Kingdoms of Harad: Comment

[Bone]

Most players don't read the patch notes. Most players don't even read the launcher announcements. For players returning after months or even years, some of whom haven't played the earlier installments or for any player just reaching 145-150 and not wishing to play through those earlier installments; an auto-bestowed vector quest or a game mail would be much more user-friendly.

Agreed.

 

[MajorDingDong]

You know, if you remove the D in the end, you get Kingdoms of HARA, now ask any Arabic speaking person what HARA means and that is all I got to say about this content.

 

[Pharone]

The couple times I have used an item to level one of my characters up to max level (or near max level), I have been super annoyed with the ton of mails asking me to come see someone.

I think that a much cleaner way to facilitate "where to start" on each expansion is to add a tab to the Deeds window labeled "Expansions" and under it you have a deed for each expansion (as well as each quest pack) Each of those deeds tells you the person you need to go talk to and where they are located. When you go talk to that person and get the starter quest for that expansion, it marks the deed complete.

That way, at any time you can go to that list of deeds, and see which expansion AND quest packs you have started as well as who and where to go visit in order to start the ones you have not.

 

[Bone]

You know, if you remove the D in the end, you get Kingdoms of HARA, now ask any Arabic speaking person what HARA means and that is all I got to say about this content.

Any Arabic speaking person is going to know that there is a difference between “Hara” and “Harad”.

 

[JohnMHammer]

I think that a much cleaner way to facilitate "where to start" on each expansion is to add a tab to the Deeds window labeled "Expansions" and under it you have a deed for each expansion (as well as each quest pack)

I like that! And the release of each expansion or major quest line would include a new Deed and so every player would get a notification in the alerts box of the UI, as a character does for every new Deed bestowed. Brilliant!

 

[gildhur]

I find it easier to go through the tunnels underneath, there's a stable master directly underneath Dar Laja, then it's a quick and easy run through the building no need to wander the confusing and painfully laggy streets of Umbar

Certainly so. But first you have to find an entrance into the Neaths, which is not as easy as it should be either.

 

[Adaltir]

They're not technically part of TSoWaW, so that's up to other designers. I mentioned it, but it was decided not to make multiple versions of the quests to account for when you might have met them before.

As for seeking TBD, I think some of the localizations might have earlier versions of strings that obviously won't be staying that way.

MoL

I just encountered what you mean, and though I do understand that multiple versions would have meant additional effort and time invest, it is kinda heart breaking. Viznak questline(s) were so good, funny and emotional, it feels so bad that you are now a stranger to him and none of the former events got mentioned. This really hurts, and disappoints. I strongly support what Ena wrote.

 

[Once_Of_Bree]

Certainly so. But first you have to find an entrance into the Neaths, which is not as easy as it should be either.

True but 2 of my 3 alts had one of their many milestones set to an underground spot and the one that didn't found an entrance very near and easy to find (head in general direction and select next until you see "Door") from one of the many other return to's in Umbar

 

[istvana]

Most players don't read the patch notes. Most players don't even read the launcher announce

True for the patch notes. Maybe not so true for things right on the launcher.

I figure anyone that doesn't even skim something right on the launch page put there to tell players something important truly deserves what they get from not knowing.

 

[Snowlock2007]

I generally reserve the mail messages for the start of a new story, not for each addition along the way. So this isn't really "the way I used to do it," because when we start something new I'll likely do it again. But I didn't think the in-game mails were necessary for Chapters 8, 9, 10, and 14.

MoL

I secretly think MoL hops into the game on Xpac release day to watch /world burn with "where do I go to start the epic!".

 

[Bone]

True for the patch notes. Maybe not so true for things right on the launcher.

I figure anyone that doesn't even skim something right on the launch page put there to tell players something important truly deserves what they get from not knowing.

I agree with this all the way. You almost have to make an effort NOT to read what’s on the launcher.

