Thread: Map Navigation in LOTRO is the worst

I wish to discuss how bad the map is in this game and still don't get how after 5 years old the devs still think this is a good map.

I have played a different MMO (perfect world) where the map in that game was a godsend compared to this game's map.

You could zoom in to your location and see where the route is that you should take. and I feel this is one of the most important features that an MMO-map should have . And not a map where it is fixed at 25'000 feet in the air.

Now the radar imo is also one of the worst in any MMO I've played so far.

Don't you think it would be a good Idea to show Monsters , NPC's and other nearby players on it as dot's
and be abel to zoom out or in and let it spin so it's not in a fixed postion.

Just a few ideas that maybe could be put on the todo list of fix's.

The maps this game uses are, I think, the way they are because they are in the style of the maps Tolkien drew himself. I see it as part of the lore. Also, its fun to figure out your own path and not having big signs saying "GO THIS WAY," trough playing maps over and over you get to know paths and shortcuts.

Showing players on the radar is, in my opionion, only handy for people who are in your fellowship/raid and these already show on your radar, alltough perhaps kinsmen could be added to this. The enemies on the radar would take away the necessity of hunters' tracking skills, which I think are one of the cooler features of the class.

So to go short, I do not like this idea, nor do I see why it would be needed.

I think players get much more help even now than they need to, giving them quest trackers and whatnot.

Also, devs already started to redesign the world map, they'll just need a tad bit more time to finish with all zones.

Giving players infos such as monster/npc/player locations on map is while could come in handy in some situations, overall they'll just ruin the whole experience by another way to draw attention away from the actual scenery so you could look the UI more.

Also, hunters have an ability to track monsters, and with your suggested modifications, they would not only lose the skill and trait (track hidden) concerning minimap and map, but they would lose another essence of their class.

While I'm eagerly looking forward to the redrawings of the zone maps (some of them are indeed confusing and some POIs are badly placed), I do not support the idea of bringing these "modern" and increasingly common features into the game.

Originally Posted by Tharothar

The maps this game uses are, I think, the way they are because they are in the style of the maps Tolkien drew himself. I see it as part of the lore. Also, its fun to figure out your own path and not having big signs saying "GO THIS WAY," trough playing maps over and over you get to know paths and shortcuts.

Showing players on the radar is, in my opionion, only handy for people who are in your fellowship/raid and these already show on your radar, alltough perhaps kinsmen could be added to this. The enemies on the radar would take away the necessity of hunters' tracking skills, which I think are one of the cooler features of the class.

So to go short, I do not like this idea, nor do I see why it would be needed.

So hunters have skills do they then , So what about the rest of us then ?.

And you may think the whole "it's fun to figure out your own path" and that maybe so in some case's . But all I'm asking is to be abel to plan my own route more carefully and not spend an hour back tracking because there is an impassable mountain range in my way .
That IMO is not fun and is a complete waste of my time
But how do you think a zoom in feature on a map is having a "GO THIS WAY," arrow ??

Now can you explain the race Earth-Kin and why they are in LOTRO when they have never had a mention in any Tolkien book as far as I'm aware as they are not in the "lore". (books I have looked at for Earth-Kin are The Lord of the Rings ,The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth.)


So in short all I wish to be added is an extra layer (ZOOM closer) added to the map's so I can plan my own route myself not a LOTRO TOMTOM Satnav.

Remember this a Game not real life.

In my opinion the map with its inaccuracy (I stopped counting how many times I took the wrong turn in Misty Mountains when I tried to rely solely on the map) and all fits the overall game design pretty well if you know what I mean. The map as it is, no enemies on radar, no numbers when it comes to threat - it all improves the immersion in a sense that LOTRO is less of a game of numbers and more of a game of exploration and observation. I like it.

Originally Posted by BungoGamgee

So hunters have skills do they then , So what about the rest of us then ?.

