Update 17 Patch #2 Beta Release Notes & Known Issues - PRELIMINARY AND NON-FINAL - BULLROARER ONLY

[Tybur]

Please join us this evening through Thursday morning to preview an Update 17 patch build in our new datacenter.

The following release notes are for the Bullroarer public test server only and may not reflect the final list of changes or updates included at release.

These notes are not final and should be viewed as a work in progress and subject to change.

The Eyes and Guard Tavern is now open!

Important Note: Please be aware that the build you are seeing here is a work in progress and is by no means the finished Update 17 patch product. There are items that are not yet complete. There may also be items missing from this initial list, this is not intentional and will be added as we progress.

Release Notes:

• We have made additional updates to Minas Tirith and the Pelennor Fields to improve performance.
• The button that allows you to hide weapons when not in combat now functions for shields as well.
• Enemies chance to resist damage-over-time pulses is now affected by the attacker's finesse.
• Cisterns door on the Fourth Tier can now be used.
• Dol Amroth floor tiles now have a pristine appearance again.
• Warriors in Scouting the North-gate will stand in plain sight.
• Fixed an issue where if you are incapacitated during the Banquet and the Breach, enemies behave oddly on your return.
• Enabled teleport to npc for many more of the objectives in both the Children of Minas Tirith and Forlong's Feast quest arcs.
• Duneth in The First Blade will speak to you when you complete the instance.
• Thieves in the Opportunists quest will return to their proper places.
• The Jal Vârsha NPCs will now always advance your quest when you speak to them.
• Ravaging Wargs will now count for 'Book 4, Chapter 5: Beyond the Rammas'
• Arador now writes the resolutions in 'The Council of Gondor' twice as fast as he used to. Less time waiting!
• Quest text that refers to the Model of Minas Tirith no longer describes it as being on a table.
• Floating posters are now properly attached to walls.
• Fixed some bad text characters in passing lines from the children in front of the Old Guesthouse in Minas Tirith.

[Snowlock]

How bout:

*half-trolls now count toward the Troll Slayer deed in Old Anorien.

[Wibz]

We have made additional updates to Minas Tirith and the Pelennor Fields to improve performance.

This is definitely a lot better, but still a long way from perfect on the highest settings and more importantly it took me longer to crash than on live, but unfortunately, I did still crash

[Thurallor]

The chat server seems to be down. We can't use the world channel. Is this intentional?

[Deadly_Myths]

freeps are way too op atm and not a word about pvp lol.... i demand as a freep that i 1 shot 4 creeps next patch pls 3

[Gardhik]

Nothing about Ruined city exploit and minas thirit BB balancing ? A shame.

[Wibz]

After a little running around MT, I've found there are invisible walls/blocks in the tunnels leading from the 6th to 7th tiers and that at least part of the performance improvements is just reducing the object draw range. On live if you stand at the very top, you can see some siege equipment and some of the outer wall. On this beta, there is no wall visible and no siege equipment.

[dreamblood]

and still no mini instrument???

[zolander]

No PvMP Changes? Comeon you can better Devs

[Gardhik]

No PvMP Changes? Comeon you can better Devs

It's a patch to update 17, not an update by itself. I don't expect anything in regards to PvmP before update 18 :/

[zolander]

It's a patch to update 17, not an update by itself. I don't expect anything in regards to PvmP before update 18 :/

Still ... The new Freep gear is just too much but meh, giving creeps 10%-20% dmg buff doesn't need an whole Update for itself

[YamydeAragon]

How about:

*half-trolls now count toward the Troll Slayer deed in Old Anorien.

Yes, they seriously should count.

and still no mini instrument???

Well there is a reason why they didn't got added on U17 release. If the stats of the variants of each instrument were consolidated in one, then devs may not have such a harch time creating way too much instruments, as i sugested here: https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthr...47#post7480647 .

[Marcho_Brandybuck]

It's nice that you have fixed the bug with DA floors. And what about the floors in Dol Guldur? When I was there last week (DG skirmish, Necromancer gate, I think), the floors had a same tarnished appearance as these in Dol Amroth instead of the usual black marble floor.

[Altair6]

After a little running around MT, I've found there are invisible walls/blocks in the tunnels leading from the 6th to 7th tiers and that at least part of the performance improvements is just reducing the object draw range. On live if you stand at the very top, you can see some siege equipment and some of the outer wall. On this beta, there is no wall visible and no siege equipment.

Yes, there are two barriers that I've found on the ramps up to the Citadel from the sixth tier. One goes part way across the ramp and the other all the way across - had to jump over it. Would bug it but the Help window isn't loading for me on Bullroarer at the mo'.

