In continuing coverage on Update 5, Justin “Syp” Olivetti has written an article covering an interview he did with Adam Mersky, Aaron Campbell, Jeff Libby, and Joe Barry. In the article he not only covers the Instance Finder (including a screenshot of the UI!), the upcoming Epic Book, but also the fight with Saruman himself!
Of particular interest to me were the quirks that Justin talked about that come along with the Instance Finder; specifically that you can’t seem to choose a specific instance when you queue up in the Instance Finder. Instead you pick a category and once everyone is matched you get ported to a dungeon.
There’s a few quirks to this system that are interesting to note. The first is that as of right now, you can’t choose a specific instance to join if you’re queuing up. The devs say this is something that they will work on in the future, but for now your choices are limited to a category rather than a specific instance. The second is that non-scalable instances are excluded from the Finder (which also will be hopefully changed at some point). Finally, if you queue up for multiple types, sizes, and/or tiers, the system will try to match you with the largest group size first, then continually move you down to your smallest until something fits.
From the screenshot the categories (at that time) seem to be “Skirmish”, “Isengard” and “Instance”. Of course the team points out that this is just the first version of the Instance Finder and that it will be improved over time.
Justin also explores the Epic Book that is coming with Update five and how we will be saying “goodbye” to the Rangers and “hello” to Rohan.
The first part of the book is actually a prolonged series of goodbyes between you and the various Rangers you’ve quested with over the years, and as a thank you, these familiar faces will grant you one of two new dyeable cosmetic outfits so that you can finally dress the part of a Ranger! You have your choice between the “classic” Ranger garb from the Shadows of Angmar era and the new Grey Company design (Pro tip: Run through the quest chain on two characters to get both sets).
And to top it off, as I said before he also takes a good look at Isengard’s upcoming instances including the 12-man raid, The Tower of Orthanc. And while I would love to repeat word for word what he included, instead I will just highly encourage you to go and see for yourself! Trust me, you’ll be glad that you did.
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November 15, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Ransroth says that the dungeon finder is only half done over in the forums. Selecting specific dungeons/instances will come in the next update. Lots of interesting Dev interaction in the forums today
http://tinyurl.com/7fmq6mu
November 15, 2011 at 9:17 pm
I hope that’s correct because, as it stands, I’m not a fan of the upcoming instance finder. While this would be great for all of the {Name} – ‘Bored 75 {class} LFF any skrim, dragon or schlib’ The fact is, it doesn’t solve the issue of, {Name} – ’3/6 GS Daily, need heals and tank’ which to me is the bigger issue than the first one. Especially since each class has a legendary trait gated behind a non-scaled instance.
If I want to run Warg Pens, or Forgotten Treasury, I should be able to select that and go. While this is an ‘alright’ stand by, I almost think that this is a quick, ‘people are complaining that this isn’t an expansion because we didn’t add a new game system like legendary items or skirmishes so lets put this out now to stop the complaints.’ rather than a serious attempt to fix the looking for group issues.
While they may have said, “Selecting specific dungeons/instances will come in the next update.” They also said that the LI update was going to have a second component, but now it’s “WAI” and “Not really in need of any more changes.” which I suspect a lot of people would disagree with.
November 15, 2011 at 10:00 pm
Actually, I rescind my complaint about the class quest issue. Apparently, an undocumented change in Bullroarer is that the Legendary skill is gained after the completion of the first three quests in the chain and that the instance portion is now optional.
November 15, 2011 at 10:04 pm
I have a character that’s been waiting on Fil Gashan for three years, so to me that’s a bigger and sexier piece of news than anything else in Update 5! Thanks for letting us know. *^_^*
November 15, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Three years? I’ve run that instance three times to completion and once (In a three man with a level higher than 65 champ…) up through the cook for a kinnie to get his class quest done.
November 15, 2011 at 10:44 pm
Add to my response so it doesn’t sound as bad as I think it does.
Are you on a low population server? Do you use GLFF at all? (I know Merric is not a fan, but sometimes the non-game related banter amuses me. And it has gotten me groups several times.) Are you in a kin? It just seems odd to me that you were unable to get into a Fil Gashan run at all in three years.
November 16, 2011 at 1:49 am
I’m in a Kinship on one server, but it was only real-life friends, none of whom are currently active. I’d love to be part of a Kinship, but it’s difficult to find one that would be a good fit for me. Basically, most Kins have a Kin Chat Channel that looks much like GLFF. GLFF is torture to a person like me, as is /OOC in Bree-lands. It sours the relaxing enjoyment that the game normally is for me, and when that happens I go find something better to do. I mostly play solo and help the odd stranger when asked. I join in RP if I see it. Sometimes it creates a lasting friend.
