landblock). Where you're seeing the difference is likely in the variety of behaviors on landscape, a balance between creatures that are passive, that threaten, that attack on site, and that follow. We also tried to strike a balance in the silhouettes present on landscape - finding a good mix of creatures that met the behavior balance above while also providing a variety shapes and sizes.

We also attempted to provide small clusters of certain creature types to support questing through the region - allowing quests to target landscape creatures without forcing players to resort to only landscape hunting.

[Belnavar]

Love the way it's done in this area. Makes a nice change of pace.

-Bel

[gildhur]

LOVING the creature balance in Vales. The War is over, and this is a largely peaceful area. We shouldn't be attacked randomly at every turn. The clusters of enemies like wargs and goblins in certain areas is much more realistic.

Also LOVE the new behavior of some of the deer in the area, galloping around wooded areas until attacked or threatening attack. More of this, please.

[Scenario]

LOVING the creature balance in Vales. The War is over, and this is a largely peaceful area. We shouldn't be attacked randomly at every turn. The clusters of enemies like wargs and goblins in certain areas is much more realistic.

Having that balance of aggro/threaten/passive is important for effective navigation of a region. It's definitely something we'll be paying closer attention to in future regions - though depending on where we go it may make narrative sense to have the over-land creatures be more aggressive than not.

Also LOVE the new behavior of some of the deer in the area, galloping around wooded areas until attacked or threatening attack. More of this, please.

This is a newer scripted behavior that we've been testing since U23. It allows us to have AIs follow another without them needing to be pets. It's definitely something we are excited to use - and used all over the place in the Vales of Anduin.

[Wagoo]

Whoa, cool to see my inquiry got a response. Thanks for the answers Scenario, and thanks for getting an answer Cord. I hope you guys get paid well.

The variety of attitudes creatures have is an excellent initiative I'd love to see continue, and I'm glad to know what was going on exactly, though since I went through the Beorninglands last, that probably colored my conclusions. I probably won't buy the Update yet (I still have to finish buying all Gondor content), but I'll be happy to see the money I spend on the game go towards stuff like this, though I understand if these behaviors aren't backported to other places.

Keep it up, guys.

[Elmagor]

Since Grimbeorn and his kin as well as other people from this land just fight off all recent attacks from orcs/goblins, it's logical what this area looks more clear from them

[can0peas]

This is a newer scripted behavior that we've been testing since U23. It allows us to have AIs follow another without them needing to be pets. It's definitely something we are excited to use - and used all over the place in the Vales of Anduin.

Two Gold Stars here - one for the new AI work and the second for the excellent communications. I know we players are not always the easiest to interact with (we often want what we want _right now_ and usually do not share the seemingly indecipherable priorities of Management) so these prompt and informative replies are very highly valued. Please keep both trends going!

[auximenes]

This is a newer scripted behavior that we've been testing since U23. It allows us to have AIs follow another without them needing to be pets. It's definitely something we are excited to use - and used all over the place in the Vales of Anduin.

I look forward to seeing it being used more in the future. It's too bad SSG doesn't have the staff to go back and work on implementing new code like this into old zones.

[Serin36]

I definitely appreciate these less mob-dense areas, esp in the wilderness. I'd like to see some older areas reworked similarly as well. I think a lot of the community also wants more areas that are less content-dense to explore.

[gildhur]

LOVING the creature balance in Vales. The War is over, and this is a largely peaceful area. We shouldn't be attacked randomly at every turn. The clusters of enemies like wargs and goblins in certain areas is much more realistic.

Also LOVE the new behavior of some of the deer in the area, galloping around wooded areas until attacked or threatening attack. More of this, please.

Lots of new mob behaviors in Elderslade too!

The drakes flying down to the ground in a dust cloud. I know we've seen this in a couple places before, but the way they do it here is new and refreshing.

Also love the cave-claws sparring with each other and "digging" at cave walls, and the drake-hobgoblin combat going on in a couple places.

[Froyo_K_Baggins]

Mobs are very dense. They can't even figure out how to enter a cave, furthermore open a door.

Oh, wait, not that kind of density.

Mob density became very bad in Gondor and Anorian (both Old and Far). It's cut back down some since then, which is a good thing.