Tidbits from the Devs on the 12th Anniversary Stream

[Druidsfire]

A little surprised no one did this yet, but here's a text recap of the highlights of the two developer visits to the 12th anniversary stream hosted by +Cordovan. If you want to watch the videos for their full comments, they're linked below.

Baccata, MadeofLions, and ThePinion's Q&A:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/415837367

• MoL is working on something after Update 24
• Baccata is working on something in U24 relating to Radagast
• ThePinion said there's cool stuff in the Gladden Fields, declined to give spoilers
• MoL: There will be an interior to Grimbeorn's Lodge
• ThePinion: Woodmen culture will be seen properly for the first time in-game
• MoL: Plans for this year are ambitious - this being the main reason why they didn't have resources to make a new anniversary steed
• MoL is too busy to do another full round of Bingo Boffin quests
• ThePinion confirmed he is doing a raid for Minas Morgul
• MoL hasn't forgotten Corudan, no updates however
• Baccata confirmed the Vales of Anduin will be accessible by land from Lorien, the Misty Mountains (Pinion later confirmed on Twitter that a teleport is involved), and the Forest Gate in Northern Mirkwood
• MoL strongly recommended that people interested in the Black Book of Mordor pick up the new story that starts in the Grey Mountains BEFORE heading to the Beorning-lands
• ThePinion recommended that people try the Anvil raid on Tier 1 for story reasons if possible before starting the new content

Severlin's Q&A:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/415894117

• He's been working on some LotRO code, adding new tools for monster AI and working on the tech for higher raid tiers
• Confirmed the 64-bit client is toward the end of its testing on Palantir, possibly as soon as 2 weeks to Bullroarer (Cordovan emphasized might be longer)
• New Mac client is not native Mac code, but Wine, so it's more Windows-based. Easier for the team to bug-fix. It might be possible for a tech-savvy Linux person to get it to work on a Linux box. The Wine client will be supported and will also get its own 64-bit client version after the native-PC client gets it
• 32-bit client for both PC and Wine/Mac will still be active/usable for some time after 64-bit goes live
• The Skirmish event will return every year, and they plan on tweaking it to improve it year over year
• No T3 raids for Moria on the legendaries because they're looking ahead to Siege of Mirkwood
• U24 for Bullroarer is coming soon, uncertain if it or 64-bit client will come there first
• Scrolls of Empowerment - they're looking to add SoE to relevant content, possibly add it to the Ember vendor
• Shelob may not actually be a raid in Minas Morgul. She'll be in the story, but Sev said he didn't want to force people to raid to experience her story
• Confirmed their intention to have Rohan housing launch to coincide with Rohan on the legendaries (previously it was unclear if they were just going to start work on it then), but it will definitely be after Minas Morgul comes out
• Suggestion from chat to use Coins of Grarik for Scrolls of Empowerment - there was an issue about the ease of farming them which is why they're not currently in use that way

[Thakalgundian]

Thanks for putting this up Druidsfire, very helpful indeed.

And @MadeofLions ... How could I not have read that text and MISSED your joke! I rewatched that bit on the stream and got it now... "you must have scoured the entire Shire to get to the bottom of it!" It's a rimshot joke, but boy would I have had fun with that one on stream...

[SimplySideways]

[*]Suggestion from chat to use Coins of Grarik for Scrolls of Empowerment - there was an issue about the ease of farming them which is why they're not currently in use that way[/list]

They ought to be semi-easy to farm. The current scroll grind is insane. You literally need 3 months of gameplay (calculated by doing a handful of dailies every day for a couple of hours) in order to max 1 Legendary Item. Everyone needs at least 2, with healers and tanks needing 4. If you play a couple of hours every day for a whole year, you'll get them maxed. It should not take more than a year to max your weapons!

I don't see how Coins of Grarik cannot be used to barter for them. Even if these coins are easy to get, everything depends on the amount of coins needed to barter for a scroll. So you can allow people to use coins to barter for them and still make it nigh impossible to farm them - if that is indeed the "main issue".