 

[OotLot]

Please next time mention to them very strongly, fist on the table and such, if need be! We care about those characters and built relationships. It adds so much to the story and experience. Almost got tears in my eyes, being addressed as a stranger, and I was so delighted to see them.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I had thought we were great friends, only to be blown off like some noob that had just arrived in Middle Earth. Must be the same dev who devised the circles of land in the quest tracker that must be traversed over and over and over again until you step on the exact tiny dot that triggers the quest advancement. Then you do it a half dozen times more. I can imagine the dev is sitting there hiding in admin mode, laughing at us and rubbing their grubby little hands together. I realize you want to keep us in game as long as possible, but I would suppose frustrating the customer to the nth degree might not be the most ideal way to do that. May I suggest giving the employee(s) who did these abominable acts some menial and repetitive task (like, say, cleaning the bathrooms ) until they get the message that " this is not the way we do things in LOTRO". Obviously, some tongue in cheek here but do hope you go back and jog the memories of our friends.

 

[Gildoriel]

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I had thought we were great friends, only to be blown off like some noob that had just arrived in Middle Earth. Must be the same dev who devised the circles of land in the quest tracker that must be traversed over and over and over again until you step on the exact tiny dot that triggers the quest advancement. Then you do it a half dozen times more. I can imagine the dev is sitting there hiding in admin mode, laughing at us and rubbing their grubby little hands together. I realize you want to keep us in game as long as possible, but I would suppose frustrating the customer to the nth degree might not be the most ideal way to do that. May I suggest giving the employee(s) who did these abominable acts some menial and repetitive task (like, say, cleaning the bathrooms ) until they get the message that " this is not the way we do things in LOTRO". Obviously, some tongue in cheek here but do hope you go back and jog the memories of our friends.

I think a more appropriate punishment would be having to run their own quests all day ...

 

[Karalas]

They're not technically part of TSoWaW, so that's up to other designers. I mentioned it, but it was decided not to make multiple versions of the quests to account for when you might have met them before.

As for seeking TBD, I think some of the localizations might have earlier versions of strings that obviously won't be staying that way.

MoL

I agree with all the comments above. I understand that you're not responsible for this, but it's something that can't be put aside. It's not like Kafagur where it's so self-contained, that I simply won't do this if I don't like it and pretend it doesn't exist.

Here it's a side-story spanning multiple expansions, where we had the time for the NPCs to grow on us.

It's really heartbreaking (and immersion-breaking), but mostly the former.

 

[sealana]

I think a more appropriate punishment would be having to run their own quests all day ...

And then write on the board 100 times: I will not do this ever again!

 

[Hibernia]

Do i need to buy the Umber update in order to play the Harad one? Not played for a while but would like to play my 150 loremadter. Can afford £30 for Harad but not if i have to buy the previous one ss well

 

[mashle]

I agree with this all the way. You almost have to make an effort NOT to read what’s on the launcher.

Then what about those players coming back weeks or months after the expac was initially released? That notice would have been buried below long ago.

And I don't think pinning it in the launcher is appropriate too because it only affects that specific group of players: people looking to and able to start on the next epic chapter. For the rest, there's no benefit at all.

So the solution should be something in-game definitely. Personally I still think a mail is the easiest that still makes sense.

 

[JohnMHammer]

Do i need to buy the Umber update in order to play the Harad one?

No.

 

[sealana]

Quartermasters in the new areas can't see materials you want to trade them for keys opening reputation items if you have those materials in the carry-all. Need to have them directly in your inventory.

 

[mattpointblank]

The last three additions to The Song of Waves and Wind all begin with Jaith outside the Meeting-hall of Dar Laja, in Umbar, and so does this one.

MoL

I don't know what dates those additions were released, but I certainly couldn't casually remember which NPC (or even which region) the Epic quest line began at. I was slightly disappointed at paying a decent amount of cash for this expansion to have no visible indicator of how to actually begin the content I'd paid for once I logged in, instead having to resort to this thread.

IMO it's not a bad thing to hold players' hands a little with stuff like this which crosses over from "real life" to the game worlds.