Gamescom Announcements

[Yula_the_Mighty]

please enedaith zone nothing but solo quests and no the 8 group quests their do not count cause we need more than just those 8 group quests let me know when they start adding a lot of group quests again

I doubt you will see many group quests. Turbine has decided that Lotro is a casual game for solo players and couples. Hence the conversion of the Epic to solo.

The removal of most of the group quests in Evendim in the revamp. Turbine converted Annuminas to an easy landscape area now. You do not have to flip the control points to get into the instances. You do not have the path thru the locals to the portals. Turbine left a few dangerous places in Annuminas. Nothing like it used to be.

I strongly suspect Isengard will be more of the same. Group content is instance content. Not landscape content. It will follow the Endewaith design. There will most likely be a few group landscape areas like the Giant and Drake area in Endewaith. Or the inside of the castle that OD is located at.

I find it really strange to be able to walk around parts of Carn Dum city. Turbine nerfed some of the landscape spawns to allow solo players to do their Epic Line.

[Aloro]

please enedaith zone nothing but solo quests and no the 8 group quests their do not count cause we need more than just those 8 group quests let me know when they start adding a lot of group quests again

Put a little effort into your writing, if you want people to care what you have to say. Basic punctuation and sentence structure really do make a difference. There's a reason we teach this stuff to kids; it actually matters.

We don't know how many of the new quests will be for a small fellowship and how many will be for a fellowship. We also don't know in general how the quantity and quality of group-content in this expansion will compare to the quantity and quality of the other expansions. We do however know that most MMOs are shifting steadily towards a more solo-friendly approach.

[MoonwalkIntoMordor]

So did you bother to actually look at those maps linked in the post above yours? Between the two maps there are at least 8 horse stables, 3 campfires, plus Isengard itself. That's more than Mirkwood. The quest numbers they have released also put it on a par with Moria as far as numbers of quests.

The size of the area or the amount of content doesn't matter. It has to have 3 seperate maps. One big overall map ruins everything. It ruined Moria. It ruined Eriador. Aaaargh.

Or the inside of the castle that OD is located at.

Even that got nerfed shortly after release. Now it's mostly normal monsters with just 2 seperately located elites and 2 roaming signatures.

Groupers are being forced into instances yet even their backyard is being designed for soloers.

[Rhino-Man]

I find it really strange to be able to walk around parts of Carn Dum city. Turbine nerfed some of the landscape spawns to allow solo players to do their Epic Line.

Even though all the mobs are grey to level 65s, I still like roaming around North East Angmar, anywhere from Barad Gularan to the Rift., and seeing all those giants, gaunt-men, angmarim, etc. I remember being scared (and immediately dying) when I stumbled into that area, and I was above the mob level, maybe level 55 or so. When the level cap was 50 (this area has Elite Masters and named mobs level 52 or 53) that must have been terrifying!

I wish they would make more areas like that. Of course, now they'd have to make the mob density REALLY heavy, given the decreased landscape mob aggro radii. You can even easily stroll through the Giant/Drake "group" area in Enedwaith just by keeping your minimum safe distance and for the most part never aggro a mob (except in a couple tight places).

Groupers are being forced into instances yet even their backyard is being designed for soloers.

QFT! Well put!

Even that got nerfed shortly after release. Now it's mostly normal monsters with just 2 seperately located elites and 2 roaming signatures.

I've been meaning to take a chicken all the way to the OD door, ever since they nerfed the mobs in the OD castle. I remember reading on the Bullroarer forums pre-Enedwaith that someone had taken their chicken to Enedwaith, with the reduced aggro radii of the mobs. I'm pretty sure you could get inside the keep where OD is, but it could be tight actually getting up the stairs to the door itself.

Edit: Or a chicken to Nar's Peak! That would turn a few "TC Dailies" groups' heads!

[Stephen1981]

Put a little effort into your writing, if you want people to care what you have to say. Basic punctuation and sentence structure really do make a difference. There's a reason we teach this stuff to kids; it actually matters.

We don't know how many of the new quests will be for a small fellowship and how many will be for a fellowship. We also don't know in general how the quantity and quality of group-content in this expansion will compare to the quantity and quality of the other expansions. We do however know that most MMOs are shifting steadily towards a more solo-friendly approach.

your problem not mine with my Punctuation it don't bother me

[Ironcrown]

That's your problem, not mine. My punctuation doesn't bother me.

There, I fixed it for you.

[Aloro]

your problem not mine with my Punctuation it don't bother me

You misunderstood; I don't have a problem with the way you write. I genuinely don't care about it at all, meaning no offense. I was just offering some helpful advice about how people will perceive you, if you carry on like that.

Do what makes you happy.

[Earid]

Seeing the map size.... I'm really starting to regret my pre-order. Is this where all the monthly fees go to?
Its just confirms this region will be as packed full with quests like Moria was. Not a big region but LOADS of stuff crammed into it.
Give us a real expansion! This is 1 region divided into "3"

Its only slightly bigger than Mirkwood. Lets not kid ourselfs!

