Update 9: Against the Shadow and the Rohan Instance cluster

[Milithion]

i like the idea behind splitting a multiboss raid into 3 separate raids. so you have the option to choose which wing you want to do and which not.

as far as i understand it, the new raid is a 3-boss raid, in 3 wings with trash. and you could decide which one you want to kill.

that's the same (for me) as if the Tower of Orthanc raid would be splitted into 5 separated instances.

what i do not like is the leak of group playcontent till February. 3 man instance are no group content for me... thoes instances a) are to easy oder b) require a special combinations of classes, which you cant have every time availible for all you members of your kinship.

one additional problem: giving out the instances splitted on two updates reduces the content extremely. why? cause the 3-man instances are already played through so offten, that you will not play them again for a looooong time. you do not have the problem, if you have multiple instances (3 man, 6 man, 12 man) available.

you now you will have 3 3 man instance, that will be boring very fast. after that you get a 6 man instance and one multi boss raid. so the 6 man instance will be boring very fast as well (cause its the only alternative to the raid you are doing once a week).

in my opinion it would have been better to not split the instance cluster. it would only make sense if there are enough instances available.

[Omen_Kaizer]

I'm excited with the setting of the February content. Dale is cool, and it's not like we haven't been all over the place already with Dol Goldur.

I'm wary of how satisfactory 3 single-boss raids will be after expecting another wing-raid with 5+ bosses.

I'm extremely disappointed that large group content has been pushed back. The kinmates are getting restless, bored with skraids and even Helegrod. On the flip side, I do expect the 3-mans will scratch a certain itch I have. Looking forward to tanking or healing these on my captain. 3-captain runs, 3-warden runs. Amusing diversions. Maybe I'll get my LM up and main heal things. But that's all a side-show compared to raiding, for me.

I'm looking into other games, though I'm sunk pretty deep into this one as far as investment. Will probably cancel sub after I get all I want from the moors (I have pretty much everything unlocked for premium anyway) and mess around with Civ 5, Dorf Fortress, Far Cry 3, etc. Hell with Hytbold.

[Frostdecan]

Must be a joke... payed 65€ for a Update without any Instanz/Raid.
And now we got 3 3er instanzes for 3 Months and then 3 12er with just 1 Boss ?
Unlucky that Elderscrolls online coming so late, smells like the perfect Time to stop lotro...

But hey.... we stil can rebuild Hytbold o.O

[Burio]

I think Turbine had one easy chance to get through this no group-content Phase. They should add good loot to the fornost Cluster. That revamp is in my opinion nice and challenging, but noone is playing it because of the lack of good loot.

[terrorite]

snip...

but also knows how to exploit data parallelism instead of function parallelism, and most of all knows the meaning of the acronym M.M.O.R.P.G. (aka MASSIVE Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game).

Ok, done.
Troll me now.

And I always thought that means *Many Men Online Role Playing Girls*, it seems I was wrong

[Nyarin]

Wow, I'm flabbergasted, I really am.

They've worked hard for many months and made a huge time investment in order to implement a new gameplay technology. A tech that's fast, dynamic and very much fun to play (unless it lags or rubberbands, that is, but give it some time). And now, after weeks of improving our steeds and perfecting our riding skills, they tell us that this great way to play our characters won't get used at all in instanced group play in the foreseeable future?

I can only hope that down the road, there are some epic skraids, 12-man, or even 24-man raids in the pipeline. I'm thinking Battle of the Hornburg or Battle at Pelennor Fields here, all done on horseback, charging into battle at the sides of Éomer and Théoden King. Imagine circling endlessly around humungous Mûmakil, or chasing full speed after fell beasts while all around you a full-blown battle rages.

Can hardly wait.
But for how much longer?

[Galahadur]

You guys are funny with "wow awesome 3 three 3 raids!!!!!" It's 3 bosses, in apparently separate instances? You do realize that OD had 6 bosses and Tower had 5 never mind BG and Rift.. Waiting so long for only 3 is pretty lame.

