Dungeon Visual Update Poll

[Scenario_SSG]

Hello all! The World Design Team is starting to think about what's to come for the next year. But before we get too deep into 2025, we wanted to have a quick chat/poll with you all!

Our first update of 2025 intended to be a quality of life update. We know we have a TON of dungeon spaces from across our game that could use a facelift to bring them to our modern standards of design. So many, in fact, that deciding which ones to update is a somewhat daunting task. So we wanted to reach out to you all and see what dungeon spaces you'd most like to see get a visual update!

Below is a poll that includes a number of our dungeon interiors from across the original three starter regions (Ered Luin, Shire and Bree-land). We decided to go with these regions as they are the oldest of our regions and felt many of those spaces could use some TLC. This poll does not include most non-combat social interiors, nor does it include spaces associated with "cap stone" instances (think things like the Great Barrow). We opted to not include those capstone spaces due to the mechanical complexity of those spaces (for now).

You will be able to vote for your top three choices for dungeons in need of a visual touch-up through the end of the month. Once the poll is closed, the World team will tackle the top three voted on choices to include with your Quality of Life Update in 2025.

 

[lordofthecats]

I am surprised that Skogrims Tomb, Silverdeep and Scary Quary is one of the highest ones, I voted on them without thinking. I guess those places gave me greatest impression, they are zones you run in to in the beginning.

I wanted to add two things: first those places are full with nostalgia, if you are to update those, please try to keep the old feeling remaining. Second, perhaps add one new quest where you revisit those zones.

 

[Neinda]

My vote would be none of the above. When you modernize the older areas, they tend to lose some of the charm that has made the game and locations special. Sort of like the new maps which feel more like a satellite picture than an actual map. Nothing wrong with adding a few flowers, shrubs, rocks, etc. Spaces don't have to be completely filled because you have newer tools that allow you to place more objects. Less clutter can be more visually appealing.

 

[Arabani]

Yes, I have much faith in the world building team, you do an amazing job overall, but could we not modernize anything?

 

[Drarin]

I think we may have different ideas of what "Quality of Life" means. Visual updates don't really make our, or your, lives much better, especially in old zones. This feels more like busywork to justify a budget. It also doesn't help that, in my opinion, the dungeon spaces you've listed here are already probably some of the more unique and interesting layouts that we have in the game. These days, dungeon spaces feel rather small or like they're from a template.

I'd much rather time be spent on things that actually make the player's lives much easier, like modernizing some of the old stable routes.

 

[Harvain]

I think we may have different ideas of what "Quality of Life" means. Visual updates don't really make our, or your, lives much better, especially in old zones. This feels more like busywork to justify a budget. It also doesn't help that, in my opinion, the dungeon spaces you've listed here are already probably some of the more unique and interesting layouts that we have in the game. These days, dungeon spaces feel rather small or like they're from a template.

I'd much rather time be spent on things that actually make the player's lives much easier, like modernizing some of the old stable routes.

Visual Updates are 100% needed for LOTRO as the "Graphics/Visuals" is one of the key things that holds back this MMORPG for why people aren't playing it.

It's fairly common, especially in recent years, whenever "Youtube Reviewers" talk about LOTRO they generally only show off a Starting Area such as Ered Luin and the Shire more often and at times the Bree Lands. These areas in general "look old" and makes people who don't really know LOTRO think that the "whole game looks like that". The common comment of "This looks like a PS2 (Playstation 2) game" is thrown around a good amount.

That said "how" the Visuals are being done is another factor. Too much "Clutter & Fluff" such as excessive Trees, Bushes, Grass, etc. does take away from places and isn't always needed. Sometimes Less can be More when used wisely.

 

[Drarin]

Visual Updates are 100% needed for LOTRO as the "Graphics/Visuals" is one of the key things that holds back this MMORPG for why people aren't playing it.

It's fairly common, especially in recent years, whenever "Youtube Reviewers" talk about LOTRO they generally only show off a Starting Area such as Ered Luin and the Shire more often and at times the Bree Lands. These areas in general "look old" and makes people who don't really know LOTRO think that the "whole game looks like that". The common comment of "This looks like a PS2 (Playstation 2) game" is thrown around a good amount.

That said "how" the Visuals are being done is another factor. Too much "Clutter & Fluff" such as excessive Trees, Bushes, Grass, etc. does take away from places and isn't always needed. Sometimes Less can be More when used wisely.

I'd still argue that's not a "Quality of Life" thing, as its not something that's impacting the people who have already chosen to play the game. At that point, they've decided the graphics are not a sufficient enough problem to get them to start playing. The issue then becomes how to retain players, and that's where QoL comes in.

I will agree with you on your point though that the level of "clutter", especially in more modern areas, is a major detractor. Dense forests and marshes are pretty much unnavigable because bushes and reeds are larger than the player.

 

[-CasualGamer-]

Cave textures are terrible. Too bland, too uniform grey. Fix those.

I've said before, we can have a thread of ugliest landscape in LotRO. I think seeing before and after would be way cooler.

It's fairly common, especially in recent years, whenever "Youtube Reviewers" talk about LOTRO they generally only show off a Starting Area such as Ered Luin and the Shire more often and at times the Bree Lands. These areas in general "look old" and makes people who don't really know LOTRO think that the "whole game looks like that". The common comment of "This looks like a PS2 (Playstation 2) game" is thrown around a good amount.

