Lord of the Rings Online Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell Sends Players to the Grey Mountains - MMORPG

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Lord of the Rings Online Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell Sends Players to the Grey Mountains - MMORPG.com

On Tuesday, October 9th, Lord of the Rings Online servers will be brought down to prepare for Update 23: Where Dragons Dwell. The new content will feature a trip to the lost dwarf kingdoms of the Grey Mountains, that include "the Longbeard descendants of Durin the Deathless". New content includes tons of new quests and deeds, three resource instances, and a new Instance cluster. A raid will be coming along in the near future as well.

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Viper482

These guys are still killing it. Most underrated MMORPG out there.

Deathleecher

If they just could update the graphics

JeffSpicoli

Deathleecher said:

If they just could update the graphics

You are so right, This is a fantastic MMO that is being held back by its outdated graphics. I know , I know , Gameplay > Graphics but in 2018 I want the whole package, sorry.

FYI Shire still holds up well, unfortunately its all down hill after that.

Setzer

Deathleecher said:

If they just could update the graphics

The graphics are fine. For a game that was released over 10 years ago the visuals still hold up....better than other MMO's from that time period.

Sovrath

Deathleecher said:

If they just could update the graphics

 It's mostly models/textures/animations that need to be updated. They have started and have indicated that some areas would be refreshed.

Viper482

Deathleecher said:

If they just could update the graphics

Dude, but the art is still beautiful even if dated. The newer outdoor zones especially are still very nice.

Deathleecher

Iknow the gameplay is really good, also why i play it but would be even cooler if the graphic was up to date, or just a bit better


Better graphics would also bring in more people, and more people = $$$$

Itstimetodeal

Deathleecher said:

If they just could update the graphics

I've been playing lotro since beta.  It was my main mmo for years.  The last few years I still come back for updates and xpacs.  The graphics arent what keep people away it's the performance in these new areas.   I still find myself stopping and looking at the scenery something that rarely happens in other mmos. 

Sovrath

Deathleecher said:

Iknow the gameplay is really good, also why i play it but would be even cooler if the graphic was up to date, or just a bit better


Better graphics would also bring in more people, and more people = $$$$

hmmm "maybe."

It costs quite a lot of money for those graphics.

I am assuming that when most people say "update graphics" they are thinking of making it Black Desert level or something comparable. I just don't see them doing that. Better Graphics will only bring in "so many" people to a game this old.

flizzer

Very excited!   Love this game.  I just came back yesterday after a break 

meonthissite

Deathleecher said:

If they just could update the graphics

If they could just take the license from these people and give it to another team entirely so they can make a better mmo with modern everything!

Scorchien

meonthissite said:

Deathleecher said:

If they just could update the graphics

If they could just take the license from these people and give it to another team entirely so they can make a better mmo with modern everything!

http://leyoutech.com.hk/athlon-games-inc

Robsolf

Setzer said:

Deathleecher said:

If they just could update the graphics

The graphics are fine. For a game that was released over 10 years ago the visuals still hold up....better than other MMO's from that time period.

The weakest bit are the character models... look kinda porcelain.  But while the landscapes may not be photorealistic, they are beautiful and atmospheric.  Northern Mirkwood is pretty great with its "watchful eyes"... and I still love to go and farm out by the party tree at night as they're shooting off fireworks...

They've definitely kept the story going beyond LotR, and I'm very happy with it.  And I also gotta say that I criticized the Mordor Xpac as one of the least bang for the buck they've ever done.  But that was before they put out Mirkwood, Dale, and Erebor and included it with that Xpac.  A lot of game, there.

Scorchien

   IMO Eryn Lasgalen and Dale Lands , was pretty inspireing and there best work to date ... In regards to overland .. Just beautiful and immersive , enjoyed every step of it

Deathleecher

Sovrath said:

Deathleecher said:

Iknow the gameplay is really good, also why i play it but would be even cooler if the graphic was up to date, or just a bit better





Better graphics would also bring in more people, and more people = $$$$

hmmm "maybe."

It costs quite a lot of money for those graphics.

I am assuming that when most people say "update graphics" they are thinking of making it Black Desert level or something comparable. I just don't see them doing that. Better Graphics will only bring in "so many" people to a game this old.

not ofc not BDO level. But like wow did, where they updated the models, and did alot better art after wod

Sovrath

Deathleecher said:

Sovrath said:

Deathleecher said:

Iknow the gameplay is really good, also why i play it but would be even cooler if the graphic was up to date, or just a bit better





Better graphics would also bring in more people, and more people = $$$$

hmmm "maybe."

