Performance

[Dren]

I have two nights of play in so far on Brandywine.  The questing is looking fine, but my main gripe right now is the tremendous lag I'm gettting.  They come in spikes a la UO back in the day.  I turned down my graphic settings and that helped with the overall sluggishness, but the spikes still are coming about every 15 minutes or so.

Is this common or should I assume it is on my end?  I'm not getting this in WoW or GW.  That's why I question it.  I thought maybe it was stress testing, but it looks like that is over now. 

[Trippy]

I have two nights of play in so far on Brandywine.  The questing is looking fine, but my main gripe right now is the tremendous lag I'm gettting.  They come in spikes a la UO back in the day.  I turned down my graphic settings and that helped with the overall sluggishness, but the spikes still are coming about every 15 minutes or so.

Is this common or should I assume it is on my end?  I'm not getting this in WoW or GW.  That's why I question it.  I thought maybe it was stress testing, but it looks like that is over now. 

Define "lag".

[sigil]

In the past week I have experienced an increasing amount of disjointed running progressing to occasional running in place. Moves are taking longer to be acknowledged and execued by my characters.

I've spent more time on Brandywine as of late, as that was where my wife set up when she got in the beta. My occasional runs on Arwen don't show to be any better, however.

Currently it's annoying, but manageable.

[Dren]

Sigil defined it quite nicely.

I also had a complete freeze for about 2 minutes at one point.  Everything on the client responded, but I couldn't move or jump.  I ran in place though.  I thought I had gotten stuck on some geometry in the middle of an empty field, but it didn't even "feel" like that.  When I've gotten stuck in game of the past I could move just a little bit here and there.  This was a complete freeze and my jumping only jerked a bit.

Then all of a sudden I was free with no change from me.

I'd describe as more than annoying.  I wouldn't purchase the game in this state anyway.  I lived through enough of this type of performance (i.e. UO and SB.)  I don't want it anymore.  I know this is Beta so I'm still being positive.  This is really the only glaring thing so far to me.  The rest of the game is fun and easy.  The only bad part of that is that it is too easy, but it is too early in the game for me to pass judgement there either.

Another pet peeve right now is the quest survey thing.  I understand and appreciate the need for it, but because of the lag it takes 1-2 minutes for it to completely come up.  I'm now in the habit of just closing it down so I can continue.

[Cheddar]

Sigil defined it quite nicely.

I also had a complete freeze for about 2 minutes at one point.  Everything on the client responded, but I couldn't move or jump.  I ran in place though.  I thought I had gotten stuck on some geometry in the middle of an empty field, but it didn't even "feel" like that.  When I've gotten stuck in game of the past I could move just a little bit here and there.  This was a complete freeze and my jumping only jerked a bit.

Then all of a sudden I was free with no change from me.

I'd describe as more than annoying.  I wouldn't purchase the game in this state anyway.  I lived through enough of this type of performance (i.e. UO and SB.)  I don't want it anymore.  I know this is Beta so I'm still being positive.  This is really the only glaring thing so far to me.  The rest of the game is fun and easy.  The only bad part of that is that it is too easy, but it is too early in the game for me to pass judgement there either.

Another pet peeve right now is the quest survey thing.  I understand and appreciate the need for it, but because of the lag it takes 1-2 minutes for it to completely come up.  I'm now in the habit of just closing it down so I can continue.

Turbine has been wonderful about tweaking the servers and whatnot.  As the servers get more full issues tend to arise; freezing, spike lag, chat server going tango uniform, etc.  Every patch seems to fix and improve performance. 

I have mucho faith in this team currently.  Hopefully they are taking notes and creating a playbook for future design teams!

[Nebu]

I have mucho faith in this team currently.  Hopefully they are taking notes and creating a playbook for future design teams!

You need to give me a large cup of what you're drinking.  I've not seen fanboi-ism of this order from you... like... ever. 

What is making you love this game so much?  To me it's been nothing more than a prettier version of every other mmog I've played.

[Cheddar]

I have mucho faith in this team currently.  Hopefully they are taking notes and creating a playbook for future design teams!

