Thread: Make LOTRO more visually accessible!

I know this isn't the first time you've had this request, but it's time you did something about being able to enlarge the quest text and tooltip text without lowering the resolution so far that the game is ugly as sin. I have friends who want to play the game and simply can't on their own without a person beside them to read the text to them, so they wont subscribe until it is fixed. Please fix this long standing problem.

Well I hope this helps you:

You can press Esc
goto Options
goto UI

There you can change the size of everything on your screen.
This setting has always been in the LOTRO™ Client.

Well there are other ways to see the text better. Let me start naming a few. Reading glasses they help people read fine print. You tend to get them any Large Chain Store. You should get them at low price. If you have major vision trouble. Go to eye doctor get your eyes check. It a must for reading books or money.


If it the Laptop or computer screen 14 inch or smaller. Mybe it a time to get a larger screen. Most Laptops have a way to plug into a hdtv.

I have to say Ph0enix also suggested UI setting was a good idea also.

Originally Posted by Celt_Ainvar

I have to say Ph0enix also suggested UI setting was a good idea also.

Thank You

Originally Posted by Celt_Ainvar

I have to say Ph0enix also suggested UI setting was a good idea also.

This is not going to help the OP. Those settings don't affect quest text, barter text or icons, bag icons, character sheet text, tooltip, or much of anything that a person can't see because it's too small, except the chat box. They don't really scale up for a big screen, either. This is why I quit playing on a wide screen TV--I had to sit so close to the screen to see the text and inventory icons that it wasn't worth it.

Originally Posted by Silverangel

This is why I quit playing on a wide screen TV--I had to sit so close to the screen to see the text and inventory icons that it wasn't worth it.

Well depends on the age HDTV. Older ones yes it would be harder to see text. But the newer screen are better. Pritty much like any computer monitor they tend get better resolutions over time with new technology. My point is find the cheapest fix to Ops friend. If a $20 part will make the viewing any better. It cheaper then buying a whole new monitor setup.

I can plug my Laptop 17 inch laptop on a 42 inch tv. The writing looks clear. But my hdtv only 3 years old.

Originally Posted by Silverangel

This is not going to help the OP. Those settings don't affect quest text, barter text or icons, bag icons, character sheet text, tooltip, or much of anything that a person can't see because it's too small, except the chat box. They don't really scale up for a big screen, either. This is why I quit playing on a wide screen TV--I had to sit so close to the screen to see the text and inventory icons that it wasn't worth it.

Not to be mean but it does change the size of the text and icons.
I suggest play with the settings and you will see.
Also it does matter with version of LOTRO™ you downloaded and installed. There are 2 different ones:
~Standard Install
~High Res Install

That could be the reason you guys are having problems with this graphical issue.
Also I know that Turbine® made it so when you download the setup it will ask you which one to install.
There use to be 2 different setups.

First off, thank you for all the prompt responses. I know that all of you have tried to be helpful in your own way.

Second, while going into the UI does change the size of many things; even if you have your mini map taking up a quarter of the screen and all the things you can resize similarly enlarged, it doesn't change the size of the icons within your inventory, the quest text or tooltip size when it pops up one bit. So, while that is useful information, it doesn't help with the original problem.

Others in the past have tried to bring this problem to the fore before, and been unsuccessful so I thought I'd try again, as one of the people trying to play this game is my son, and he'd like to play with me in game, but can't because of the sizing problems and his vision.

Just to be sure, I did try again all of the things suggested except buy a new system, which shouldn't be necessary, and from what I can see probably wouldn't work.

PS: I have the high-resolution version of the game. I don't think the low resolution version would be better because of the distortion, but let me know if you think I could be wrong.

Originally Posted by Chipster42

First off, thank you for all the prompt responses. I know that all of you have tried to be helpful in your own way.

Second, while going into the UI does change the size of many things; even if you have your mini map taking up a quarter of the screen and all the things you can resize similarly enlarged, it doesn't change the size of the icons within your inventory, the quest text or tooltip size when it pops up one bit. So, while that is useful information, it doesn't help with the original problem.

Others in the past have tried to bring this problem to the fore before, and been unsuccessful so I thought I'd try again, as one of the people trying to play this game is my son, and he'd like to play with me in game, but can't because of the sizing problems and his vision.

Just to be sure, I did try again all of the things suggested except buy a new system, which shouldn't be necessary, and from what I can see probably wouldn't work.

PS: I have the high-resolution version of the game. I don't think the low resolution version would be better because of the distortion, but let me know if you think I could be wrong.

And you also tried changing the game's resolution on the launcher options menu?

Unfortunately, the UI in the game is some of the oldest tech they have... it's been leveraged and leveraged forward, starting with a game they developed in 2001 (AC2). Some pieces even go back to AC, 4 years before that. I don't know with certainty that's why they don't allow scaling of text in the UI (besides chat), but I suspect that has something to do with it - resizable text on forms and panels often implies dynamic scaling and positioning of the elements on those forms and panels, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they can't do it.

As for the icons... floon explained that once. Their icon graphics are fixed size (like icons in many Windows apps and web UIs), and there are literally thousands of them between the skill and inventory icons. Supporting larger sizes that looked good would require that they create multiple sets of them (or at least a single new set at the largest supported resolution that could be scaled down nicely), and the work involved is pretty large simply due to the sheer number of them. They could of course try to support larger sizes by scaling up the current images, but they'd look bad (pixellated).

I presume that as they work on a next generation game client, they'll try to address some of this. The UI desperately needs to be rewritten to be more extensible and flexible.

Khafar

Thank you very much Khafar, that's the best explanation I've heard. I hope that they can do something about this at some point, but it sounds like, for now anyway, that this just isn't the game for those who can't see the relatively small text and icon size on some things. It's sad, but I appreciate the information and honesty.

I guess I'll play as long as I can until some other game of interest that is more visually impaired friendly comes along.

Hay Chipster42 What screen is your son useing?

Have you look at the other ideas like connecting to a larger screen like hdtv? See I just plug my laptop into a HDTV 42 inch useing a hdmi. It was Clear Crisp Nice to look at. A Hdmi plug if the computer supports it dose not cost much. I can read the Text 5 to 6 feet away. That both Chat, Quests Tracker and Quests Logs.

Just suggesting this because if you have a hdtv hdmi and a computer with a hdmi port. The plug it self is cheap.

Okokdir, what you suggest lowers the resolution, which you can do in game with the options menu as well. Of all things this seems to help the most, but it causes some distortion which strains eyes after a while. Thank you for your suggestion though.

Celt_Ainvar, this is an idea that we have had ourselves, but as the 42 inch screen we currently have came out just before everything went HD, we will have to wait until we can afford a new tv before we try it. He does play PS3 games on the one we have but the resolution leaves much to be desired.

Originally Posted by Chipster42

Celt_Ainvar, this is an idea that we have had ourselves, but as the 42 inch screen we currently have came out just before everything went HD, we will have to wait until we can afford a new tv before we try it. He does play PS3 games on the one we have but the resolution leaves much to be desired.

The HDTV are dropping in prices. If you are in the USA and near a Sears store. Keep a eye on Floor models sales. You tend can get the price down. I think Ours was $1,000 new at the time we payed $600 floor model. With the 3D tv Released. HDTV drop to around $300 for the same 42 inch..

The only other idea is talk to the eye doctor. He might point you to a computer Screen magnifiers. If he on insurance. They might pay for it. It might be easier for your son. I am not sure how good they are. But worth to look at.

I have a feeling this will be a issue with anyone with eye problems on almost any game.