Developer Diary: New Player Experience Take 2

[Mrbloodworth]

Foreword

In The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria Book 7: Leaves of Lothlórien, we introduced a number of changes to Ered Luin as well as Archet, Combe and Staddle. These changes were just the start of a long list of planned changes for our game and that work has continued in Book 8: Scourge of Khazad-dûm. This time, Bree-land was our focal point and the changes there are significant.

Bree

Bree-town has always suffered from a bit of an identity crisis. It has wanted to be both a social center where players can gather and share stories, prepare for adventure and generally show off their hard-won items or craft new ones.Ialso a major quest hub, providing new players with a multitude of options to gather  quests and leave town only to return several moments later with their haul of hides in tow. Bree has also been a travel hub and a place of commerce and trade. We decided that one of our goals with the Bree-land revamp was to focus on Bree as a town first and foremost.

One of the objectives was to make the entire questing process more logical and to eliminate the constant back and forth that sent players out of town only to return and pick up another quest that sent them out again. As a result, many quests have been moved outside of Bree and some new quests have found their way into town in an effort to help players learn their way around the bustling village.

New arrivals will now have the option to take a tour of the town, finding all the major landmarks that will be important to their characters and providing them with an introduction to the Men of Bree-land faction. The goal with this change was to turn Bree-town into a place that directed players more clearly on the path of adventure and glory in their battle with the forces of the enemy.

Two Distinct Tracks!

Bree-land now focuses on player levels 14-22; a modest eight levels of story-driven questing with two distinct content paths. Of course, players are still free to wander about town and discover these stories as always. The goal is to provide a cleaner, more direct path to the most significant stories found in the region.

The first track follows our Epic story – more on the changes there later – and finds players in Buckland as they assist the Rangers in their tasks. Along the way they may meet fellows in Buckland who are in need of assistance with troubles arising in the Old Forest. This change leads players to complete the Epic storyline concurrently with the Old Forest quests following the arrival and departure of one Frodo Baggins.

The second track begins with a tour of Bree and extends toward the Bree-fields. There players are introduced to the troubles plaguing the people of Bree-land. This second line is the story of Bree-land itself and is separate from the Epic tale allowing us to explore and make use of underutilized areas in the Bree-fields and Andrath. You’ll find new quests throughout those areas in support of the new progression system.

Whichever path you choose, you will eventually converge on one place – Adso’s Camp.

Adso’s Camp – The Old Forest Road – The Barrow-downs

Player should be roughly level 16-18 as they make their way to Adso’s camp - right about the time they’re about to visit a certain someone in the Old Forest or following the trail of Sharkey’s Men and their ravaging of the land. Adso’s camp has seen some changes to support this shift. More quests and alterations to existing quests will prepare players to enter the darker parts of the Old Forest. We also complete the first leg of the story of Bree-land here and provide you a choice of where to go next.

Choosing to follow the Epic story will lead you into the heart of the Old Forest to visit a caretaker there. Following the trail he provides will take you along the Old Forest Road, where some familiar and unfamiliar faces are now holed up for fear of their lives. The reasons these former residents of Bree-town are in the space between the Barrow-downs and the Old Forest are made clear over the course of many quests and eventually lead you toward the southern Barrow-downs where even more Bree-landers, familiar and new, await your assistance. The northern Barrow-downs focuses on level 18-19 and the southern Barrow-downs focuses on levels 20-21 before introducing you to the Great Barrow.

The quests may seem familiar to those of you who have oft braved the Bree-land questing areas, but the stories behind them have changed to explain why some seemingly content residents of Bree town have suddenly decided to enter the strange and haunting barrows. The area focuses on creatures typically found as deed targets, which should further enhance the overall experience.

Deep within the Barrow-downs you will find The Great Barrow and outside of this instance – still targeted at full fellowships – you will find bestowers previously scattered throughout Bree-land. Though their locations have changed, their goals have not and they still need your help with the great evil dwelling within the rotting tomb. One major change to the quest arcs within the Great Barrow is the formation of the key. The travel time has been reduced significantly!

Rangers – Bandits – Orcs!

