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Title: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Cheddar on May 13, 2011, 02:09:09 PM Quote The challenges continue in Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador! Update 3 brings two new 3-player instances and two new skirmishes! Plus, a host of new items in the LOTRO store will grant you the necessities you need to defend the good folk of Middle-earth. (http://www.lotro.com/gameinfo/book-spotlights/1178-update-3) More Slots! - Two new Cosmetic Outfits slots are available up to a total of five slots Reset your Skirmish Marks! - Using this scroll will refund all skirmish marks you have spent on skirmish traits. Get more Criticals at the relic forge! - The Scroll of Combination increases your 'Critical Success' chance to 25% while combining relics at the relic forge. And other updates: •The skirmish Reconnaissance Report now lasts 60 minutes instead of 15! •Try the new Combat Run Speed Boost, and sprint while in combat! Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ingmar on May 13, 2011, 02:13:55 PM Skirmish reset is A+.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ingmar on May 13, 2011, 03:17:32 PM Skirmish reset is A+. Thinking about this, aren't the costs for ranks different depending on YOUR level - ie it costs more marks to raise a skirmish soldier above your level than it would if you leveled up first and then leveled the soldier? If I am remembering that right then it gets an extra plus to A++, since it means that those extra marks I paid back when I was keeping my skirmish buddy several levels above me aren't 'lost forever'. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Cheddar on May 13, 2011, 07:30:01 PM Skirmish reset is A+. Thinking about this, aren't the costs for ranks different depending on YOUR level - ie it costs more marks to raise a skirmish soldier above your level than it would if you leveled up first and then leveled the soldier? If I am remembering that right then it gets an extra plus to A++, since it means that those extra marks I paid back when I was keeping my skirmish buddy several levels above me aren't 'lost forever'. Quick answer - yes. If you overpaid you will get the cost back. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 13, 2011, 09:08:27 PM More Slots! - Two new Cosmetic Outfits slots are available up to a total of five slots. They were up to five in the last update - you unlocked the final two in the store. Does this mean I'm going to get seven slots, or angry? Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Cheddar on May 14, 2011, 05:43:57 AM More Slots! - Two new Cosmetic Outfits slots are available up to a total of five slots. They were up to five in the last update - you unlocked the final two in the store. Does this mean I'm going to get seven slots, or angry? 7. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ingmar on May 14, 2011, 02:14:18 PM No date for this yet as far as I can tell. I want to reset my points!
EDIT: Never mind, May 23rd! Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 14, 2011, 10:21:26 PM Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Cheddar on May 15, 2011, 04:34:44 AM No date for this yet as far as I can tell. I want to reset my points! EDIT: Never mind, May 23rd! Link? Don't toy with my emotions, son. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 15, 2011, 07:48:08 AM Thats' a fancy update right there that is.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador 5/23 launch Post by: Cheddar on May 16, 2011, 04:51:48 PM Massively article on upcoming update - 5/23 confirmed. (http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/13/the-road-to-mordor-dungeon-running-with-turbine/)
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 17, 2011, 06:41:25 AM Quote "Once you head down into the instance proper, you'll encounter a strange man named Umin. Umin's an upgraded type of NPC in the game; not only will he answer questions and follow you around if asked, but he'll offer up different dialogue options depending on where you are. Umin's only the tip of the mystery, as he's standing next to a riddle door. Just as the Fellowship had to answer a riddle to get into Moria, so too will you need to answer correctly to pass on through. I was told that there are a whopping 83 riddles, each of which requires a correct emote to solve -- if you give the wrong answer three times in a row, the door switches to a new riddle. The two doors I encountered weren't that difficult, although it might be tricky if you're not used to the laundry list of emotes available for the game. And before you ask, yes, there is a deed for answering all 83 correctly. Barry said that the Inn of the Forsaken was definitely inspired by Dungeons and Dragons Online's own instances, especially in regard to traps and puzzles. This isn't an instance that you can brute-force your way through; cunning, attention to details, and teamwork are far more important." Thats rather awesome. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 17, 2011, 06:52:20 AM Thats rather awesome. A pity soloers will never ever get to see it. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Cheddar on May 17, 2011, 06:56:07 AM Thats rather awesome. A pity soloers will never ever get to see it. Underlevel the instance. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 17, 2011, 07:04:58 AM Thats rather awesome. A pity soloers will never ever get to see it. Sure they will, right after they join a group. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Soln on May 17, 2011, 12:25:10 PM There's a lot of good things Turbine has done with F2P. But personally, I don't think new instances since Vol.3.2? were needed. There's a metric ton of instances already in the game that people are not playing -- witness, DN, Forges, 6th Hall or whatever. The last round of instances with the new raid should be satisfying people. The point about satisfying soloers is misleading -- the older instances need either revamping or new incentives for players to run them. There are literally, 2 dozen+ quests for GS, but people rarely do anything but speed run 1/6th the place for tokens. The exact same for spider and drake wings of Helgorod. When did you ever hear of someone finishing the Blind One or Mistress? I'd rather see some compromise to incent people to run old instances before creating new ones. And I don't think making them solo skirmishes is necessary. Just something like a new deed, or a token-for-a-token.