But why should it be hard to get them? You make it nigh impossible for alts to get maxed, let alone you make it all the harder for new players to become viable at end game. I really don't understand the need to make that grind hard. It's not like there isn't enough to grind already!

[Raegaen]

But why should it be hard to get them? You make it nigh impossible for alts to get maxed, let alone you make it all the harder for new players to become viable at end game. I really don't understand the need to make that grind hard. It's not like there isn't enough to grind already!

So that people will buy Mithril to quickly upgrade their weapons. What SSG doesn't realize is that for the few that will go that route, there are dozens that won't. Those dozens just leave the game quietly. It's an endless cycle. More leave, more SSG needs to make money so does it that way, making more people leave. They really should look into what FFXIV does as that is sub only and they are going very strong. Obviously they are doing something right and SSG is doing something wrong. More people join that game every day while more people leave LOTRO every day.

[Valather89]

Thanks for the summary.

I love the fact that Misty Mountains, Lothlórien and Rhovanion (which basically means the whole world's landscape if I'm not wrong -except Ered Luin of course) are finally going to be connected.

[thinx]

But why should it be hard to get them? You make it nigh impossible for alts to get maxed, let alone you make it all the harder for new players to become viable at end game. I really don't understand the need to make that grind hard. It's not like there isn't enough to grind already!

I guess the reason is this strange mixture of empowerment being a "special reward" and the idea that it is growing and used by the hundreds.

The idea of items that grow was ok, but leveling should be as we do it with XP: a multitude of possibilities, quests, etc.
Current SoEs are similar as if warg-pens was the only way in this game to get XP.

[Vanyaerunanethiel]

They ought to be semi-easy to farm. The current scroll grind is insane. You literally need 3 months of gameplay (calculated by doing a handful of dailies every day for a couple of hours) in order to max 1 Legendary Item. Everyone needs at least 2, with healers and tanks needing 4. If you play a couple of hours every day for a whole year, you'll get them maxed. It should not take more than a year to max your weapons!

I don't see how Coins of Grarik cannot be used to barter for them. Even if these coins are easy to get, everything depends on the amount of coins needed to barter for a scroll. So you can allow people to use coins to barter for them and still make it nigh impossible to farm them - if that is indeed the "main issue".

But why should it be hard to get them? You make it nigh impossible for alts to get maxed, let alone you make it all the harder for new players to become viable at end game. I really don't understand the need to make that grind hard. It's not like there isn't enough to grind already!

Time is a relative concept. Certain individuals will never even hope to have a maxed Legendary weapon at all. You do not need three months nor you need Fully Maxed Legendary weapon. Incorrect. Tanks have their primary tanking weapon and a belt. Issue lies in players wanting Maximised DPS,tanking,healing rune,belt,satchel, whatever you wish to put it without huge investment. Amp-ing up your Legendary should not be your primary motive unless you are into Tier III raids or PvMP in such case focus will be on a single character. As it should be, long time ago Turbine suggested to have 1 main character strictly for raids.

As if 1% damage will turn the tables.

The grind is not hard, Hard is impossibly overrated word for MMO genre. Let us say it is tedious,long,boring,exhausting , but hard? Far from it.

Accept the grind or find a new game. The grind must exist for MMO to survive.

If a new player is intelligent and creative enough soul he/she entirely wont be bothered about end game grind obsession. He/she will embrace the true beauty of LOTRO and it's strongest aspects.

Amusing when players state: "One needs" Wise man has to quit sometimes and change the protocol. Why torture yourself with a grind when there are dozens of others beautiful and intriguing things to do, In before Games are played for fun.

[luckygirl1]

• ThePinion confirmed he is doing a raid for Minas Morgul
  

Hallelujah. Bring back some of that Unbroken One t2c magic

[Olgomil]

A little surprised no one did this yet, but here's a text recap of the highlights of the two developer visits to the 12th anniversary stream hosted by +Cordovan. If you want to watch the videos for their full comments, they're linked below.