And face it if no word of new instances came out yet, There are none!

All class changes are basicly posted and confirmed, some details about the new raid, the existence of the new raid...

I dont wanna be negative but lets just face facts here.

[DobbelB_EU]

Thanks goes to twitters.com/TheRangersLOTRO

Overall map depicting 3 REGIONS http://lockerz.com/s/130669026 (Friendly request.. can you make it so the name Dunland isn't overlapping a stable point?)

Detail map of Dunland http://lockerz.com/s/130669551

I expected that the area around Isengard would be small, but I didn't expect that the Gap of Rohan would be even smaller. I assume the gap will be expanded in a book update.

You could argue it's impossible to determine the size of a region by just looking at the map. But we're given to points to connect with the map we currently have. So I fit them together:


As you can see, Dunland is smaller as Enedwaith in size.


This is the whole expansion area.


Overal this is a bit disapointing to me. But of course area size has little to do with quest density. I've heard they are trying to cram over 300 quests in the whole area.

[Yula_the_Mighty]

Even though all the mobs are grey to level 65s, I still like roaming around North East Angmar, anywhere from Barad Gularan to the Rift., and seeing all those giants, gaunt-men, angmarim, etc. I remember being scared (and immediately dying) when I stumbled into that area, and I was above the mob level, maybe level 55 or so. When the level cap was 50 (this area has Elite Masters and named mobs level 52 or 53) that must have been terrifying!

This experience will go away if Angmar gets a new style refurbish.

[Floin]

So did you bother to actually look at those maps linked in the post above yours? Between the two maps there are at least 8 horse stables, 3 campfires, plus Isengard itself. That's more than Mirkwood. The quest numbers they have released also put it on a par with Moria as far as numbers of quests.

And just because they haven't said there are a certain number of instances doesn't mean there aren't any. You're assuming a lot based on a lack of information instead of actually looking at what information there is.

You cannot defend Turbine deceiving us though with false marketing.

[Nyrion]

You cannot defend Turbine deceiving us though with false marketing.

That's funny, because going by http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...22#post5617422 <-- these images, there are in fact three zones, they just seemed to be layed out in the map style like Moria.

So, tell me where this 'false marketing' is again?

[Crell_1]

You could argue it's impossible to determine the size of a region by just looking at the map. But we're given to points to connect with the map we currently have. So I fit them together:
....
Overall this is a bit disappointing to me. But of course area size has little to do with quest density. I've heard they are trying to cram over 300 quests in the whole area.

I dont remember the article, but the last number i heard was 400 quests. also
http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...22#post5617422
Notice the Moria style maps with zoom.

[MoonwalkIntoMordor]

Maps

Thanks for that. I'm not sure if the connections are correct though. Bonevales and Trum Dreng are new areas so I think they should not be overlapping with the curently existing areas of the map.

[Stephen1981]

I expected that the area around Isengard would be small, but I didn't expect that the Gap of Rohan would be even smaller. I assume the gap will be expanded in a book update.

You could argue it's impossible to determine the size of a region by just looking at the map. But we're given to points to connect with the map we currently have. So I fit them together:


As you can see, Dunland is smaller as Enedwaith in size.


This is the whole expansion area.


Overal this is a bit disapointing to me. But of course area size has little to do with quest density. I've heard they are trying to cram over 300 quests in the whole area.

if this size is true this is a pretty big disappointment almost looks the size of mirkwood

[DobbelB_EU]

Thanks for that. I'm not sure if the connections are correct though. Bonevales and Trum Dreng are new areas so I think they should not be overlapping with the curently existing areas of the map.

So that means everything could be moved a bit to the south, but I don't think that would change much at the scale of everything.

[MoonwalkIntoMordor]

So that means everything could be moved a bit to the south, but I don't think that would change much at the scale of everything.

I think the accuracy of the locations and connections help figure out the scale better, but of course it's not going to change much.

[gonewhaned]

So that means everything could be moved a bit to the south, but I don't think that would change much at the scale of everything.

We all realize right that turbine has never been good at keep a constant scale among maps? They choose their zone, and then makes it fill the screen, so taping it onto the bottom is unlikely to produce any useful or correct comparison.

[Khafar]

You cannot defend Turbine deceiving us though with false marketing.

If they were to try and do these "to scale", Dunland would be half the size of Enedwaith (or less), the Gap of Rohan would be less than 1/10th the size of Dunland, and Isengard would be like 1/3rd the size of the Gap. Just go look at one of Tolkien's maps to see what I'm talking about. Maybe calling Isengard a "region" is over the top (given how small it was on the map of Middle-earth), but anyone looking at one of Tolkien's maps could have seen that for themselves.

If you have an argument to make, it would probably more effective if it were more along the lines of "they should have bit off more with this expansion, adding in Fangorn too!" At least Fangorn could make for a proper "region". Doesn't matter, though... they're doing what they can do, at the pace they can do it. I'd rather they take longer and have a decent content density than to rush ahead and have the new regions feel empty.