You need to give me a large cup of what you're drinking.  I've not seen fanboi-ism of this order from you... like... ever. 

What is making you love this game so much?  To me it's been nothing more than a prettier version of every other mmog I've played.

Its fun.  I can pop into a random group and generally have a blast.  I can group up with my buddy and have a blast.  I can just do my own thing solo and have a blast.

Levelling is perfect as it stands, game world is pretty, oodles of quests, trait system is nice (though I hope they improve it somewhat, give us more unique traits), I feel as if I am partaking in the story as I go along, and with every patch they add tons of content plus fixes. 

EQ2 was the last game I got semi excited for.  The main downfall about LOTRO is it is diku based.  I have never been a huge fan of Diku; gimme a world.  But since this is currently fun I am all for it. 

[Nebu]

What level did you find that things started coming together?  I've spent so much time in the early game that I'm probably missing the conversion where classes come into their own.  Also, I haven't grouped much... so I'm sure that has given me a slanted view.

[Dren]

From the standpoint of providing an interesting way to get some solo gameplay done for advancement through the story and for your character, I agree with Cheddar.

The game fits my definition of a game I can log in for short play sessions and get something done.  Or at least, I feel like I get something done.  I do feel like I want to know what the next quest is or the next level for my character or that next power or that next crafting skill (haven't played with much yet, but I WANT to.)

Even with all that, the performance needs to be improved prior to launch.  I won't sit through lag like this to get to the "good" parts.  I'm over that.  WoW is doing fine at meeting my solo needs currently.

Fix the lag and this game is even MORE solo/casual.  That's is good in my book.

The real question to appeal to the full masses is how they balance hardcore/grouping needs at the same time.

[Cheddar]

Even with all that, the performance needs to be improved prior to launch.  I won't sit through lag like this to get to the "good" parts.  I'm over that.  WoW is doing fine at meeting my solo needs currently.

Fix the lag and this game is even MORE solo/casual.  That's is good in my book.

I believe they are running the servers longer and longer, and tweaking things as they go along.  They used to reset once a week or so; by Sunday the game was loopy and acting strange; after a server reset things were back to normal.  Hopefully they get to the point where the servers rarely need reset. 

The real question to appeal to the full masses is how they balance hardcore/grouping needs at the same time.

The higher level stuff is still in developement, but you get your first raid around 10ish.  Barrows has some kicking rad hardcore group things also.  Lone lands is designed more for group play, whereas North Barrows is solo friendly.

I enjoy the fact that you can pretty much invite random people without requiring a set list of classes.  I tend towards the casual, even when catassing. 

[CmdrSlack]

your first raid around 10ish

You do?   Is that the spider boss near Archet?  One of the brigand bosses near Staddle and Combe?

Did I miss something nifty?

[Cheddar]

your first raid around 10ish

You do?   Is that the spider boss near Archet?  One of the brigand bosses near Staddle and Combe?

Did I miss something nifty?

Unless it got nerfed (people considered it to be pretty hard), it was in Chetwood.  You have to go kill the wolf tamer guy.  Basically you work your way deep into their HQ until you get near him and his buddies; it is the first time since the tutorial that you run into foes from Mordor, and it made my heart race. 

I cannot stress enough how nice the entire fear effects are in this game; it really adds to the immersion.

[CmdrSlack]

Unless it got nerfed (people considered it to be pretty hard), it was in Chetwood.  You have to go kill the wolf tamer guy.  Basically you work your way deep into their HQ until you get near him and his buddies; it is the first time since the tutorial that you run into foes from Mordor, and it made my heart race.