Following the story of Bree-land through Adso’s camp will open up the second questing path through the region. The Rangers require your assistance in helping the people of Bree prepare for the onslaught coming out of the North and South. Journeying north and seeking out the Ranger Saeradan will set players on a path that follows the same progression as the Barrow-downs with the new quests and revised quests taking characters from 19-21 and driving players into oft overlooked northern Bree-land areas like Hengstacer Farms.

Further in the north, new camps of orcs and new hunters offer players quests that will aid them as they learn and complete the story of Bree-land. This knowledge comes at a price, however, and also serves as the beginning of a new story progression that will draw players to the North Downs.

Brandy Hills – Far Chetwood – Weather Hills

With all the changes going into Bree-land in Book 8, it is worth mentioning that there are plans to address the areas of Brandy Hills, Far Chetwood and the Weather Hills as well. These updates will likely happen during the next book update and each will serve a higher level band or become integral pieces of Volume I: Book 2. For now, these areas have the same hidden gems they have had since launch

Crafting Changes

There is a more thorough discussion of changes to crafting in Book 8 in another dev diary, so I will not spend much time on this here. However, it is important to note that all nodes (Prospector, Forester, and Scholar) have been brought up in tier throughout Bree-land. You will find that the standard node now found throughout Bree-land appropriately is meant for tier 2 crafting and as you spiral out toward higher levels, those nodes reach the third tier of craft materials.

Bounty Quests

Bounty quests are a new style of quest that will make their way into each region as we continue forward on our revision to the lands preceding Moria. Each of these quests is repeatable up to three times and has distinct rewards that tie into our new crafting changes. Each will allow players to earn new crafting items and recipes to assist them with their chosen vocations.

Quest Rewards

Of course, revising the content in Bree-land means we need to ensure the rewards also fit in with the new level bands. All quest rewards have been adjusted to address this issue, and we are working to ensure there is a wider spread of items to cover all the classes. In addition to the reward pass, many of the quests will now offer increased standing with the Men of Bree or the other friendly folk found throughout Eriador. If you have previously completed quests that now have reputation rewards your reputation will increase appropriately.

What’s Next?

We plan to continue onward through the Lone-lands and the North Downs. Our goal is to provide two paths for advancement, allowing players to track through the Lone-lands following the second book of the Epic story or following the trail of Orc bodies into the North Downs to assist the rangers. Either way, the two tracks will encompass all areas of the Lone-lands and the central sections of Kingsfell in the North Downs, and will focus on player levels 22-32. Crafting nodes in these areas will primarily provide tier 3 items and at higher levels introduce tier 4 items. A rework of the Epic story’s Volume I: Book 2 will also incorporate another major quest line that often goes overlooked in the Lone-lands.

This year is shaping up nicely on this front, and so far I’ve only revealed a very small portion of the changes and additions that we are planning on making to the game. Stay tuned for more later this year!

[Tarami]

Bounty quests, go kill a named?

[Mrbloodworth]

Bounty quests, go kill a named?

*Shrug* we shall find out on the 16th.


Things i like:

The area focuses on creatures typically found as deed targets, which should further enhance the overall experience.

and:

One major change to the quest arcs within the Great Barrow is the formation of the key. The travel time has been reduced significantly!

[Tarami]

Book be stuffed with stuff, at least.

[Yegolev]

I immediately thought of the bounty quests in Evendim.  Those are mildly annoying due to the multiple steps to complete: talk to the board, talk to some yahoo, kill the mark, talk to yahoo again, talk to arbiter.

However there is a great deal of super-duper in there.  I'm assuming questgivers for non-epic GB quests will be at the camp outside the instance, which will help a tiny bit... too bad GB is still going to suck balls.

[Mrbloodworth]

Bounty quests are quest given by NPCs that target creatures in a given area. The Barrow-downs targets wights, barghests and then a general mix. The key is that they are repeatable and will always yield crafting materials and recipes for rewards.

They seem to target deed mobs. So, all in one they grant: Deed counts, Mob XP (if not Grey to you), Quest XP, crafting materials and recipes (as rewards for completion).

[Mrbloodworth]

Wow, i just realized there is another dungeon in the barrows for 40-50s.

[Yegolev]

I stuck my head in the door some time ago, and promptly left.