But at least we get to pick two of our friends to /headdesk a couple 3-mans that have nothing to do with RoR for a couple months. Why do we keep playing this game again?

Sapience do you dread bringing us this lackluster information or is this something that excites you as a player?

BG only had 3 bosses as well. Durchest, Twins and the Lieutenant.

I don't mind 3 Lair Raids, as long as they are challenging and not all of them have trash fights. Sometimes its fun to go straight to the point and fight a lone, tough boss... More like Watcher v2.0 than Turtle.

[Dorothir]

Can hardly wait.
But for how much longer?

Well, judging from the distance between raids this time around (december 2011 to at least february 2013), it's at least another 12 - 14 months till the next raid after the february RoR raids. So, february or april in 2014...

[Nellaen]

Disappointed, but not surprised, Turbine decided to create hobbit themed instances, especially after they were advertised as 'rohan ones'. With all the excitement and battles going on in rohan atm in the story, I kinda figured our characters were going to be involved in that in some way. Not capering off to the other side of the middle earth on a tangent arc.

I think its a mistake to believe the way turbine has released this expansion is Ok. I remember saying at the time, don't pre-order and spend so much real money on such little information. You don't know what you're getting for it, or when. Now I'm glad I didn't. Perhaps their instances really are suffering from severe bugs, but I rather more believe they're lining up their hobbit instances to release at the same time as the hobbit movie. I feel sorry for the people that spent £70 for the expansion, and have to wait some 6+months for their content.

Personally, I'm not too happy about the actual instances, or raids listed. I can only presume turbine are continuing down the path towards simplfying and shortening content, to please their casual players. A couple of 3mans, or 30 minute 1 boss raids are probably easier to get a group for, or do in the 1 hour online time you have in the evening, than a multi-boss adventure with locks. But since the majority of people have already paid for the instances, turbine can offer as much, or as little as it likes, they already your money.

I hope turbine are happy with converting me to a casual player. As a 'former hardcore' player, I spent real money in the store regularly. As a casual player, I play perhaps 2 hours a week, and haven't spent a single penny in 1.5 years. I won't be 'leaving' the game anytime soon, Lotro has too good a community, if not the game, to leave. But it's easy to find better alternate games, or things irl to spend your money on these days.

[Arannir]

I was always a huge defender of Turbine and understood their problems over the last years... and I also could see the lack of money and developers behind these issues now, again.

But this does not change much, really.


The Great River and Rohan was the sign for many, that something has changed in a better direction again. And it certainly has landscape and quest wise. As a very casual player I am still not through with RoR and more than happy.


But the splitting of the IC is something that should not have happened.

And I also wonder whether it isn't a big mistake to do the Hobbit thing now... with Dale and the Lonely Mountain coming to the screens in all their splendor in a year's time (or maybe even in flashbacks in two weeks). And what bettles are those anyway? In the books they happen almost simultaniously with the Pelennor. Not that the travelling ever matched the dates given in the lore, but sending us "in between" to the Lonely Mountain kind of takes the cake. It also does not give much hope that there will be any "Eastfold" update in the spring and a West-Rohan expansion int he fall... there simply have been too many detours and now it takes forever to deliver the really interesting places. As much fun as we had along those detours.

Also... probably no MC in not even ONE instances out of 7... mistake. It must have taken so much time to create MC. It should be used now... at least as an alternative.



I really hope the quality of those instances and the roadmap for 2013 will give me more material again, to argue in the future that this game is still on a good path. But this really seems to become an argument against a growing shadow.

[evgeniy3522]

[center][b]
HEY DRAMA LAMAS, GUESS WHAT?
NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU SAY YOUR QUITTING
YOUR STILL HERE AFTER SAYING IT FOR THE PAST 3 X PACS ]

left already. I know I am likeabaws ^^

[Stephen1981]

This week, Update 9 will go live on the Bullroarer test server. In addition to a number of bug fixes and updates, this update will also include the first half of the Rohan instance cluster. The second half of the cluster will be released in 2013.