Thanks a lot for your post, very useful.

Sergio :-)

[Lord.Funk]

First of all Thank You Druidsfire for putting ths recap together. I have not had time to watch the stream yet, but I probably will eventually.

Now to some of the points.

• MoL: Plans for this year are ambitious - this being the main reason why they didn't have resources to make a new anniversary steed

Seriously ??? One artist to make some new mount can not be afforded. I then hope that the plans really will turn out to be amazing and full of new artistically created skins/assets on gear/outfits/mounts etc. Maybe with the excellent quality that old Dunland Armour Sets and such had. Not the type of dissepointing skins we got with Where Dragons Dwell expansion. I mean if they are so busy as that one artist can not create one new mount skin for the anniversary. Sounds to me like they might be busy doing something else within SSG. Maybe for another game ??? Just a though and curiousity on my end.

• MoL is too busy to do another full round of Bingo Boffin quests

I'm really looking forward to that. Again especially cosmetic rewards with acctual new skins ande not just old reused skins/assets.

• MoL strongly recommended that people interested in the Black Book of Mordor pick up the new story that starts in the Grey Mountains BEFORE heading to the Beorning-lands

Will SSG finally make it possible to pick up the Black Book then at any new region and not have to play through whole of Mordor, NM etc to simply be able to progress it in other newer regions ??? This is at least what's stopping me to do it with alts, as I have no will to play through Mordor more than once, not even the Black Book quests in Mordor. I prefer to play as if that area does not exist at all. Simply beacuse how tideous it was to play through with running/riding back and forth for every little quest. Spending more time running/riding than acctually playing. Not to mention wading through trash mobs all over the place as You get into aggro everywhere You step. Simply annoying. In th epoast you coudl pick up Epics at new regions even if You hadn't done the previous epics in previous region.

• ThePinion recommended that people try the Anvil raid on Tier 1 for story reasons if possible before starting the new content

Now that is something I do not agree with at all. This change into almost "forcing" everyone into playing instances, even worse, a raid for the story. I have played through it once and tbh I couldn't even focus on any story as I was too busy trying to keep up and reading the instructions from the raid leader to enjoy any story in it. I can not even tell You what the story part in it was about, as I was too busy just keeping up.

Severlin's Q&A:

• Scrolls of Empowerment - they're looking to add SoE to relevant content, possibly add it to the Ember vendor

No, just NO. I agree with the more moderate majority, not the extremists that want LI's gone, in various threads to add more Emp Scrolls and possibly star-lits in various content and on various barterers. However I do NOT agree on Ember barterer. Embers are already enough of a grind in itself for other things we need, gear, essences, whatever. Do not make it so that we have to waste the embers we get on yet another much needed item. That will not solve the grind that so many object to. It will just make grind another thing even more. There are plenty of other barter currencies that need a use and content that could use some Emp Scrolls to make it worth doing. Adding Emp Scrolls for Embers simply screams of "COME BUY OUR LOOTBOX KEYS". Just give that a rest already will You and instead remove lootboxes from affecting any game design and rewards in future. Lootboxes is so 2018. This is 2019.

• Suggestion from chat to use Coins of Grarik for Scrolls of Empowerment - there was an issue about the ease of farming them which is why they're not currently in use that way

And what would be the problem with that ??? That is what people are asking for. To make Emp Scrolls more easily available. Currently Grarik Coins are more or less useless as You don't seem to have the resources to acctually follow up on all the new systems and currencies You add. Nothing interesting to barter for them after a while. Make them useable can not be a bad thing. Yes, I get it that that is not tied into getting them from lootboxes and buying lootbox keys like Embers would, but seriously. No matter how much You push and try, some of us will not buy those bloody lootbox keys. As I said, give it a rest will You, please.