Also noticed the loss of view. Seems that once you get to the third tier all the fires, etc in the Pelennor go out.

[Felisleo]

> Enabled teleport to npc for many more of the objectives in both the Children of Minas Tirith and Forlong's Feast quest arcs.

Are these teleports 'Mithril Coin', pay to use or free ports such as the horses to each city level?

[Lordredstone]

> Enabled teleport to npc for many more of the objectives in both the Children of Minas Tirith and Forlong's Feast quest arcs.

Are these teleports 'Mithril Coin', pay to use or free ports such as the horses to each city level?

From my point of view, it's the normal "teleport to quest-npc" for 1 Mithril Coin. Acessable in your quest list.

[Solstyce]

A whole lot better then when I completed my first toon in MT. However, what is with all the invisible walls through-out Gondor? I went to Blackroot Vale and it seems you have to go ALL the way around rather than just skip over a wall to get to the quest guy. Could this be fixed please? I know you guys don't want people glitching certain areas, but it's kind of a waste of time if you have to go all the way around when the quest guy is right below you.

[Medic8402]

From my point of view, it's the normal "teleport to quest-npc" for 1 Mithril Coin. Acessable in your quest list.

I actually tried this and it crashed my game. The teleport does cast 5 mithril coins to travel.

As for other aspects, I am actually able to run the game using DX11 with ultra high graphics. I rode my war steed along the wall from Causeway Forts all the way down to South Gate and back without crashing, although did have some rubber banding. Other than that, performance so far seems to be pretty good except or that one crash as mentioned above.

[Garatha]

at the top of Minas Tirith, there are a lot of fires at the very edge of my view, until I get closer. I know I'm seeing some phasing there (presumably a Minas Tirith is burning version), but I wonder if some of the lag could relate with bleed through.


Also, not on Bullroarer, but in game, I'm seeing other folks (player characters) suddenly appear, or disappear (not burglars), out on Pelenar fields. It's like layering gone a little wonky.

[DanteIL]

at the top of Minas Tirith, there are a lot of fires at the very edge of my view, until I get closer. I know I'm seeing some phasing there (presumably a Minas Tirith is burning version), but I wonder if some of the lag could relate with bleed through.

Yea, this has been a pretty constant aspect of my experience in Minas Tirith on Live -- at nearly all levels I can see occasional areas with burning flames until I get closer, then the fire disappears. I haven't gotten far enough along in the storyline yet to travel to Minas Tirith under siege, but I assumed that this was a phasing problem.

[Stephen1981]

its better but the new region still needs more improvements though specially Minas Tirith the two new big battles need performance improvements also

[Marancil]

I galloped all my way from Helm's Deep to Minas Tirith crossing Pelargir, Lossarnach, Ithilien, Osgiliath and I must say the lag and overall jumpiness increased towards the new regions. I am new to BR and all this beta thing, but riding or running around in MT is a bit of a pain. Very significant lag. We were 4-6 players in the area and going indoors (The Dome of the Sun(?)) was a horrible experience in playability.

No crashes, no issues I could recognize related to connection or local hardware, just slow and stuttery in all Anorien.

DX11. UH Gfx.

BTW I never made it up to the top, the tunnel in front of the Barber was blocked halfway up, how do you get to the top?

[cdq1958]

I galloped all my way from Helm's Deep to Minas Tirith crossing Pelargir, Lossarnach, Ithilien, Osgiliath and I must say the lag and overall jumpiness increased towards the new regions. I am new to BR and all this beta thing, but riding or running around in MT is a bit of a pain. Very significant lag. We were 4-6 players in the area and going indoors (The Dome of the Sun(?)) was a horrible experience in playability.

No crashes, no issues I could recognize related to connection or local hardware, just slow and stuttery in all Anorien.

DX11. UH Gfx.

BTW I never made it up to the top, the tunnel in front of the Barber was blocked halfway up, how do you get to the top?

I got to the top just fine. I had to do the first part of the Epic that gives you the passwords. Near the top there were two invisible walls that impeded progress. I had no issues getting around them.

[Marancil]

Ah, quests. I was just around sightseeing. Not that far in the Epic Quest line. I think my next quest is Mablung wanting me to go to Osgiliath, but I will do that on Arkenstone.

Thank you.

[Acushla]

Posting my reactions here, since the "Help" screen will not load for me on Bullroarer. (Lifetimer)

My character's movement through Minas Tirith is much smoother, but TBH the city is not crowded with players.

I also had the block along the passage to the top tier at 65.6S, 18.9W.

I also see fires on the ground in the passageways as I approach the small standing lanterns, which contract into the flame in the lantern as I get near.