I’m a former English and Drama teacher. I’m allergic to cyberspeak, channel flirting, gameplay tirades, abusive attention-seekers, and every other thing that gives me flashbacks to sixty-hour weeks with rooms full of bored teenagers. I’ll spend hours on someone that asks me for help and actually puts effort into the request instead of just a random tell of “u cd”. I’m not anti-social, I’m just rare, and wish I could find more people playing the game like me.
So, it’s entirely my own fault that I have yet to run Fil Gashan!
I’m willing to bet that at least half the players out there are soloers or in Kinships too small to help them in this sort of situation, and that the majority of them have nothing to do with GLFF for whatever reason.
Thank you for showing interest though! *^_^*
November 16, 2011 at 11:39 pm
I feel your pain about the Kinship. I have the same situation. My kinship is small and I am currently the only active player in the kin. Also all real life friends (well, aside from the newest member, but he’s real life friends with one of my other kinnies, so…)
November 15, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Why do they have 1 man instances as an option for the Instance Finder? I lack guidance in life?
Tippidoc of Vilya
November 15, 2011 at 9:37 pm
Ransroth’s answer to that was:
I’m a player that wants to run an encounter of some size – with others or by myself, but am not willing to wait forever if noone else on my server is interested / in my level band. Open it up, select 1, 2, 3, 6. After 90 seconds, I *will* be placed into a solo encounter, but meanwhile, it will look and see if it can put me into a bigger size first.
November 15, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Plus you will still get the extra rewards for having it give you a random Skirmish rather than running the fastest Skirmishes possible every time.
November 15, 2011 at 9:40 pm
oooh.. battle at the fords? I’m almost crazy excited about that. It was more strategically important than the fight at the Hornburg.
November 15, 2011 at 10:35 pm
The Instance Finder as it stands is somewhat disappointing, but it’s a great first step and I look forward to them expanding it. Considering most of the un-scalable stuff any of us will be wanting a group for is in Isengard (which is its own category), I think I’ll be happy with it.
I really hope everything in place for 75 now has been designed with scaling in mind. There’s still 50 and 65 content they’ve yet to scale… it’ll suck if we have to wait for all of that again once 80 or 85 inevitably rolls around.
November 15, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Some of the comments on Massively are funny, by the way. I get not liking F2P, but clearly an instance finder is not going to be in the store. Come on lol
I also am not sure that I agree that this game will be ruined by a dungeon finder. Some people had good points about potential cross server issues, but that doesn’t seem to even be a possibility with this one. I’m not sure how easily being given access to content you should have access to is a problem.
November 15, 2011 at 11:08 pm
Internet comments sections everywhere but a select few places (like here!) are generally wretched hives of scum and villainy. Some people seem dead-set on outdoing one another in horribleness.
November 16, 2011 at 1:55 am
You made me smile with the Star Wars reference! “Scum and villainy” indeed.
+1 Internets to you, sir!
November 16, 2011 at 12:53 am
The ending for the raid has me a bit worried.
Spoiler:
Eagles are noble creatures and they had owed Gandalf, what great deed have we done that they would come to our rescue?
November 16, 2011 at 1:55 am
I am more concerned if the loot chest is on the eagle’s back or not.
November 16, 2011 at 8:51 am
HAHA! quick loot it before this thing drops me!
November 16, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Well, to be fair, over the course of all these epic books we have done some major things… but I think it’s just a compromise for all of those clamoring for eagle mounts in this game.
November 16, 2011 at 2:47 am
I guess there will be a lot of adjustment shock when people rarely have the chance to outgear content as it’s now usually done.
November 16, 2011 at 4:58 pm
If you bought ROI from the lotro store with turbine points will you get the instances and raid with update 5 for free. does anyone know the answer to this question.
November 16, 2011 at 5:11 pm
You will not.
November 16, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Sapience explained it this way:
If you purchased the Rise of Isengard expansion, the instances shipping with Update 5 will be free to you.
If you did not purchase the Rise of Isengard expansion the instances shipping with Update 5 will not be free.
If you purchased the Rise of Isengard Quest Pack, the instances shipping with Update 5 will not be free.
http://tinyurl.com/7y6y6pz
November 16, 2011 at 6:46 pm
I noticed that the web purchase is available again in the three price packs like they were in the preorder. If you buy the web purchase do you think that you will get the instances.
November 16, 2011 at 9:27 pm
The instances are part of the expansion. If you can still buy the entire expansion from them it will include the instances when U5 roles out. The rule of thumb seems to be that if you buy it with ‘real money’ it will and if you buy it with TP you will not.
I guess I should qualify this with a statement that says I don’t work for Turbine and can guarantee nothing
Best of luck to you!