• Shelob may not actually be a raid in Minas Morgul. She'll be in the story, but Sev said he didn't want to force people to raid to experience her story

Good, I agree with this, although it seem to contradict the other points earlier about recommending to play The Anvil Raid to experience the Black Book story. Is there some internal conflict as to how to adress this ??? Seems like You're sending mixed messages here. Why is it Ok to have to play Anvil Raid for some story, but not for Shelob ??? Shouldn't it be the same approach no matter what story we play through ???

Oh plenty of other points I could question/comment on, but I'm already too tired, so I'll halt here for now.

[djheydt]

[Making everyone do a T1 Anvil raid for story purposes]

Now that is something I do not agree with at all. This change into almost "forcing" everyone into playing instances, even worse, a raid for the story. I have played through it once and tbh I couldn't even focus on any story as I was too busy trying to keep up and reading the instructions from the raid leader to enjoy any story in it. I can not even tell You what the story part in it was about, as I was too busy just keeping up.

Hear, hear. This is very disappointing. How in the hell is one going to do a top-level raid when one has never done a raid AT ALL? And has no one to raid with? My husband and I duo or solo; most of the rest of our Kinship has gone elsewhere. I suppose we could go back to the first raid, Helegrod, and see if we could duo it -- at L120 apiece, we might just manage it. But it would take a long time (and many more level-cap raises) to work our way up to doing even the easiest form of a L120 raid, by which time the game would have advanced further than I can conceive of. We would never catch up. And we'd miss out on the story, which is what I play the game for.

[TharbadThief]

Now that is something I do not agree with at all. This change into almost "forcing" everyone into playing instances, even worse, a raid for the story. I have played through it once and tbh I couldn't even focus on any story as I was too busy trying to keep up and reading the instructions from the raid leader to enjoy any story in it. I can not even tell You what the story part in it was about, as I was too busy just keeping up.

Hear, hear. This is very disappointing. How in the hell is one going to do a top-level raid when one has never done a raid AT ALL? And has no one to raid with? My husband and I duo or solo; most of the rest of our Kinship has gone elsewhere. I suppose we could go back to the first raid, Helegrod, and see if we could duo it -- at L120 apiece, we might just manage it. But it would take a long time (and many more level-cap raises) to work our way up to doing even the easiest form of a L120 raid, by which time the game would have advanced further than I can conceive of. We would never catch up. And we'd miss out on the story, which is what I play the game for.

What Pinion said was "If you haven't finished the raid in regard to the Black Book, you will not miss out on the story, but it is recommended that you do, at least try the end of raid on tier 1."

Not sure how they'll do it so that non-raiders will get the knowledge on those particular story things .. maybe it's just a couple of lines telling ".. and then this happened..", or maybe it's a cut scene (which I'd very much prefer), but it seems they have given some thought to the non-raiders too.

[Gildoriel]

What Pinion said was "If you haven't finished the raid in regard to the Black Book, you will not miss out on the story, but it is recommended that you do, at least try the end of raid on tier 1."

Not sure how they'll do it so that non-raiders will get the knowledge on those particular story things .. maybe it's just a couple of lines telling ".. and then this happened..", or maybe it's a cut scene (which I'd very much prefer), but it seems they have given some thought to the non-raiders too.

They could do it as a session play telling the story - and when I'm in the raid I'm too busy fighting so I don't get any story either *lol*.

[Echoweaver]

They could do it as a session play telling the story - and when I'm in the raid I'm too busy fighting so I don't get any story either *lol*.

Yeah. This is my issue too in my limited experience. I *enjoy* it. I just can't track much of the story.

Are dialogue and stuff archived in like, lotro-wiki or something? I haven't looked, but I assumed that was an option.

[thinx]

• ThePinion recommended that people try the Anvil raid on Tier 1 for story reasons if possible before starting the new content

The idea to do a raid in T1 before going on works for most as long as the content is cap, but it doesn't work once it is no longer cap.