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 18, 2011, 12:57:42 AM Sure they will, right after they join a group. Back to remedial design with you. (http://www.zenofdesign.com/2011/03/09/gdc11-presentation-the-loner/) Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 18, 2011, 06:29:31 AM Sure they will, right after they join a group. Back to remedial design with you. (http://www.zenofdesign.com/2011/03/09/gdc11-presentation-the-loner/) Remedial my ass. :) The insistence that ALL content must be soloable is false. This title already has more than enough for solo users as it is, adding 2 three man, and a bunch of skirmishes ( The best kind of solo instance) is not and unacceptable situation. In fact: Slide #64 "Alone is the default state of an MMO player, whether if be for minutes and months, and the game should embrace that. But making a massively single player game isn’t the answer." Me personally, group is about the largest content I ever really care to do, time commitment wise, and social needs wise. However, I enjoy being in a guild, simply for my chatty nature. Raids have never been a want, interest or good requirement for content for me. Anyone who has ever played with me can attest to this. The low time investment and small group or half group content is likely why I played this title so long. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Zetor on May 18, 2011, 06:51:36 AM Kind of unrelated, but has lotro added some kind of lfg system? [the search interface doesn't count, unless they significantly improved it since I last played ~2009 :p]
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 18, 2011, 07:17:32 AM The insistence that ALL content must be soloable is false. I admit this one particularly puzzles me because we're talking about a pair of skirmishes. There's currently only one skirmish that doesn't scale for solo - Survival on the Barrow Downs. Even the Rift skirmishes with their nifty Fellowship Maneuver mechanics have a solo option. If the object is to keep people subscribed until Isengard with a slow trickle of content, why exclude soloers from half the new content in this patch? Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Modern Angel on May 18, 2011, 07:27:23 AM Because the insistence that ALL content must be soloable is false.
I swear... it's right there and it's true. I'm as anti-social in these games as they come. I hate pugging. I don't have much time anymore. But not all games and not all things are for all people. And, really, if someone gets huffy over the game that arguably has the richest solo experience of any MMO then maybe that person doesn't really like MMOs anymore. Play a Mount and Blade mod. It's a better game and bigger to boot. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 18, 2011, 07:31:27 AM I admit this one particularly puzzles me because we're talking about a pair of skirmishes. There's currently only one skirmish that doesn't scale for solo - Survival on the Barrow Downs. Even the Rift skirmishes with their nifty Fellowship Maneuver mechanics have a solo option. If the object is to keep people subscribed until Isengard with a slow trickle of content, why exclude soloers from half the new content in this patch? Likely because they are taking a balanced approach? Its not like they don't add solo content, or have not spent the last year or so converting a great chunk of things to have the option.. Your kinda still arguing that all content must be solo. I'm not sure if that because of your design philosophy, or because you want to play the new stuff personally. At the end of the day though, can a three man really be considered as un-pugable as a full group or raid? Is it even comparable? Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 18, 2011, 07:35:06 AM Your kinda still arguing that all content must be solo. I'm arguing that marquee content you intend to keep people playing the game should be soloable. Epic Quests, content drip-feed, that sort of thing. You want to cast as wide a net as possible with this stuff, not cater exclusively to small portions of the playerbase. EDIT: And people who are willing to PUG are also a "smaller portion" of the playerbase. Some people don't like playing with strangers, some people don't like playing with random (possible) idiots. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 18, 2011, 07:36:28 AM Your kinda still arguing that all content must be solo. I'm arguing that marquee content you intend to keep people playing the game should be soloable. Epic Quests, content drip-feed, that sort of thing. You want to cast as wide a net as possible with this stuff, not cater exclusively to small portions of the playerbase. Did you see the last addition? The one that was ONLY 2 months ago? While I agree to your point, I think your assessment in this instance is off, or greatly exaggerated. EDIT: And people who are willing to PUG are also a "smaller portion" of the playerbase. Some people don't like playing with strangers, some people don't like playing with random (possible) idiots. +2 > +5, + 11, + 24! TBH, once they went F2P, they have been REALLY good about giving people what they want, this means all people. They clearly know that solo, half group and skirmishes are where people are. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Zetor on May 18, 2011, 07:58:11 AM I'm willing to pug, heck I like pugging for the :awesome_for_real: :ye_gods: :why_so_serious: factor [I leveled a character through dungeon finder exclusively from 10-85 in wow]. The problem is that I play on a low-pop server (Silverlode) at Euro primetime; I did some solo skirmishes yesterday and the /who list showed maybe 15 people total -- none of them near my level. I can group with guildies sure.. only most of them don't play lotro anymore.