I just need to know when this is going to happen.  I will probably trot Fatwing through all of this new stuff and I don't want to waste any more time in North Downs if I'm going back to Breeland... but I think I somehow missed the Archet-Combe redo?  Looked the same to me last time I was there.

[Mrbloodworth]

I am hearing the 16th.

[rattran]

Wow, i just realized there is another dungeon in the barrows for 40-50s.

Not a very fun one, sadly. I was in a group who tried it a few times for the Bree faction stuff. All the problems of GB, but with more trash.

[Mrbloodworth]

Wow, i just realized there is another dungeon in the barrows for 40-50s.

Not a very fun one, sadly. I was in a group who tried it a few times for the Bree faction stuff. All the problems of GB, but with more trash.

Oh, i know they are redoing rewards and stuff, so maybe this was also included. Anyway, ill take that off the list of kin-outing activities then.

[Mrbloodworth]

Bounty quests, go kill a named?

I went and got clarification  

Bounty Quests

Bounty quests are a new style of quest that will make their way into each region as we continue forward on our revision to the lands preceding Moria. Each of these quests is repeatable up to three times and has distinct rewards that tie into our new crafting changes. Each will allow players to earn new crafting items and recipes to assist them with their chosen vocations.

EDIT:Bellow are the developer responses from this thread. I did do a bit of editing for sense making reasons:

Bounty quests are quest given by NPCs that target creatures in a given area. The Barrow-downs targets wights, barghests and then a general mix (Note: Deed mobs). The key is that they are repeatable and will always yield crafting materials and recipes for rewards. Recipe rewards are scroll cases with the one shot recipes that are Level appropriate to the area you are currently questing and the tier of crafting we expect you have attained. You can do them 3 times ever.

Considering each time you complete this quest you have:

• Advanced a slayer deed.
• Picked up vender loot.
• Gained Faction. (did i make this up? i may be confusing myself now)
  
• Gaind kill XP (if mobs not Grey)
  
• given scroll cases with the one shot recipes. guaranteed.
  

I think 3 times is fine.

[Yegolev]

You know what I need?  More one-shot recipes and no increase in shard availability.







Not really.

[Mrbloodworth]

A Word or Several on Bounty Quests

A Word or Several on Bounty Quests
Posted On: June 10th, 2009
Posted By: Orion
Posted in: Book 8, Design Discussion

Since the release of my recent Developer Diary, questions have arisen from the playerbase regarding the new Bounty Quests. Rather than continue posting bits and pieces of the system, I figured that I would give a comprehensive view of the Bounty Quests.

Bounty Quests Are:

    * Repeatable up to three times
    * Typically collection quests targeting monsters that are used to advance deeds (though this will not always be the case)
    * Avenues to attain crafting recipes, rare items and new optional ingredients

Bounty Quests Are Not:

    * A Brand new type of quest
    * Wanted poster quest akin to those in Ost Forod in Evendim
    * Evil
    * PvMp

Bounty Quests Reward:

    * Coin
    * Experience
    * Faction (Sometimes)
    * Player’s choice of a crafting/actual level relevant Scroll Case with one-shot recipe
    * Either the rare component for the relevant crafting level or several optional components for crafting at relevant level

A Typical Bounty Quest:

Bounty: Turtle Shells

Walt Whitrose, at a camp on the border of the lakes in northeastern Bree-land. Is looking for turtle shells that can fetch a hefty sum from some folk in Bree. He is willing to trade you a scholar, tailor, weaponsmith and woodworking ingredient as well as your choice of vocation scroll case, a small amount of coin and experience for your efforts.

Other bounties will reward the remaining optional ingredients or the level appropriate shard and player choice of a scroll case. This means, if a player completes all the bounties for an associated level break they will have 6 shards, 6 optional ingredients and 6 random one-shot recipes.

Hope this clarifies any confusion over the Bounty Quests.

[Yegolev]

Ah, "level appropriate shard" is good.  Finding the named mobs on Brandywine is difficult even as a Hunter.

[Soln]

more intelligent changes = better game

go go Turbine

[Xeyi]

eliminate the constant back and forth that sent players out of town only to return and pick up another quest that sent them out again.