Khafar

[BonkilEU]

It looks like some of you think, "Ohw is that all?!". I'm not sure about that as there could well be some in door locations as well. Remember there is a big quarry beneath the tower. Judging from the buildings and big turning wheels inside the tower fortress area there is more to it, if it's accessible.

Also I didnt have the time or possibility to look into the new PVP stuff which could well add another zone.

There where more zoom in map area's like the Gap itself but they where so crude that not much could be told from it on. A player before me already was here and I just took it from there and Leroyed my self into the fortress while trailing a nice line of mobs.

I am sure a lot of Beta players who are under NDA are biting their lips at this time, but as Sapience said he couldn't hold us from documenting and photographing stuff, but as i said in my thread, I don't know what client was running. It looked far from ready to me.But that could have well been the intent of Turbine not showing their entire hand as NDA is NOT lifted yet.

Also like on SoA a lot was added after launch, for "free". As you actually would have already paid for it at the start.

On a different matter. Some doom Sayers start the question how long LotRO will be there. And if it will survive the release of The Old Republic.

At Gamescom I chatted with some folk who also played WoW and as some WoW lore says "No King Can Rule For Ever".
WoW is showing it's age and must go and do something with their engine, as a lot of kids will move to ToR just for the better graphics it has over WoW.

Your right that LotRO will also loose some players to this game, but not because of the reason that WoW is suffering.
The engine and graphics of LotRO is still one of the best compared to its contemporary's and new (soon to be released) MMORPG's. And I'm sure a lot will come back to or play both, or at least try.

ToR doesn't look better than LotRO just differently along the lines of the other BioWare (Star Wars) games.
And what I hear from other LotRO players is that they are certainly going to try it out but still will "try" to keep playing LotRO, because it's story line is very appealing and the Lore of the games keeps hardcore fans in there.
Especially for children from the 70's and 80's are eager to try ToR because they where raised on Kellog's and Star Wars, just like lots of us where raised with the books of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

I just hope for BioWare's sake that the surge of Kids from wow doesnt scare of the adult player base, which happend a lot on WoW. Therefore I'm happy that I play LotRO for as far as I know the community is much more acting mature than the community in WoW ever did. (only can speak about Laurelin in game though).

[Kerin_Eldar]

So did you bother to actually look at those maps linked in the post above yours? Between the two maps there are at least 8 horse stables, 3 campfires, plus Isengard itself. That's more than Mirkwood.

Using that argument, if you take Mirkwood and Enedwaith there are more stables on those than here, so those two maps would comprise about 1.5 zones, add on Isengard and you have two zones at most.

[JRonnie]

I'm not so concerned about the size of the regions, however if it's true that there are no new 3 or 6 man instances, just rescaled classic instances, I don't think that's going to go down too well with both myself and a lot of people in our kin. I mean, this is supposed to be a full expansion. That being said, there's still time for them to announce new instances, so I'll try not to get carried away and wait for the dev diary or the NDA to lift.....

[Adalas]

But, I can say that you guys should keep your eyes on our Facebook and Twitter, as we'll be updating those with some inside looks at GamesCom, and keep an eye out for more dev diaries coming.

What about Google +? I definitiely prefer it to Facebook.

[guguzza71]

Those instances you want will probably come in the following book patches if they arent in the expac. When moria xpac came out they held back lothlorien for a following patch.

I suspect the strategy is to get the skeleton out which will keep people busy as they level their characters ( I have 8 X 65s) up to 75. A few months later they will start to release periodic books and patches which will let them flesh out the skeleton with new instances and the new pvp map.

Im not gonna jump to conclusions about map size either. Moria was well done and the moria map made moria look smaller than it was. Moria turned out to be very good at keeping everyone happy for many months. Hoping it is bigger than people suggest though.

[SungXe]

if this size is true this is a pretty big disappointment almost looks the size of mirkwood

Wait, as other have mentioned you can't compare "size" with maps. The detail region Map will always be a screens size, while the landscape beneath it could be 100m² or 10.000m².

Form a group with a friend and stand 1inch away on the map then look at your minimap and see the "distance" to the green dot of your friend. There are huge differences from region to region. You can also see it when you watch how fast your dot moves while riding. It's different too. Just tacking the ROI Map under Enedwaith doesn't do justice.


However there is still no doubt that the three regions are "small". I would welcome a more accurate scale with hidden ruins and orc camps maybe a roaming dragon raid....well just dreams. This is themepark. But that does not necessarily mean it's outright bad.


My gripe with this "ROI" Landscape is, the scaling. You know Isengard doesn't have to be on a exact scale, but they could give the iconic places a more accurate scale.

I wouldn't mind if dunland would have been 1:85 scale giving us a mix of themepark landscape marks while the Gap and the Tower would scale 1:20. Ultimately eating up 60% of the current ROI map. (lose numbers)

As soon as you enter the Gap you would see a truly epic mountain range with the huge walls. letting you ride 5Minutes from side to side which would make it almost as big as the half the breeland map. This is epic and accurate size. I can understand when they scale everything down to make you run less, but iconic places need their space.