Anyway, back to my previous question: have they implemented a solid LFG interface yet, or are they planning to (doesn't even have to be fully automated dungeon finder, the pre-DF WOTLK lfg interface would be fine)? Somewhat related to this: is a sidekicking / mentoring system planned? Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Modern Angel on May 18, 2011, 08:18:01 AM Nope. One solution the playerbase came up with is that several servers have a created channel for global lff. The one on Brandywine tends to be fairly well policed and useful.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 18, 2011, 08:20:32 AM There haven't been any changes to the LFG tool for... a year? Maybe more? MBW may remember.
I'll just say this and leave the subject alone. As someone who solos exclusively, the last new content I experienced was Enedwaith and the Yule Festival. My main has been essentially idle for all of 2011. Since I mostly play my main, that means a lot more of my play time (and a lot more of my money) has been spent in STO and Rift. Critiquing my own behavior with my developer hat on, it's worrisome trend. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 18, 2011, 08:26:44 AM There haven't been any changes to the LFG tool for... a year? Maybe more? MBW may remember. I can't recall the last time they touched it, I haven't played in a good while. Due to being burned out on this type of game in general. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Reg on May 18, 2011, 08:30:27 AM You're doing your usual lame defense of the stupid group only content and you don't even play anymore?
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 18, 2011, 08:38:17 AM You're doing your usual lame defense of the stupid group only content and you don't even play anymore? I see nothing wrong with adding both in a balanced manner. As for the rest that your sentence imply, I have no idea what you are talking about. I'm not sure when I have ever been about "OMG you must group", usual? Um ok. You say that right after I explained my personal level of time investment. To complain about this addition of two skirmishes and two 3 mans is a bit silly, considering the sheer multitude of solo content in the game ( That was also just added to ). Feel free to disagree, but if your going to come with insults, at least be factual. The update adds two skirmishes and two 3 mans........ The end is near! OMG the game is only for raiders! They have abandoned the solo player!! :oh_i_see: Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 18, 2011, 08:48:33 AM OMG the game is only for raiders! They have abandoned the solo player!! :oh_i_see: Ignoring your straw man, I've noticed that I play significantly less lately. From an average of 20 hours a week spent in LotRO in previous years, I'm down to 5-10 hours a week this year - and looking at my own pattern of play, that's mainly because there's nothing new for me to do with my main. NON-EDIT: Here's my Raptr activity for the last week. 11 hrs: Star Trek Online 7 hrs: Rift 33 mins: The Lord Of The Rings Online 28 mins: Dungeons & Dragons Online Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Modern Angel on May 18, 2011, 08:54:35 AM Then your game is done. Congratulations, you won!
I know that you're making essentially an argument about economics rather than playstyle, that you don't want to shut anyone out if you're trying to make monies. But for you, the game is over until the do another patch with 75% solo content/25% group (which, by the way, is a better ratio than *any other game on the market*). It's okay. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Mrbloodworth on May 18, 2011, 08:55:16 AM Ignoring your straw man Please do, as it wasn't for you :) I've noticed that I play significantly less lately. From an average of 20 hours a week spent in LotRO in previous years, I'm down to 5-10 hours a week this year - and looking at my own pattern of play, that's mainly because there's nothing new for me to do with my main. NON-EDIT: Here's my Raptr activity for the last week. 11 hrs: Star Trek Online 7 hrs: Rift 33 mins: The Lord Of The Rings Online 28 mins: Dungeons & Dragons Online I believe you, however does that mean that they should never add anything but solo content? ( Other than the fact the entire second half of the story line is now solo, and all but one skirmish, and most quests are solo ) Is a three man such a stretch that its gets lumped into full group or raid time investments/Social issues? Why do you oppose a balanced approach to additions? Considering this last one in question, did not even add the most inaccessible type for you? Your main is at max I assume, anything they add thats not top level, you likely wont do anyway ( Except the scalable content, that they just added ). Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Soln on May 18, 2011, 01:52:04 PM LotRO is the only MMO my wife and I play, but free or not we're not playing atm. She's busy in school, but isn't even tempted by the festivals. And for me while i love PUGing in LotRO, none of the new instances really grab me (and I haven't done them all). For good or ill the LI system seems like the only end game, and I'm just not jazzed enough to push an alt up as an alternative.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Modern Angel on May 18, 2011, 01:57:08 PM We're basically just farting around on it, doing instances once weekly. Everyone's old now so it suits us.