– still targeted at full fellowships –

The two things that stopped me levelling up in this game were the obscene amount of running around and the fellowship quests that can be almost impossible to find a full group for.  Hence after a few attempts at playing the game since launch I have four level 20-something characters that I just couldn't make it through Lonelands with.  This seems a step in the right direction though, but not enough for me to resub yet.

[Mrbloodworth]

Join the kinship.

[Xeyi]

Unfortunately I'm in Europe.

[Mrbloodworth]

Unfortunately I'm in Europe.

I'm sorry. We do have some Europe people too.

[Brogarn]

Giving this a try but its hard to change gears from a third play through of Mass Effect and its Action RPG goodness to "go kill 10 lynxes and bring me their pelts".

But, that's not why I'm posting.

I'm posting because Turbine has done some refinements that impressed me. The biggest being the partial download that allows you to play the game while the rest of the 10gb downloads in the background. It got me in game in about 30 minutes. That's a pretty fucking awesome idea and they deserve kudos for that (If this has been done before, its the first I've seen it). Beyond that, you can see the status of the download while you're in game. A handy icon pops up on the bottom right of the screen, out of the way, and you just mouse over to see how much more you need to download. Good stuff.

[Mrbloodworth]

Giving this a try but its hard to change gears from a third play through of Mass Effect and its Action RPG goodness to "go kill 10 lynxes and bring me their pelts".

But, that's not why I'm posting.

I'm posting because Turbine has done some refinements that impressed me. The biggest being the partial download that allows you to play the game while the rest of the 10gb downloads in the background. It got me in game in about 30 minutes. That's a pretty fucking awesome idea and they deserve kudos for that (If this has been done before, its the first I've seen it). Beyond that, you can see the status of the download while you're in game. A handy icon pops up on the bottom right of the screen, out of the way, and you just mouse over to see how much more you need to download. Good stuff.

Was this the digital download? or the trial?

[Brogarn]

Was this the digital download? or the trial?

Trial.

[Brogarn]

This game continues to amaze me with the amount of refinement they've thrown at Diku. I have a few complaints, of course. I wouldn't be me if I didn't. Namely, the map is mostly useless, some quests are beyond vague, and the UI could use more flexibility. And, of course, the topic that deserves its own sentence and special kind of hate... the running. Because of that final complaint, I'm hesitant to start up Bree-Town quests until this patch (book... whatever...) gets implemented.

[Mrbloodworth]

This game continues to amaze me with the amount of refinement they've thrown at Diku. I have a few complaints, of course. I wouldn't be me if I didn't. Namely, the map is mostly useless, some quests are beyond vague, and the UI could use more flexibility. And, of course, the topic that deserves its own sentence and special kind of hate... the running. Because of that final complaint, I'm hesitant to start up Bree-Town quests until this patch (book... whatever...) gets implemented.

I have a 16 RK that's waiting for just that.

[Bandit]

16 Warden myself, also waiting it out

[Brogarn]

Sweet. Looks like I'll have a group come patch time. 

[Brogarn]

By the way... how much warning do they give you pre-patch? As in, if they're not posting about it coming down the pipe today, the possibility of it being out tomorrow are between slim and not a chance.

[Yegolev]

It always catches me by surprise but I don't go around reading shit.

[Mrbloodworth]

By the way... how much warning do they give you pre-patch? As in, if they're not posting about it coming down the pipe today, the possibility of it being out tomorrow are between slim and not a chance.

I had been under the impression that it was tomorrow. Looks like i was wrong (SHOCKER!). They do give pre-warning, they also usually offer the patch before the day. Anyway, the summer fest starts on the 30th (Tentatively) so, considering that the spring fest is in book 8. I'm thinking the end of the month.

What tipped me off, is there hasn't been an announcement, nor the pre-warning.

Do i loose points now for being wrong?

[Yegolev]

No, just for not capitalizing your 'i's.

[Mrbloodworth]

No, just for not capitalizing your 'i's.

I am working on that. 

[Brogarn]

Damn. Well, I guess I either reroll a bunch and dick around or play through Bree-Town "as is" and suffer what others have suffered.

[Tarami]

We usually know a week or ten days in advance when the patch is going to hit. Soon thereafter, usually a few days later, you can preload the patch.

[Bandit]

Bah, I was banking on Book 8 on the 16th for a return to LOTRO, might just return regardless.