A simple half-fix to this is making Mossward default. Most new players don't even know the option exists. And it's a vastly better intro area.

I think a lot of Ered Luin looks decent considering but it can probably be improved a lot.

 

[Demelsa]

As a visual person and a long time player, personally I’m glad to see these updates to old dungeon spaces happening while they have the time to do so. I just wish some of the Shire spaces were getting more votes.

 

[Scenario_SSG]

I'd much rather time be spent on things that actually make the player's lives much easier, like modernizing some of the old stable routes.

On that note - you'll be happy to know that a major overhaul of the Moria Stable network is currently planned to coincide with opening of Moria on the Legendary Worlds of Angmar and Mordor (this update will also be available on all game servers when it is patched in).

 

[RohirricHunter]

Can't believe Reniolind's Hideout is last... It's a notoriously visually buggy area that's supposed to be home to an emotionally devastating moment -- the second time the PC has seen Amdir kill, but at least with Toradan he was being threatened. The sudden shift as we see him brutally kill someone who was only trying to help him is often undercut by hilarious or just plain distracting visual bugs. It desperately NEEDS an update.

 

[bannedfortalkinglore]

Can't believe Reniolind's Hideout is last... It's a notoriously visually buggy area that's supposed to be home to an emotionally devastating moment -- the second time the PC has seen Amdir kill, but at least with Toradan he was being threatened. The sudden shift as we see him brutally kill someone who was only trying to help him is often undercut by hilarious or just plain distracting visual bugs. It desperately NEEDS an update.

It is only because everyone wants to see what a moria revamp would look like we will get there, if not now, then next round

 

[auximenes]

Below is a poll

Can we get more polls like this? I think it would help mitigate some of the complaints that you guys don't listen to the players.

 

[RohirricHunter]

It is only because everyone wants to see what a moria revamp would look like we will get there, if not now, then next round

I hope we do! In the meantime, enjoy this screenshot of Amdir somehow managing to kill Reniolind and then trying to kill me all without a sword:

(I realize that this particular issue would not be solved by the environmental update being proposed here, I just thought it was funny and wanted to share.)

 

[Arabani]

I think we may have different ideas of what "Quality of Life" means.

Right, it would be nice to hear what is meant by "facelift to bring them to our modern standards of design". If it is something like Man and Elf avatars update then absolutely NOT!

 

[Kipp]

I definitely think scary quarry, using assets from more recent (than the base game) assets from Mirkwood, Webs of the Scuttledells and the like would really sell the spider infested quarry. Currently its more like a quarry that spiders happen to live in. I also think silverdeep for the same reason, a lot of new assets from the various dwarf packs would really help to sell the dwarf mine, i feel, without much if any new art assets.

 

[Kipp]

I hope we do! In the meantime, enjoy this screenshot of Amdir somehow managing to kill Reniolind and then trying to kill me all without a sword:

(I realize that this particular issue would not be solved by the environmental update being proposed here, I just thought it was funny and wanted to share.)

Reminds me of the quest in Helm's Deep where Gimli dies, and then is fine in the next quest. He definitely has the stubbornness of a dwarf!

 

[Malachi]

When I heard about the visual revamp for low-level dungeons, I was expecting those to be The Great Barrow, Garth Agarwen, Fornost etc.

To be blunt, I do not think any of those spaces justify additional work. They are minor storyline dungeons which most characters would visit once for a few minutes at most, and then never again.

If I had to highlight a priority for the world team visual revamp, it would be the distant cliffsides in Angmar, Misty Mountains, North Downs etc. Getting those low-rez textures to look like the mountains in the recent areas would go a long way.

 

[glorianir]

I would just like to say... please, whatever you do, don't make older zones feel like they lost their individual uniqueness. Improvements are fine, as long as it entails improving the existing textures and designs, rather than replacing them altogether with the exact same we already have in newer zones. (The latter would just make the entire game feel samey)

They are minor storyline dungeons which most characters would visit once for a few minutes at most, and then never again.

Exactly! I am also surprised. I believe it might have something to do with new player impression, but it's not like walking outside these 5min spaces is flawless, so I don't see the point/priority in a few min spaces?

If I had to highlight a priority for the world team visual revamp, it would be the distant cliffsides in Angmar, Misty Mountains, North Downs etc. Getting those low-rez textures to look like the mountains in the recent areas would go a long way.

Even better if these distant low res textures could be loaded into ram (or gpu?) memory as higher res textures (I believe it's an engine limitation that they can't?). Just like up-close mountain cliffs look like- they aren't so low res from up close. North Downs cliffs are actually decent up-close, if running reshade. But a few in some regions could use a texture upgrade, selectively, since they were just badly drawn. Well, hopefully they can do that too. Because new areas also suffer from the distant low rez textures, imo

 

[Ezra]

I would choose any revamp of any kind for Ered Luin. Then Angmar. Then North Downs. Whether it's maps, visuals, overhauls, small spaces like the ones we are asked to choose from above etc. Unless there is a good reason for holding back on Ered Luin changes.............