Ok, yeah.  I did that.  I thought I did it solo, maybe with one other guy who happened upon me as I was clearing out wolves.  Err wait.  Are you talking the guy who is in the main brigand encampment with all of those side guys helping him as well?  Or are we talking over by the farm where you go to kill the female wolf/dog?  It was certainly the first time I"ve had to group (for Jagger Jack), but it wasn't what I've always envisioned as a raid.  I'd agree that's the first spot where you really need to group though.  It was hecka fun too.  :)

[Cheddar]

Ok, yeah.  I did that.  I thought I did it solo, maybe with one other guy who happened upon me as I was clearing out wolves.  Err wait.  Are you talking the guy who is in the main brigand encampment with all of those side guys helping him as well?  Or are we talking over by the farm where you go to kill the female wolf/dog?  It was certainly the first time I"ve had to group (for Jagger Jack), but it wasn't what I've always envisioned as a raid.  I'd agree that's the first spot where you really need to group though.  It was hecka fun too.  :)

It is not a raid in the EQ or WoW sense, but it is the first real difficult part you encounter and was pretty shocking to boot.  My group did the basic pull clear to the boss, and we about shit ourselves when we realised who was meeting with Jagger Jack (thanks for the name, its been awhile).  Around 20 you begin to get oodles of content more like this; Greater Barrows quest, Weathertop, etc.  Weathertop is the best one I have partaken in thus far. 

Psssssst,  Cal, you guys need to keep adding quests like Weathertop.  Easily the best instance IMO, and very immersive.

[CmdrSlack]

I need to finish my Weathertop exploring.  I grabbed a quest from this guy at the base of the mountain, but never climbed up to the top. 

Also, Cal, if you happen to read this, there seems to be a problem with the spawn rate on the orcs in the area north of Weathertop.  According to the quest giver, I have to kill two specific kinds of orcs north of his location at the base of Weathertop.  Either this quest is meant to take multiple play sessions, or these suckers are A) not spawning or B) the directions for where to find the guys suck.  (If I get a chance to play this evening, I'll go look for them again, then /bug it if I can't find them still)

[Cheddar]

I need to finish my Weathertop exploring.  I grabbed a quest from this guy at the base of the mountain, but never climbed up to the top. 

Also, Cal, if you happen to read this, there seems to be a problem with the spawn rate on the orcs in the area north of Weathertop.  According to the quest giver, I have to kill two specific kinds of orcs north of his location at the base of Weathertop.  Either this quest is meant to take multiple play sessions, or these suckers are A) not spawning or B) the directions for where to find the guys suck.  (If I get a chance to play this evening, I'll go look for them again, then /bug it if I can't find them still)

Did you go to the village west of the quest dude near weathertop?  There is also a bunch east, at some ruins.  They are for different quests.

[CmdrSlack]

I don't recall seeing a village to the west, I recall some ruins.  I played last week while enjoying the fruits of homebrewing, so I could have been mistaken.  I do remember running all over the area, however.  I managed to range far enough north and west to zone back into Breeland and up into [name of area escapes me].  Guess I'll check again and be super methodical about the "look to the west" part.   :-D

[Cheddar]

I don't recall seeing a village to the west, I recall some ruins.  I played last week while enjoying the fruits of homebrewing, so I could have been mistaken.  I do remember running all over the area, however.  I managed to range far enough north and west to zone back into Breeland and up into [name of area escapes me].  Guess I'll check again and be super methodical about the "look to the west" part.   :-D

From the quest guy hang kinda south (not too far!) and follow the hill up.  It will loop around into a village; it is real close by but kinda up the hill, so it is easy to miss.

[CmdrSlack]

Well, then that's some sucky quest directions then.  Even in your journal it basically says, "Go North of the dude, thou."

[Arthur_Parker]

Levelling is perfect as it stands

It's grindy at 35 with very low exp for mobs and very few suitable quests at this level, from past experience quests will pick up again in a couple of levels but 34-37 is a pain in the arse.  They have been steadily reducing exp gain over the last few patches, noone's made a big deal about it because it's very minor adjustments, but always downwards, that's a pity because there's a danger of making a rather enjoyable game grindy for no good reason.  There are enough classes to play differently and the quests are good enough that you wouldn't mind leveling a couple of alts, providing it's not grindy.  All the above is assuming the missing zone isn't for the mid 30's but even if it is, I'd like a tiny bit more exp for mobs even if it means a tiny bit less for quests.