Developer Diary: The Great Angmar Revamp

[Saffron]

Join Content Designers Amlug and MadeOfLions in their quest to improve and revamp the Angmar region! If you've been exploring or questing in Angmar, this update is for you. The Great Angmar Revamp will provide insight on the challenges of improving an existing area, as well as a window into the exciting world of content design!

Read the dev diary, then post your comments below!

[Grampsaz]

Certainly needed some polish, glad its getting done.


Now that its done....Amlug get back to what you do best!!! Raids!!

[Alakranus]

Good stuff, looking forward to it. There seems to be a chart missing from the article.

[auximenes]

I don't see the chart mentioned in the article either.

*EDIT*: Nice chart, thanks.

[Saffron]

Okay guys, try it again! It's really quite a pretty chart...I'd hate for anyone to miss it.

[Hluill]

I am happy to see them continue to examine and revise this game. I see a lot of potential in their changes. This posting by the developers, communicating with us players, is another reason why I am a fan of this game.

I am now more enthused to play.

[Brushfire]

Very insightful article. By far one of the best dev dairies.

Brushfire

[DreamMaster]

This is excellent! My alts will all be ready for Angmar by that time, so I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks guys.

[andulinde]

Heh, I wondered if Fasach-larran development went something like this:

Dev A: "Well, it's Angmar, so of course it needs to be swarming with orcs."
Dev B: "Swarming with aurochs, got it." *gets busy turning Angmar into a feed lot

Whether or not that particular near-homonym was involved, thanks so much for doing fixing ol' Angmar, and for keeping us informed about it. Very much looking forward to the new-and-improved Angmar - now with 100% more soloability!, and the quest hub near IB is a kindness as well. I'm glad that you're not changing existing fellowship quests to solo quests, but rather adding new quests (including a lot of solo quests). Lindoryn fellowed a lot all along the way, but she really developed her high-level fellowing chops in the Angmar chains. Those opportunities do need to remain.

Drakur (currently a 40grd) is licking his lips in anticipation.

[Vayde_Vilya]

Sounds very exciting. As a lower level just beginning to look ahead to Angmar, this makes me extremely happy!

[Akaara]

I've been avoiding Angmar ... I was frustrated with the quests/area so hopefully with the revamp, I'll actually WANT to explore there.

[gildhur]

Sounds great! Grimbur will be in that level range just in time for the new changes. Can't wait!

[Meijha]

This is great! I went to Angmar, but really stalled out about the time I hit the Mid/Western areas. Now I can go back and revisit all of that!

[oldmanwhoplays]

Really excellent dev diary and much needed improvements. Glad to see the devs revisiting older areas and not just focusing on new ones. Thanks!

[Yaaraer]

The main suggestion I can make is, Angmar is dead boring. I tried questing etc (even stuck it out to reach kindred for C.O.N), and just lost interest quickly. The rewards are lame and the challenge isn't there. Just creating an area and putting tons of foes does not make it fun. It needs more instances, more lore, more LOTR flavor. As is it's a burned out hole that serves no purpose.

[J2me]

That's funny... I actually have several completed quests from Imlad sitting in my log because I don't feel like trudging all the way to Gobble-town to turn them in... will be nice to have a little camp closer to Imlad.

And... can anything be done about the music? I know that Angmar is supposed to be an uncomfortable place, but the music sets my teeth on edge. I keep my music turned all the way down now(too much trouble to go back and forth) and I miss the soundtrack in Rivendell and Misty Mountains...

[Folie]

What's interesting is that many of the points made in the dev diary had occurred to me almost sub-consciously--the strangeness of the Gab-IB vectors, for instance--but when the thought briefly crossed my mind, I just mentally shrugged and made the assumption that the devs had some reasoning behind the sequence that would become clear. Funny to find out they didn't!

[Spikyc]

Looking forward to this
Angmar is currently the area I dislike most- sounds like this could change that.

[amlug]

That's funny... I actually have several completed quests from Imlad sitting in my log because I don't feel like trudging all the way to Gobble-town to turn them in... will be nice to have a little camp closer to Imlad.

Just as a note, any quests that we have changed significantly will be versioned. If the quests you have sitting in your log fall under that category, you will have to do the new cleaned up version of the quest. Sorry, but it was a necessary evil in some cases.

[gildhur]

Just as a note, any quests that we have changed significantly will be versioned. If the quests you have sitting in your log fall under that category, you will have to do the new cleaned up version of the quest. Sorry, but it was a necessary evil in some cases.

That was very clearly stated in the Dev Diary itself, but thanks for reminding those that prefer skimming.

[mightyTeuton]

Just as a note, any quests that we have changed significantly will be versioned. If the quests you have sitting in your log fall under that category, you will have to do the new cleaned up version of the quest. Sorry, but it was a necessary evil in some cases.

Hey Amlug, is there any way we can get a list of quests that are going to be wiped from our log a few weeks in advance of the book 12 release?

[Cleo256]

I'm looking forward to the Great Revamp. I just don't enjoy spending time in Angmar. It's the great artistic debate: I know Angmar's supposed to be a nasty place, but I actually find it unpleasent. I'd much rather spend my time in the beautiful Misty Mountains. But I don't imagine the art's going to be revisited. Maybe it's the music that needs a boost, to create the right mood. I can't honestly remember the Angmar music right now. Isn't it just an ambient humming sound?

I mostly hope the paths become more clear. Trying to get to the Council of the North, even when I already knew where it was, took me a good hour and a half the other night. Where is the path that lets me bypass large camps of enemies and gets me where I want to go? I have no problem with a random orc-attack along the road, as happens elsewhere in the world. But I've been to the Council of the North camp four times now, and I still don't know how to get back quickly.

Anyway, mostly I'm happy that Angmar's getting scrutinized and enhanced. It's far, far less fun than the other areas of the game, which makes me not want to spend any time there.

[Locklear93]

Hey Amlug, is there any way we can get a list of quests that are going to be wiped from our log a few weeks in advance of the book 12 release?

From the dev diary:

When Book 12 gets closer, we'll release a list of all the quests that will be removed from your log, and a more detailed breakdown of changes.

[Enshaido]

I'd like to see a Quick Travel option to Aughaire.

I am currently in the Angmar levels. I find myself switching between the Misty Mountains and Angmar every couple of days in order to be at the appropriate level. It would be nice to be able to do one area and then do another! Thanks Devs!

[mightyTeuton]

From the dev diary:

Thanks, Locklear. You know, I read the diary post in its entirety, but I don't remember seeing it. Then again, I'm not a very observant person.