For this reason futures players will NOT be able to run T1 for story reasons, as future players do not grind (=bad gear), are not trained (=raid knowledge) and do not have sufficient players to fill a raid (available players on that level + outdated loot). A dead end of the story that is enjoyed much later by being outleveled and overgeared.

IMO having a story end in a raid it is ok as long as the raid is cap, but there should be a an alternative path that is opened as soon as the content is outdated and unpopulated. Inspired greatness?

[MadeOfLions]

Seriously ??? One artist to make some new mount can not be afforded.

That's not it, obviously, but because I like talking game development I thought I'd shed some light on this one. You can point at any individual piece of work and say "But that's just one thing! How could you not spare the time for this One Thing?" And on a case-by-case basis, that's often true: you could have set aside the other One Things that you were signed up for, and instead of making those, you could make That One.

But what if someone else, say Animation, was waiting for that Original Thing... the one that you were already signed up to make. Because you took the time to make the New Thing (and it's great! Everyone will love it!), Animation doesn't get the Original Thing in time for them to do their work; and it cascades from there. Now everyone that needed Animation to do their thing is waiting around for them, and there are waiters waiting for the waiters, and of course we're not talking about Just One Thing, because games are complicated and there's Always A Lot Of Things.

It's really tough, which is why the scheduling of work ends up being so important -- it's not something I valued when I first got into game development! "How could you not make the time for that One Thing?" I used to ask. "I can't believe they didn't let you play as Solid Snake in the Big Shell!" I used to complain. Now I kinda get it, though.

So sometimes we look at the massive amount of things we're doing for the year, and we make what we think is the best decision, and sometimes we're right and you guys are happy; and sometimes we're wrong and it turns out a new steed is super-important to you. File that one under We're Always Listening, and when it comes time to make a decision like that again, I bet it'll factor in.

MoL

[Echoweaver]

Thanks for such a wonderfully patient reply.

(I still hope sometime you guys will consider adding a back channel to earning one of the past steeds with festival tokens, especially when there isn't a new one. Maybe, like the Spring Festival giant shrew pet, there could be a chit for an old steed to be earned for a huge number of tokens, maybe even once per festival per account or something. There are so many phenomenal steeds already. I'm particularly impressed with the Anniversary steeds, since I hadn't played this festival before for various reasons. The amount of mithril coins I'd be looking for getting each steed I want for each toon I want to have it would be.... well, o.O.)

[Nymphonic]

• ThePinion recommended that people try the Anvil raid on Tier 1 for story reasons if possible before starting the new content

I really don't like this. Due to health reasons, I just don't have the physical endurance to keep the concentration on accomplishing a raid. It would be understandable if LOTRO was a raid heavy game, but it's not.

To be fair though, like most things in life, it may be a very minor issue with mountains being made out of mole hills.

[Nymphonic]

Thanks for such a wonderfully patient reply.

(I still hope sometime you guys will consider adding a back channel to earning one of the past steeds with festival tokens, especially when there isn't a new one. Maybe, like the Spring Festival giant shrew pet, there could be a chit for an old steed to be earned for a huge number of tokens, maybe even once per festival per account or something. There are so many phenomenal steeds already. I'm particularly impressed with the Anniversary steeds, since I hadn't played this festival before for various reasons. The amount of mithril coins I'd be looking for getting each steed I want for each toon I want to have it would be.... well, o.O.)

Sorry for the double post, I usually don't do that.

I agree with Echo on this one, this is actually a good idea.

[Thurinuor]

That's not it, obviously, but because I like talking game development I thought I'd shed some light on this one. You can point at any individual piece of work and say "But that's just one thing! How could you not spare the time for this One Thing?" And on a case-by-case basis, that's often true: you could have set aside the other One Things that you were signed up for, and instead of making those, you could make That One.