When we made the decision to delay the release of the Rider’s of Rohan expansion, we also made it clear that we would still honor our commitment to release the instances this year. Because of the delay in shipping Rohan, development time for the year was obviously reduced. This left us two options; either delay the entire instance cluster until 2013, or release those instances we felt could be completed with the highest degree of polish in December and delay the others until they are ready (currently expected to be February). We’ve chosen to honor our commitment as best we can with the limited time remaining in 2012 while still insuring the highest quality possible.

We want to be very clear that if you purchase the Riders of Rohan expansion, the entire instance cluster is free. You will have access to all instances listed below released as Part I in Update 9 and Part II when it releases at no additional charge. As long as you’ve purchased Rohan, you’ll get all of the instances listed.

We also want to share with you the full plan for all seven instances.

Instances shipping with Update 9: Against the Shadow

Riders of Rohan Instances (Part 1):

• Iorbar’s Peak (Misty Mountains / Stone Giants-3-man)
• Webs of the Scuttledells (Mirkwood 3-man)
• Seat of the Great Goblin (Goblintown 3-man)

Shipping in 2013 (Currently Planned for February)
Riders of Rohan Instances (Part 2):

• The Bells of Dale (6-man)
• Flight to the Lonely Mountain (12-man; single boss)
• The Fires of Smaug (12-man; single boss)
• The Battle for Erebor (12-man; single boss)

Many of you have asked if we’ll ever see the Lonely Mountain. Hopefully this gives you the answer you were looking for.

The full release notes for Update 9: Against the Shadow will be available when Bullroarer goes live.

webs of the scuttledells i assume this is consider southern mirkwood still not northern mirkwood

[Stealthiness]

Anyone can help me find a game where promises are being kept and they have an actual working GM team and Devs who communicate with their costumers? I know, they are a dying race.

[telbric]

Sigh, it seems they're making the same mistake they did with RoI. Three 3-mans that will go to waste and nobody will run once the single 6-man comes out and becomes another Foundry that everyone does ad infinitum.

I'm not sure where their shift to 3-mans comes from. They are fine as a distraction with interesting gimmicks thrown in, but they can never be as "meaty" as 6-mans, can't really showcase fellowship mechanics, are far more problematic to pug (given how general audience will always insist for tank+healer regardless of whether they're actually needed, thus having just one dps spot) and always give out lesser rewards given the game structure. It's very disappointing.

Also, claiming seven instances is a bit disingenuous given that we get three lair bosses. It would be like claiming RoI cluster had five raids.

[Navhar]

Can't wait Erebor

[Haunt123]

Hate to say it guys, but this just doesn't cut it. I mean, it is a funny thread, but this thread is still the #1 comedy thread.

[Saelyth]

This thread says it all by itself: Turbine, your customers are not happy, you are ignoring them and that is not good.

I personally hate the 3-mans with a passion, i don't know if anyone actually likes them.

[site400]

This is what happens when the care bear's win.

[Nostro44]

What's this obsession with 3 mans? If you're not a tank or healer it's a pain to get a group together, if you ARE a tank or healer it's a pain because every dps wants you to run the instance yet again. I ran the Isengard 3 mans a few times only, on some of my later alts I didn't even bother because I didn't want to hassle people to run them.

Yet I could run Foundry several times a day on any class - 6 mans just plain give more variety with classes.

Have 1x3 man and 3x6 mans. That's what people want Turbine!

[Rawkan]

I'm sad. No raids, not even a single 6 man until FEBRUARY!
You know, that content you've been waiting for since Rohan release, it' coming in 3 months! So in the meanwhile you can go on doing BORING dailies and running 3 mans, who cares if you don't get to play what you like, the way you like (being a SUPPORT class) until february?

No one is forcing you to do anything. If you don't want to play the game, don't.

[Borafin]

An Instance Cluster is never late, nor is it early. It arrives precisely when it means to...until it gets split into two halves

Seriously though, once Hytbold gets rebuilt all we're left with the 3 3-mans and the same ole skraids we've been doing forever?