These Hunter skills are helpful but nothing over powering. Tracking only works for mobs close to you. The skill on a long timer. All you get is a list of name from categories like angry local humanoids. You get a DOT on the radar for the single mob you are tracking. Your fellowship members do too. It most useful for finding a named mob in the area that is on patrol. Especially if you are in a weather effect for a Shard Holder in Forochel, Misty Mountains - but you have to know which category so you use the correct tracking skill. There may some mobs that can't be tracked.

It is part of the Hunter class functionality. Hunters are ranged DPS, trackers and movement specialists. Plus have some traps and crowd control. All part of Lotro's concept of providing unique functionality for each class.

Some of these functions existed in earlier games. They were removed in Lotro. For example, DOTs on the radar for everything. I suspect DOT removal is a game play change. LOTRO in its original implementaion was not playable game. There was too much work for the server and client to do. Plus too many messages going back and forth. A lot of changes had to be made to reduce the work load.

You're actually expected to read the quest instructions, and not rely on the map. It has a nicely vague, "Here be dragons" quality. Sometimes literally.

Originally Posted by BungoGamgee

Remember this a Game not real life.

Clearly. Real life has Ordnance Survey maps. Wonderful things to study, but they lack a certain degree of magic. We are having an adventure, not planning a military campaign.

Originally Posted by mjk47

Clearly. Real life has Ordnance Survey maps. Wonderful things to study, but they lack a certain degree of magic. We are having an adventure, not planning a military campaign.

I'm not asking for an OS type of map just asking if I can zoom in closer so I can see thing's better!!

I have also felt the need to be able to zoom out on the minimap, but the worldmap is perfect as it is. Only place where it is plain misleading is in the Old Forest, and even in there it is a big part of the athmosphere. You are supposed to get lost in there in the first place.
The latest addition of map markers defaulting to found already made navigating a lot more confusing when doing explorer deeds. Now you actually have to check from all your ongoing and finished deeds if you have actually visited that spot. Before you could look at the map, and if there was something that looked interesting, there was most probably also a marker to be found.

As for markers and dots, no way. Not ever. This is LotRO, not some eastern grindfest. Be aware that this comment wasn't aimed towards you, but the games that have everything pre-chewed.

Originally Posted by Tharothar

The maps this game uses are, I think, the way they are because they are in the style of the maps Tolkien drew himself. I see it as part of the lore. Also, its fun to figure out your own path and not having big signs saying "GO THIS WAY," trough playing maps over and over you get to know paths and shortcuts.

I have to disagree with this. Other games perform the same mechanic of learning you way around via fog-of-war, which LOTRO doesn't really have (even the older now-disabled fog-of-war didn't perform in that manner).

5 years ago, when Moria was top-end, I knew my way around almost the whole zone (with the exception of the Foundations of Stone). Now when I re-visit Moria, I'm trying to rely on 5 year old memories which have long since been sent to offline storage. Why should I have to deal with the poke-n-hope style of exploration, for something which I theoretically previously mapped out in fullness?

Since maps do play a significant role in the M-e lore, why is it unreasonable to imagine that I've already mapped out my own personal maps, fully detailed, which I reference any time I decide to revisit certain areas?

MMO's used to have no maps, radars or much of anything. In fact in the old days I would draw my own maps on paper for each "zone" or area, and that was part of exploring and providing a much ore real and immersive experience. I will expand further so I am not guilty of an appeal to tradition fallacy.

So Smellycheese, rather than "I theoretically mapped out..." actually map it! If you don't and you forget, there is no theoretical. Just like real life.

LoTRo is one of the few games I like these days because it does have some of that immersion factor. Games where the map points you where to go for every quest, how to get everywhere, reduces the game to just point, click, kill. All a player ends up doing then is going through the motions, no thought or thrill of the unknown is involved. Unfortunately the majority of games are dumbed down in such a manner, presumably for today's audience.

Lastly, these days there are a lot of fan sites online that we did not used to have either. Alt-tab and look at one of the many detailed, searchable maps available online if having the extra guidance is your style.