But what if someone else, say Animation, was waiting for that Original Thing... the one that you were already signed up to make. Because you took the time to make the New Thing (and it's great! Everyone will love it!), Animation doesn't get the Original Thing in time for them to do their work; and it cascades from there. Now everyone that needed Animation to do their thing is waiting around for them, and there are waiters waiting for the waiters, and of course we're not talking about Just One Thing, because games are complicated and there's Always A Lot Of Things.

It's really tough, which is why the scheduling of work ends up being so important -- it's not something I valued when I first got into game development! "How could you not make the time for that One Thing?" I used to ask. "I can't believe they didn't let you play as Solid Snake in the Big Shell!" I used to complain. Now I kinda get it, though.

So sometimes we look at the massive amount of things we're doing for the year, and we make what we think is the best decision, and sometimes we're right and you guys are happy; and sometimes we're wrong and it turns out a new steed is super-important to you. File that one under We're Always Listening, and when it comes time to make a decision like that again, I bet it'll factor in.

MoL

That's a great explanation. I hope that some players will now understand why they can't have everything they want and that the devs are not the "bad guys".

MOL! <3

[djheydt]

They could do it as a session play telling the story - and when I'm in the raid I'm too busy fighting so I don't get any story either *lol*.

A hit! A palpable hit!

[cdq1958]

That's a great explanation. I hope that some players will now understand why they can't have everything they want and that the devs are not the "bad guys".

MOL! <3

Indeed. I have brought up the pipeline of work before. Most folk are not involved in production, here meaning the whole thing. They have little to no idea of "lead time". In making automobiles, it could take 4 years to go from "concept" and "capital expenditure of several hundred million dollars" to production line ready. In pharmaceuticals, it can take a decade or more time and a billion or more dollars to go from "concept" on a chemist's bench to production line ready. Even those in production are mostly familiar with their piece of the line; and not familiar with what others do in said line, let alone "decisions made under uncertainty". Milton Friedman, I think, did a show where he talks about what goes into producing a pencil. That's just one example of millions.

[Hephburz-2]

Now that is something I do not agree with at all. This change into almost "forcing" everyone into playing instances, even worse, a raid for the story. I have played through it once and tbh I couldn't even focus on any story as I was too busy trying to keep up and reading the instructions from the raid leader to enjoy any story in it. I can not even tell You what the story part in it was about, as I was too busy just keeping up.

And this is where I completely disagree with the more casual community.

Instances aren't just slapped together for the sake of things, or for no reason, every instance has a story to tell, every instance is related to the current expansion / quest pack and what is going on at that time. They don't exist just to go in, kill XYZ bosses, get your loot and move on. There is a purpose to them.

And for those of us who have actually done it, and paid attention to what was going on at each boss, there is a pretty decent story behind it, also explaining why you don't actually kill the last boss in the raid either.

So yeah, I'm fine with gating certain aspects of the story behind instance/raid content.

[Phantion]

[*]Baccata confirmed the Vales of Anduin will be accessible by land from Lorien, the Misty Mountains (Pinion later confirmed on Twitter that a teleport is involved), and the Forest Gate in Northern Mirkwood

Thanks so much for this!

Out of curiosity, may we infer from this that, or do we know whether, the Vales of Anduin / Beorning-lands will also not yet connect to Rushgate in western Ered Mithrim- and that the northern corridor (where Anduin's headwaters diverge toward both the Misties and the Mithrim- where both mountain ranges meet) that includes Gundabad and whatever remains of old Framburg (where the Eotheod / eventual Rohirrim originated from) will be saved for a future update?

[Nymphonic]

Thanks so much for this!

Out of curiosity, may we infer from this that, or do we know whether, the Vales of Anduin / Beorning-lands will also not yet connect to Rushgate in western Ered Mithrim- and that the northern corridor (where Anduin's headwaters diverge toward both the Misties and the Mithrim- where both mountain ranges meet) that includes Gundabad and whatever remains of old Framburg (where the Eotheod / eventual Rohirrim originated from) will be saved for a future update?

I missed that one, this is good to hear!