Frankly, the new instances we've done so far are top notch except the one three man in the North Downs town. That one was overly simple and a little boring. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Cheddar on May 20, 2011, 05:51:30 PM Whoa, patch notes. One thing stuck out to me:
(http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Update_3,_Lost_Legends_of_Eriador,_Official) Quote ■Critial Success during relic forging now has a small chance to provide additional relics in addition to bonus shards. ■Three new Community Designed relics have been added to the melding panel! Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 23, 2011, 07:08:38 AM Known Issues are up.
http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?387100-Known-Issues-Update-5-23-2011&p=5288236 Personal grievance: "With either DX10 or DX11 options enabled, players may notice a harsh shadow off in the distance that should not be there." This has been broken since Enedwaith shipped, and ruins nearly every screenshot vista in the most screenshot-friendly MMG ever released. I don't know who should be fixing this, but pretty please with sugar on it, could you schedule them some time for it? EDIT: But more seriously, they still haven't fixed the disappearing raid boss. :uhrr: Quote Dol Guldur Tower If a player has DX10 enabled Morskor, the Fell beast, may disappear sometimes even though he is always present. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Stormwaltz on May 24, 2011, 09:20:24 PM New Summer Festival deeds discovered by someone with consumables left over from last year. (http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/05/festival-consumable-deeds-discovered/)
Seems that completing them gives you a skill to use consumable ability once per hour, indefinitely. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Yegolev on May 25, 2011, 07:42:13 AM Sounds great.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ivanneth on May 25, 2011, 04:44:46 PM The two new skirmishes are pretty difficult. Not impossible, and the challenge was a welcome surprise, but I wasn't expecting to die several times through the course of completing Attack at Dawn when I tried it the first time. One of the encounter bosses handed me my ass 3 times before I gave up on him - he kept healing himself and my level 45 captain just doesn't have enough interrupts to stop them all.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Soln on May 25, 2011, 07:44:14 PM can you solo? or are they 2, 3, 5, 6 person scales?
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ivanneth on May 26, 2011, 08:05:11 AM can you solo? or are they 2, 3, 5, 6 person scales? Yes you can solo. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Rishathra on May 26, 2011, 01:38:29 PM I had my ass handed to me several times on the Icy Crevasse before I gave up. I like the overall design of the new skirmishes, but holy shit, my squishy hunter has trouble sometimes dealing with one elite, let alone two, especially in a skirmish with a zone effect that boosts everyone's damage up 50%.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ivanneth on May 26, 2011, 04:53:28 PM I got my ass handed to me in Icy Crevasse as well. The damage buff coupled with almost every trash mob being "Hale" made it so difficult that I have yet to complete that one.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ingmar on May 26, 2011, 04:55:49 PM I need to get around to trying these with my champion. What do you guys use for your skirmish buddy?
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ivanneth on May 27, 2011, 07:25:56 AM I need to get around to trying these with my champion. What do you guys use for your skirmish buddy? With my captain I use a warrior and the herald that increases morale. The warrior puts out a respectable amount of damage and I spec for healing. It works pretty well in most situations. I haven't run these new skirmishes on my champion yet (he's level 29) I run with an herbalist on him usually and that works well. Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: proudft on May 27, 2011, 10:01:56 AM My loremaster has been using a warrior, and I settled in at level-1 skirmishes being doable but kinda hard. I might switch to the tanky-guy if they don't get easier (I'm level 34, I think). I haven't died in one YET but it has been mighty close in about every other combat (my health/morale/whateveritscalled is ludicrously low). :grin:
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Ingmar on May 27, 2011, 10:51:28 AM I ran both the new ones last night and they were definitely on the hard side, particularly the frost canyon one - I died twice on that one, but was able to finish. The only part that was a real issue was the counterattack groups, most of the other stuff I could avoid fighting more than one or two at a time. The other one was easy until the final fight, which was a little rough, I had to pop cooldowns on it which isn't normal for solo skirmishes. I use an herbalist. I don't think I could succeed with any of the other ones.
Title: Re: Update 3: Lost Legends of Eriador Post by: Rokal on May 27, 2011, 02:52:09 PM I use an herbalist for my Champion, and an archer for everyone else.
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