It costs quite a lot of money for those graphics.

I am assuming that when most people say "update graphics" they are thinking of making it Black Desert level or something comparable. I just don't see them doing that. Better Graphics will only bring in "so many" people to a game this old.

not ofc not BDO level. But like wow did, where they updated the models, and did alot better art after wod

Well, they are updating the models. Your mileage may vary as to whether they are "good."

I think they are but I also think they need to revisit most of the hair styles as most of them are just "god aweful" and I can't imagine anyone truly loving them.

Po_gg

Setzer said:

The graphics are fine. For a game that was released over 10 years ago the visuals still hold up....better than other MMO's from that time period.

11.5 years, and counting   and they do update the graphics from time to time, the models and animations too. Maybe not as much as the graphics-addicted players need, but I think that's fine, it's better if they have their focus and resources on the issues of the present playerbase, and not on attempts to lure in those who just wants better graphics.

As Itstimetodeal said above, there are more pressing issues than looks, first and foremost the server performance, the stutters and lag spikes.

Itstimetodeal said:

The graphics arent what keep people away it's the performance in these new areas.   I still find myself stopping and looking at the scenery something that rarely happens in other mmos. 

Sadly no mention about that in regards of U23. We can only hope that in the background they are still working on the client fixes as they've said they do earlier.


Anyways, not a single post in the thread about the actual update?  
Personally I still don't think the class revamps are necessary, neither the changes in calculations for the goal of lowering the time-to-kill ratio... game is too easy already.
The lootbox changes, pretty decent for fixing the damages they have made themselves with the black keys, but I'm a bit worried that their fix "extends" to the sturdy keys as well... time will tell that on the long run it is a fix indeed, or just causes even more problems.
This is a welcomed change however, I know quite a lot of players hated the f.ckamai:
"Akamai Netsession Download Manager technology has been removed. The http download functionality has been upgraded to be multi-threaded and more robust."

Lithuanian

I am disappointed with this update.
Monsters are made hard to kill.
Keys are removed, Sturdy and Black ones. Zero chance to get in-game. And I don't take trolling "arguments" like "hey, grind those LPs and spend them on keys". Same as phrase - "people don't have bread? let them eat cakes".
No vendors for embers within "2-3 weeks". Or maybe 2-3 years.
All trashbox content bound, even pets are bound and ashable.
Even vendor equipment tied to content.
Seregost now won't drop anything usable, i.e. Anfalas scrolls or crystals.
New senseless crafting grind. Just in the name of crafting grind.

So, let us project it on Mordor. How Mordor could have looked.
Mobs in Talath Urui are 50% harder to kill. Your dps...welll...is there still such thing?
Lootboxes drop every second step. Feel free to get key for 500 Lps each. Got keys? How nice, each box drops 30 ash...and you do need 2500 ash for one essence. Sidenote: we, wise developers, really wish you to spend those 10 or 20 thousand dollars for keys. Since, you know, every trashbox drops 30 ash. You need...emmm...as little as 84 chests for one barterable essence, that's only ~17,000 Lotro points. How many essences do you need?
Even if you get ash - no vendors, no reliable quest rewards. You run half-naked, monsters are more powerfull, so you are just moving target for any Orc. And your group of 20 players is perfect target to be two-shotted by those 3 Orc archers.
Vendors would appear. Someday. 2-3 weeks. Or motnhs. Or years.
You got ash when vendors appear? Oh good for you...just make sure you finished all instances on tier 2 challenge.

Now imagine *such* Mordor. Not one we have.
Wellcome to nightmare.

kitarad

I thought the art was beautiful in this game. I really loved how some of the zones looked and I just disliked how the elves ran though. I always thought it was a beautiful game.

I don't think I played it when it went F2P. I left when my friends did and it was still on sub then.It was no longer fun for me to play the game without them.

Itstimetodeal

Lithuanian said:

I am disappointed with this update.
Monsters are made hard to kill.
Keys are removed, Sturdy and Black ones. Zero chance to get in-game. And I don't take trolling "arguments" like "hey, grind those LPs and spend them on keys". Same as phrase - "people don't have bread? let them eat cakes".
No vendors for embers within "2-3 weeks". Or maybe 2-3 years.
All trashbox content bound, even pets are bound and ashable.
Even vendor equipment tied to content.
Seregost now won't drop anything usable, i.e. Anfalas scrolls or crystals.
New senseless crafting grind. Just in the name of crafting grind.