[Shariva]

I wonder what the obsession is with the lair raids. It started out with The Vile Maw, also known as The Watcher or Squid. This raid requires some tactics but is not overly challenging.

There is also Draigoch's lair that I have run exactly three times and after the first time (in a 24 people raid), I was not impressed but decided to wait until I had run it with a 12 people group. I was not really impressed with Draigoch either. And lets not forget the randomly bugging out of Draigoch.

And the there is the raid I simply refuse to run anymore: Filikul, a.k.a. The Turtle. This lair raid is, to me anyway, a completely mindnumbing dull DPS race that requires no intellect at all except to switch aggro every five seconds. I loathe and despice this raid with a firy vengeance.

Now we get three more lair raids that could easily be the same as the three described above, or are more like the current Helegrod raids. Come to think of it, Tower of Orthanc also resembles this setup. Except for this time they decide to give it three seperate names. But I think that the gating will be the same.

*sigh*

Something that springs to mind: Fires of Smaug raid..... Will we actually be fighting Smaug or will he be a wight like Thorog? And will they change the spoken words of Draigoch then?

P.S.: Sorry for ranting.

[Ellieni]

Please read the articles before you post them. They are not based on LOTRO, the issue here stems from the 2 Kabam games being released as they are 'downloadable' not physical (LoTRO was, and still is, available in a box).

Actually, he is correct in posting these articles. If you read the court papers this suit could affect LOTRO as the complaint is also about digital rights that the Tolkien Trust believe were never sold.

Quote from the complaint:

"For example, although their limited merchandising license only gives them the right to sell tangible merchandise, defendants have developed, licensed and/or sold (and continue to develop, license and/or sell) downloadable video games based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, available only by downloading and/or access via the Internet, via mobile apps, tablet apps or other similar digital distribution channels, or through other online interconnectivity such as Facebook."

You are correct in saying LOTRO is available on disc, but it is only accessible online only: you can not play it without an internet connection and expansions are download only. Then there is the fact that items sold on the store are intangible: the Tolkien Trust claim that they only sold the right to produce 'tangible' merchandise, not services and non-physical items.

Obviously, like everyone here I hope it doesn't affect LOTRO as I do love this game.

I don't like posting this here as it is negative, but I had to say something as it looked like you were telling someone off when they do actually have a valid point to make.

As for the cluster, I am really looking forward to the 3-man instances.

I often find it difficult to find/join larger instances/raids due to the times I play. They can take 1 hour+ to get the required amount people, and that frustrates me as I feel like I'm wasting time. At least I know I will be able to do the 3 man instances with friends without having to rely on finding other people.

I do however appreciate other people's frustration, but I would not personally get so upset and angry over a game as they are supposed to be fun. I know it's not ideal, but perhaps the raiders who want a new raid asap could reduce their playing time until the new raids are released in Feb? That's what I do in the gaps between new content.

[clarabelle]

I really wished for a 6-man in December. But i guess this is better than nothing. Only thing i dislike with 3-man is the lack of rewards.

If these new 3-mans will be another Library or School, than no one will run them and the effort will be wasted. No one was really running Isen 3-man for that reason, they went Foundry or RoF because that offered a noticeable reward. You can say the same for every single instance cluster. How many times did people run Warg pens compared to farming Sammath Gûl? No one ever cared about Water Wheels or Mirror Halls either.

Best IC ever was Moria, mainly due to the massive amount of creative 6-man instances. Only getting 1 and not until February is a let down. But still i'm happy something is being updated and who knows maybe the new 3-man will offer something more than 5-10 medals, T3 relics, coins and purple junk?

About the raids being "single boss" i don't really care personally. Grinding clusters of ToO-monsters for hours was never that much fun. I only did that to get armor. Prefer raids that wont take an entire evening to complete.

[Thorgrum]

No one is forcing you to do anything. If you don't want to play the game, don't.

A whispering breeze amongst the gale, you sir win the thread.