So, let us project it on Mordor. How Mordor could have looked.
Mobs in Talath Urui are 50% harder to kill. Your dps...welll...is there still such thing?
Lootboxes drop every second step. Feel free to get key for 500 Lps each. Got keys? How nice, each box drops 30 ash...and you do need 2500 ash for one essence. Sidenote: we, wise developers, really wish you to spend those 10 or 20 thousand dollars for keys. Since, you know, every trashbox drops 30 ash. You need...emmm...as little as 84 chests for one barterable essence, that's only ~17,000 Lotro points. How many essences do you need?
Even if you get ash - no vendors, no reliable quest rewards. You run half-naked, monsters are more powerfull, so you are just moving target for any Orc. And your group of 20 players is perfect target to be two-shotted by those 3 Orc archers.
Vendors would appear. Someday. 2-3 weeks. Or motnhs. Or years.
You got ash when vendors appear? Oh good for you...just make sure you finished all instances on tier 2 challenge.

Now imagine *such* Mordor. Not one we have.
Wellcome to nightmare.

Hey there is always at least one like you for every game.  My advice just move on there are plenty of games you may enjoy.  Now granted Lotro is nothing like you described but obviously truth and facts were something you were not going after here. 

Po_gg

In his defense, the "nightmare" he described is what they were heading with the black keys and ash... that's why so many hated it, and about what they too acknowledged it was a mistake.

@Lithuanian did you check the patch notes and/or BR? At first glance it looks much better - but of course only after a few weeks of actual testing (how much mandatory it is, the droprates, prices at the new vendors, etc.) will we get a clear picture. At least they've listened, that is something...
Including the old sturdy keys and boxes to the change is a bit more worrisome, but again, let's wait a couple weeks before the judgement.
If we can ignore the boxes just as much as we could before Mordor, I'm fine with the new system. We'll see.

gervaise1

parrotpholk said:

Love everything about the game except the most important and that is the classes and character models. If all I was going to do was rp in Bree all day then bring it on. Never found a class I really enjoyed though. Minstrel for me was the closest to keeping me interested. But kudos to daybreak SSG for cranking out content.

Fixed it for you.

Daybreak do not own LotR. Daybrreak do not own SSG. Daybreak do not develop LotR.

Daybreak were engaged to provide limited publishing services when SSG was set up / cast adrift by WarnerBros. WarnerBros themselves continued to provide customer service support and presumably servers. Saying kudos to Daybreak for LotR is like saying kudos to AMC for making Harry Potter films. Just because AMC show films doesn't mean they own the companies that make the films. They just distribute. Which is all that Daybreak were hired for. 

APThug

I'm happy this game is still getting content and updates.

Scorchien

Id like to see the Moors balanced Moor   The Creeps are at a serious diadvantage having been basically ignored for 10 years , while Freeps get better skills better attributes better gear , the gap has grown to much ..

  Moving the slotted corruptions on Creeps from 12 to 16 would be a great start and easy to do , giving them Moor survivability and Killing power..

  Lol instead they Nerf the Blackarrows Steady Barrage , while a Hunters Heartsekker can crit for over 100k one shotting most Creeps

Scorchien

chambordin said:

Scorchien said:

Id like to see the Moors balanced Moor   The Creeps are at a serious diadvantage having been basically ignored for 10 years , while Freeps get better skills better attributes better gear , the gap has grown to much ..

  Moving the slotted corruptions on Creeps from 12 to 16 would be a great start and easy to do , giving them Moor survivability and Killing power..

  Lol instead they Nerf the Blackarrows Steady Barrage , while a Hunters Heartsekker can crit for over 100k one shotting most Creeps

even rank 0 creeps have more than 100k morale, 

well i hear ya but ive seen Hunters crit Seeker for up to 150k one shotting lots of Creeps or nearly others , its terrible imbalance, Ive also seen Wardens that just run by a groups of Creeps dropping a 50K  DoT morale AOE .. its bad ..Or Guardians , the fun sponges of the Moors , a properly specced and Geared Guardian are ridiculous and the TTK is just stupid